By Nick Seminerio
DHS State Championship Photo Gallery:
Sacramento, CA –
The Men’s Varsity Basketball team fell to Chaminade High School (27-6) of Canoga Park, California by a 71-51 margin in today’s Division III state championship game.
The Pirates were in position to become Marin’s first public school champion since Tamalpais High School in 2000. The last time the Pirates have won a state championship was in 1982.
Drake was unable to stop Chaminade’s runs early in the game, led by Michael Oguine (4), who had scored 20 points by halftime.
“When they turned over, they got points off it, when we turned them over, we weren’t finishing,” said head coach Doug Donnellan in a post-game press conference.
Adding a twist to the lineup of the Southern California school, Chaminade was missing Jack Williams (32), a key offensive player, due to illness. Jake Porath (33) stepped in and finished the game with six points and two assists.
Donnellan thought that Chaminade rallied around Williams’ absence, and that he’s seen teams play better when a situation like that occurs.
However, the Pirates gave it their all and battled back. By the end of the 2nd quarter, Drake had an 8-0 run to pull within ten points, with the score at 35-25.
Through the 3rd and 4th quarters, Chaminade’s lead grew, with Trevor Stanback (22), Oguine, and Justin Eisen (3) each scoring over ten.
Donnellan said a variety of factors could have impacted the game. “It could have been the arena, we weren’t making shots they normally do, and jitters early in the game were a possibility,” he said.
Both players and coaches alike were impressed and appreciative of outpouring of community support. An estimated 1500 Pirate fans encompassed over three sections of the Sleep Train Arena, which is home to the Sacramento Kings.
“It was a great crowd, I didn’t think that many people would be there,” said Junior Jesse Hunt (30). Donnellan echoed his player, saying that win or lose, the community will love the team no matter what.
Junior Cade Yongue (13) said this season has taught the team that they can compete with everybody. “There will be high expectations for next year,” added Junior Ben Bloom (25).
However, the Pirates are far from forgetting this season’s memorable run. “It’s a great experience that I think we will all remember for a lifetime,” Donnellan said.
This story will be updated.
Jolly Roger 