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Back row from left, Sean Porter, Jesse Martinez, Holden Najar and Tommy Grozdanic. Front row from left, Mauricio Martinez, Isaiah Velez Stargen, Jaxon Harrington, Fionn De Barra and Johnny Harrington.
Photo courtesy Johnny Harrington
For the first time in 11 years, the San Francisco CYO eighth-grade boys basketball championship belongs to St. Peter-Pacifica.
The championship game was played at St. Thomas More in San Francisco in front of a raucous standing-room-only crowd. After a tight back-and-forth competition, St. Peter was able to score the first basket in a sudden-death overtime to take the championship over Our Lady of Mercy, 49-47.
The 6-2 St. Peter’s Celtics team came into the playoffs as the second seed having lost to OLM earlier in the season. But with a veteran group of players who had won the seventh-grade championship last year, the boys from St. Peter Church were undaunted.
Coaches Johnny Harrington and Mauricio Martinez had prepared the group for a tough match.
“I told the kids we’re going to face adversity tonight,” Harrington said. “Stay mentally strong. And whatever you do, just keep playing basketball and leave it on the court.”
Every member of the St. Peter’s squad helped to keep the score close in the first four quarters. Fionn De Barra played shut-down defense on OLM while Isaiah Velez Stargen slashed through lanes and passed to open shooters as he found the seams in a tough OLM defense. Holden Najar crashed the boards and put a few back into the basket in the second half.
OLM had the lead for much of the second half, but it was the three ball that kept St. Peter-Pacifica in the game. Jaxon Harrington and Jesse Martinez found their rhythm from the 3-point line to get the Celtics a brief lead in the fourth. Martinez hit from the corners while Harrington chose the top of the key for his shooting spot. The clutch 3s were needed as St. Peter’s boys fought back to tie late in regulation.
But it was Sean Porter who led St. Peter on both sides of the court. Porter was unstoppable around the rim. OLM put two defenders on Porter for most of the game, but he continued to put up buckets and get rebounds. Porter’s soft touch on mid-range jumpers and offensive put-backs fueled the St. Peter victory.
OLM had two opportunities for the victory as they had final shots at the end of regular and overtime play.
Harrington told Celtics center Tommy Grozdanic the sudden-death jump ball could be the most important of his life. Then Grozdanic leapt to tip the ball to Velez Stargen who found Porter heading toward the basket on his way to a strong drive, where he scored and fouled to complete the victory and a championship season.
Harrington said the boys are a special group that has played together since third grade, amassing a 60-9 record over the years.
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