Denair outlasts Mariposa down the stretch to earn shot at first section title since 2002
Every high school athlete dreams of making the big play to win a key game.
Denair High junior Izaiahs Plasencia made two game-winning plays in the final minute for the Coyotes boys basketball team on Wednesday night.
Plasencia hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 45 seconds left and then blocked Mariposa’s Johann Hill-Zeck’s potential game-winning shot with 17 seconds remaining to help preserve a thrilling 60-56 Sac-Joaquin Section Division V semifinal win for top-seeded Denair (25-4) on Wednesday night at Denair High School.
“He saved the game for us,” said Denair coach RJ Henderson. “I’m very happy for him. He gets overlooked a lot on our team. Hopefully, that’s not the case tomorrow on campus.”
The Coyotes punched their ticket to the section championship game against No. 11 Bradshaw Christian, which upset No. 2 Ripon Christian 38-37 on Wednesday night. The championship game will be on Saturday at noon at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.
“It’s a once-in-a-life opportunity,” said Plasencia, who scored 13 points. “I can’t wait.”
The Coyotes survived a back and forth battle between two teams that tied for the Southern League championship after splitting a pair of games this season.
“Mariposa is a terrifically coached team,” Henderson said. “In a lot of ways, the two teams mirror each other at a lot of positions. This game was everything I thought it would be and a little more. These were two Southern League teams — it’s a league that doesn’t get a lot of respect in the playoffs.”
“I think these are two teams building a rivalry but also building some credibility for our league,” Henderson added.
The fourth-seeded Grizzlies (22-6) put up a valiant fight.
Lance Dondero had the hot hand early, scoring 13 of his game-high 23 points in the first quarter, including a 12-0 scoring run by himself to give the Grizzlies a 16-8 lead in the first quarter.
Mariposa took a 31-26 lead into the half.
However, Denair stole the momentum by starting the third quarter with a 12-0 run. Four different Coyotes players scored during the run.
“We talked about it at halftime,” Mariposa coach Pierce Chaney said. “I told them whoever makes the push right here is going to have momentum. They came out and made that push and we weren’t ready for it.”
Mariposa closed the seven-point deficit to 43-41 at the end of the third quarter.
The lead changed hands four times in the fourth quarter. Mariposa’s Fernando Garcia made a pair of free throws to give the Grizzlies a 56-53 lead with 2:04 remaining.
With Denair trailing 56-54, Plasencia drained a 3-pointer from the corner to give the Coyotes a 57-56 lead with 45 seconds left.
“When we were shooting today, I was feeling it,” Plasencia said. “I took that feeling into the game and I showed them what I can do.”
Dondero was called for a charge on Mariposa’s next possession.
After a Denair turnover, Hill-Zeck (12 points) had an open lane to the basket, but Plasencia met him at the rim for a block with 17 seconds left.
Trailing by three points, the Grizzlies weren’t able to get up a shot when the Coyotes were able to tie up Dondero for a jump ball. The possession arrow pointed Denair’s way and Jack Henderson (18 points) was able to ice the game by making one of two free throws with 7.2 seconds remaining.
Chaney said the focus for Mariposa is its season isn’t over. “We still have a state playoff game,” he said. “If we don’t lock back in and take it for what it was — that we lost the game and we played really well — we still have a lot to learn. With all the COVID and everything, I don’t feel my boys are at their full potential.”
Denair has an opportunity to win its first section championship since 2002.
“It’s going to be an experience our players and coaches will never forget,” said RJ Henderson. “Win or lose, it’s going to be a great experience.”
