Coach Breaks Down San Marin-El Cerrito Matchup for Saturday's Showdown

Craig Pitti teaches social studies at — government and economics — but he knows history, too. He knows that Dec. 7 is known as A Date Which Will Live in Infamy. It certainly was in 1941, and on a lesser scale it was in 2010 for his San Marin boys basketball team.

Pitti told his Mustangs time and time again that their game against El Cerrito on Dec. 7 would be huge for seeding implications when it came time for the North Coast Section Division III championship tournament. He was right as the Gauchos won that night 56-52 and, almost three months later, ended up receiving a No. 2 seed in NCS tourney. The Mustangs received a No. 5 seed. 

However, after three wins in the NCS tourney for each team, the seeds don’t matter anymore as the Mustangs get ready play the Gauchos at 8 p.m. Saturday night in the NCS final.

The game will be played at McKeon Pavilion at St. Mary's College in Moraga, and San Marin (28-4) will be gunning for its first section championship in boys basketball. 

 "We knew that game was huge considering El Cerrito returned so many players and finished at the 2 seed the year before,” Pitti said. “Last year we lost to them by five at our place and I knew if we wanted a high seed in NCS, this win would be imperative.”

After losing that night, Pitti knew his team wouldn't claim either of the top two seedings. Indeed, Bishop O’Dowd of Oakland was No. 1, just ahead of El Cerrito. — the No. 1 team in the state among all Division III teams — with a 51-46 victory at Hank Moroski Gym. The game was played in Novato because San Marin was a league champion and O’Dowd didn’t win its own league.

 The Gauchos come into the title game with a 22-6 record and a championship in the Alameda Contra Costa League. Pitti said El Cerrito boasts “an athletic and talented team with great balance,” led by last year's league MVP senior point guard Bobby Syvanthong. He averages just 8.6 points per game but dished out 6.1 assists per game.

With the 6-foot-3 combo of Jabri Jenkins and Justin Johnson, the Gauchos have frontcourt wings that are among the best in the Bay Area, Pitti said. Jenkins leads the team in scoring at 14.3 per game and Johnson is second with 9.9 per game. At center, the Gauchos have 6-7 Eric Nelson,  who leads the team in rebounds at 8.7 per game.

 "They are truly one of the most athletic teams around,” Pitti said. “We have to find a way to control the pace of the game. The first time we played them, we played at our pace for most of the game but the segments we didn't hurt us. They are so good in the open court. If we don't get back in transition, we are in trouble.”

 In the December matchup, San Marin’s Stuart Wesonga went for 25 points, 19 rebounds and seven blocks. But the Mustangs shot a paltry 18-for-31 from the foul line while committing 19 turnovers. Jenkins led the Gauchos with 21 points in that game.

 "The missed free throws and some key turnovers did us in,” Pitti said. “We had our chances, but shot poorly and gave them too many fastbreak opportunities."

The Mustangs played that game just two days after completing a grueling three-day run at the Salesian Tournament in Richmond in which they beat Hayward, lost to host Salesian and then lost in double overtime to Las Lomas of Walnut Creek. Pitti said he thinks Saturday’s matchup will be much different.

 "We have both come so far since that meeting,” he said. “We were just four games into our season and had only just gotten the football players back the week before. I know they have gotten better, too, plus you throw in the excitement of a title game at St. Marys. The December game really doesn't mean much anymore.

“The fact is, if we miss 13 free throws again and turn the ball over like we did previously, El Cerrito will cruise to the title. For us to win, we have to play smarter and avoid making mistakes in their pressure defense. We don't do anything fancy or dominating. We are consistent and consistency over time pays off.” 

To learn more about San Marin's opponent, check out this of El Cerrito's NCS semifinal victory over Analy that ran on El Cerrito Patch.

HOW TO GET TO ST. MARY'S COLLEGE

— Take 580 to the East Bay, then 80 south along the Bayshore.

— Near the Bay Bridge Toll Plaza, stay on 580 toward Oakland/Castro Valley/Pleasanton.

— Switch to the right-hand lanes and follow signs for Highway 24 to Walnut Creek.

— Go through the Caldecott Tunnel and get off Highway 24 in Orinda.

— At the end of the offramp, take a right on Moraga Way and drive about five miles to downtown Moraga.

— Take a left (north) on Moraga Road and go about half a mile to the light at St. Mary's Road.

— Take a right and go about one mile to the college entrance

— Take a left at parking kiosk and wind around the east end of campus to McKeon Pavilion.

Tickets: $10 adults, $7 students

More information: www.cifncs.org