Gauchos save best for last in semifinal thriller

The Saddleback men's basketball team pulled off an improbable comeback on Friday night in beating Cañada College, 75-68, in overtime at the state semifinals at Cerritos College.   Dusty Baker nailed a three-pointer from 32-feet with 1.7 seconds left in regulation to send the game to overtime in a game where the Gauchos never led until the extra period. (VIDEO LINKS AT BOTTOM)

Saddleback came out slow and looked like a team that was going to see its season end a game short of its dream.  The Gauchos stumbled, tripped and flailed through the first 20 minutes against a Cañada team that looked ready to make it's first-ever trip to a state title game.

Saddleback trailed 32-22 at the break, and never looked comfortable as the Colts seemed to have an answer for everything.  The Gauchos shot just 30% from the floor and were out-rebounded by a much smaller Cañada unit, 22-17.  Conference MVP Conor Clifford turned the ball over three times and missed a number of easy shots while the Colts made 5-of-12 from three-point range.  Whenever Saddleback did make a run, Cañada's Crisshawn Clark had an answer, scoring 11 first-half points for the No. 2 seed from Northern California.

Saddleback came out quicker in the second half, scoring the first three points to cut the lead to seven as Clifford slammed home a dunk and made a free throw to cut the lead to 32-25.  Clark, however, answered again with a layup and the lead was back up to nine.   The two teams then went scoreless for 2.5 minutes before the Gauchos got more aggressive, getting to the free throw line and cutting into the lead.  Maleke Haynes buried two free throws with 15:32 remaining, cutting the deficit to 34-28, the closest Saddleback had been since the 3:12 mark of the first half.

The teams traded three-pointers before Clark went back to work for Cañada, making layups on back-to-back possessions and driving the lead back up to 10.  Things went from bad to worse when Rodrigo Puliceno nailed a three-pointer and Clark scored again on a layup, giving the Colts their biggest lead of the game at 46-33 with 11:28 remaining.

From that point forward, Saddleback started to find its range.  Josh Mishler started the rally with two three-pointers on back-to-back possessions, giving life to a large Saddleback crowd that was growing impatient.  A layup and two free throws from Clifford got the Gauchos within 48-43 with 8:51 remaining, but again Cañada had an answer as Rhondell Goodwin completed a three-point play to thwart the momentum.

Saddleback continued to take the ball to the basket, drawing fouls and getting to the free throw line.  Baker made two and Collin Host made two on straight possessions as the lead dwindled to four with 7:38 remaining. 

The lead remained between five and seven until the 4:18 mark when Clifford made a layup and Baker followed a three-pointer, cutting the deficit to 57-55 with just 2:18 left on the clock.  Again, however, Cañada had an answer as Goodwin made another layup and the lead was four with just 1:34 remaining. 

Baker (pictured) made two free throws on the following possession to make the score 59-57 with 1:28 remaining and then it looked as if Saddleback would have a chance at stealing the game when Andrew Bournes stole the ball from Kenny Hatch with 1:02 remaining.  Unfortunately, Hatch returned the favor with 40 seconds remaining with a steal of his own and the Gauchos' only option was to foul and send the Colts to the free throw line with 28 seconds remaining on the clock. 

Hatch buried both shots from the charity stripe in what was starting to look like the beginning of the end, putting Cañada up 61-57 with time running out.

Saddleback wasn't going to give up as Mishler scored and was fouled with 9.7 seconds remaining, making the free throw to cut the deficit to 61-60.  A quick foul put Goodwin back at the free throw line with 9.1 seconds remaining, and he proceeded to bury both shots in what seemed to be the final dagger.

The next nine seconds can only be described as miraculous, as Saddleback inbounded the ball to Haynes who found Baker across midcourt with five seconds left on the clock.  He sized up his defender and let it fly, catching nothing but net from 32-feet as the partisan crowd from Southern California erupted with 1.7 seconds remaining on the clock.  The Gauchos had tied the game and sent it to overtime. 

The unexpected comeback seemed to take the life out of Cañada, who looked stunned in the extra period.  The Colts were 0-for-5 from the field in overtime, turning the ball over three times in the first two minutes as Saddleback grabbed its first lead of the game with 3:35 remaining on a Haynes layup.  From that point forward the Gauchos made a living at the free throw line.  Saddleback buried 7-of-8 from the charity stripe in the final minute as Clifford, Bournes, Haynes and Mishler all took the ball to the rim after Baker fouled out of the game with 1:02 remaining.  A block by Brandon Fagins seemed to be the exclamation point with 31 seconds remaining…his third of the game.  Fagins followed with a key rebound with 16 seconds remaining and the celebration began.  Saddleback had pulled off the miracle, 75-68 in overtime.

Clifford finished with a game-high 20 points while Baker had 16, Mishler 13 and Haynes 12.  The Gauchos made 28-of-35 from the free throw line (80%), nailing 14-of-17 in the second half.

The win puts the Gauchos (32-2) into the state championship game on Sunday at 1:00 PM where they will meet East Los Angeles College (22-10).  The Huskies defeated Merritt College 94-83 earlier in the night, making for an All-Southern California final.

Gaucho fan Laura Fagins captured the final shot by Baker in regulation on video.  @lauralu2222  I think she deserves a follow!

Here was the official video and broadcast from SoCal College Sports, the group used to stream the games for the CCCAA.  YouTube VIDEO LINK