CONCORD, Calif. - Newark Memorial junior Khion Sankey had a long memory and a big game to match on Wednesday night.
The 6-foot-4 forward kept his team in the game early and led them to victory late with 16 points and eight rebounds in a stunning 39-33 North Coast Section Division I semifinal victory over host De La Salle, No. 6 in the national MaxPreps Xcellent 25.
The fourth-seeded Cougars (26-4) scored 10 of the game’s final 13 points in the final one minute, 13 seconds and forced the Spartans into paltry 19 percent shooting (7 of 37).
The victory avenged a 53-52 loss to De La Salle in last year’s NCS championship game and snapped the Spartans' 22-game win streak.
Jeff Powers made four three-pointers and had 14 points for De La Salle (26-2) but the rest of the squad made just three two-point baskets in 24 attempts. Newark Memorial moves into Saturday’s NCS finals against Monte Vista and guaranteed an automatic berth into the NorCal Regional.
De La Salle's season comes to a screeching halt.
“As bad as we felt last year after losing to them we feel even better tonight,” Sankey said. “To beat a great team like them in their gym is indescribable.”
Sankey scored six straight for his team to put the Cougars up 27-22 with 3 minutes, 45 seconds left before Powers drilled back-to-back 3-pointers and Beau Levesque made two free throws to give De La Salle a 30-29 with 1:28 left.
Newark Memorial's Khion Sankey scored 16 points in an upset over nationally-ranked De La Salle Wednesday night.
File Photo By Todd Shurtleff
Most in the packed gym thought the Cougars would fold, but 6-6 forward Ifeanyi Ezeofor made a turnaround jumper and after a Spartans turnover, Evan Kobori was fouled while shooting with 56.1 seconds left.
Kobori jumped into 6-8 junior center John McArthur and the call was close to a charge.
When the referee whistled a block, McArthur jumped up and screamed "what!?!" He was whistled for a technical foul, Kobori made three of four free throws and then converted a layup off a beautifully designed play by Newark coach Craig Ashmore on the inbounds play to put Newark in total control.
The five-point play gave the Cougars a 36-30 with 52 seconds left.
“I love these guys and I love Khion,” Newark coach Craig Ashmore said. “To come in here and beat the best high school coach in California and a great team speaks volumes about our kids. It was all them.”
Said Sankey: “It was all heart. We weren’t going to be denied.”
De La Salle coach Frank Allocco said Newark Memorial deserved to win but was extremely upset with the technical called on the five-point play. He said it was only the second technical ever called on one of his players in 15 years of coaching. He thought it was undeserved.
"I get it if he cursed or came even close to making contact, but he jumped up and said 'what,' " said Allocco, who confirmed with several players to make sure that is indeed all McArthur said. "It was a huge call. (McArthur) did what he was taught and got position and was extremely disappointed with the call. I wasn't in position to know if he was or not. The (block) call didn't bother me. But the technical was a dagger and that referee who is a true pro and been around for 30 years shouldn't have called it."
Neither team could buy a basket and both played stellar defense in a rather remarkable first three quarters. The score after one: De La Salle 3, Newark 2. Halftime score: 11-11. Third-quarter score: Newark 19, De La Salle 16.
Through three quarters both teams had taken 26 shots. Newark made eight and De La Salle four.
The Spartans crashed the offensive boards well with 15, but didn’t make a single putback. They opened the game with three turnovers and two missed layups on their first five possessions.
"It kind of set the tone," Allocco said. "We've had a fantastic year but picked a bad time to play poorly. Give Newark credit though. (Ashmore) does a great job with them and they played really, really tough."
Said Ashmore: "The kids played great defense. We had two days to prepare for them and they simply stepped up. We defended against the backdoor play and I can't remember them getting one. I couldn’t be prouder of my team. It's one of our biggest wins since I've been here.”
E-mail Mitch Stephens at mstephens@maxpreps.com.
Newark Memorial 39, De La Salle 33
Newark Memorial 2 9 8 20 - 39
De La Salle 3 8 5 17 - 33
NEWARK MEMORIAL (26-4): Ezeofor 3 0-1 6, Sankey 6 3-4 16, Clark 2 3-6 8, McCall 1 0-0 2, Kobori 2 3-4 7. Totals 14 9-15 39.
DE LA SALLE (26-2): McArthur 0 2-2 2, Levesque 0 8-12 7, Smith 2 3-4 7, Powers 4 2-2 14, Stein 1 0-0 2. Totals 13-18 33.
De La Salle (Concord, CA) California Newark Memorial (Newark, CA)
