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Live update summary: Salesian has too much in 64-52 NorCal Open semifinal win over Modesto Christian

Salesian rights some NorCal playoff wrongs with thorough semifinal win over the Crusaders at Contra Costa College.

Mitch Stephens, SBLive Sports

It was five years to the day that Salesian's boys basketball team and longtime coach Bill Mellis sustained its most painful playoff memory. 

A 29-0 team, seeded first in Northern California, dropped a 56-55 heartbreaker to Modesto Christian, one of three straight Open Division defeats for the Pride, who have a couple lower division state titles to their credit. 

On Saturday, Salesian righted that ship and offered a little payback, utilizing a deep bench and balanced attack with a 64-52 NorCal Open semifinal win over the same Modesto Christian program at Contra Costa College. 

Amani Johnson celebrated two weeks ago while winning the North Coast Section Open championship. Johnson had 10 points in Saturday's 64-52 win over Modesto Christian.  / File photo: Dennis Lee

Carlton Perrilliat had 12 points, Elias Obenyah 11 and Amani Johnson 10 as the the top seeded Pride (30-1) moved into the finals to face second-seed Riordan, a team it beat 62-49 in January at the De La Salle Martin Luther King Classic. 

Hawaii-bound point guard Aaron Hunken-Claytor and De'Undrae Perteete combined for 18 points for Salesian, which took control with a 19-12 run in the second quarter. 

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Gavin Sykes, who hit a buzzer beater and had 20 points in a quarterfinal win over De La Salle on Wednesday, had 15 points Saturday for Modesto Christian (28-6), Ry Atkins contributed 13 and Myles Jones 11. 

The Crusaders, making their ninth regional Open semifinal, hung around but clearly Salesian just had too much quality depth. 

"It means a lot," Salesian coach Bill Mellis told NorCalSports TV host Chris Babcock after the game. "This is the furthest we've gone in program history in the Open Division. It's special and we wouldn't want any group to do it than this group. They deserve every accolade they get." 

WATCH ON NFHS

Here was preview of the game:  

No. 5 seed Modesto Christian (28-5) vs. No. 1 Salesian (29-1) at Contra Costa College: The perennial private school NorCal powers have played eight times in the last 20 years, with Salesian winning five, though Modesto Christian has won the last two, 67-58 (2022) and 56-55 (2019), the latter in a NorCal semifinal. 

Two tenaciously tough defensive squads. 

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Modesto Christian coming off 51-49 buzzer-beater by Gavin Sykes at De La Salle. Salesian has had eight days off since 11th NCS championship. Salesian coach Bill Mellis said he's more worried about Modesto Christian than rust: 

“They really attack the basket well. They shoot the 3-ball and they crash the boards. Our hands will be full.” The Pride is 10-1 versus top 25 opponents this year: “Salesian is a very good team and they are very well connected,” Sykes said. “We just need to do what we do and we will be fine.” 

Check back for live updates throughout the night. 

Fourth quarter

Salesian 64, Modesto Christian 52 (final)

Salesian 59, Modesto Christian 52 (1:08): After Hunken-Claytor with scoop, Myles Jones with his third 3-point cut lead to seven. Timeout Modesto Christian. 

Salesian 54, Modesto Christian 44 (3:57): Atkins and Sykes keeping Modesto Christian in game. Another 3-pointer for Atkins, driving layup by Sykes. Each have 13 points.  

Third quarter

Salesian 46, Modesto Christian 35: Zion Yeargin with baseline move and bucket at buzzer. He's eighth Salesian player to score. Just too many bodies, talent for Pride. That's Salesian's biggest lead. 

Salesian 39, Modesto Christian 31 (4:25): Alvin Loving ends 8-0 run with fastbreak layup opening up Salesian's biggest lead. 

Second quarter

Salesian 20, Modesto Christian 19 (3:47)  Salesian can't hit anything from perimeter, but steals turned into layups, the last from Perrilliat gives Pride their first lead. A 3-pointer by Johnson makes it 23-19 to end 9-0 run. 

First quarter

Modesto Christian 15, Salesian 13 (end of 1): Jones with six and Ry Atkins for seven for Modesto Christian, while Carlton Perrilliat had six for Salesian. 

Modesto Christian 9, Salesian 3 (4:00): Three 3-pointers, two by Miles Jones gives Modesto Christian early lead. Salesian tight.

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Mitch Stephens, SBLive Sports
MITCH STEPHENS, SBLIVE SPORTS

Mitch Stephens is a senior editor at SBLive Sports for California, a state he's covered high school sports since 1984. He won multiple CNPA and CPSWA writing awards with the Contra Costa Times, San Francisco Chronicle and MaxPreps.com before joining the SBLive staff in 2022. He's covered the beat nationally since 2007, profiling such athletes as Derrick Henry, Paige Bueckers, Patrick Mahomes, Sabrina Ionescu, Jayson Tatum, Chiney Ogwumike, Jeremy Lin and Najee Harris as preps. You can reach him at mitch@scorebooklive.com.

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