Diamond Ranch run ends with loss in state final

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL

Dejected Diamond Ranch players watch from the bench as International goes on to a 71-52 victory in the CIF State Division V championship game in Sacramento on Friday. Keith Birmingham / Staff photographer

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By Dan Albano

dalbano@scng.com

SACRAMENTO — Diamond Ranch’s hilltop campus is known for its modernist architecture that captivates the imagination. And for the past month, the school’s boys basketball team has designed its own unique style with a postseason run that reached a startling destination Friday.

The Panthers, an at-large entry to the playoffs who later slayed a CIF-SS champion, faced International School of San Francisco for the CIF State Division V title at Golden 1 Center.

If reaching its first state final wasn’t eye-catching enough, Diamond Ranch encountered record-setting guard Conor Maguire and a large student section waving red and blue pom-poms.

The Panthers proved they belonged in the spotlight but International rallied in the second half for a 71-52 victory for its first state crown.

In the postgame interview room, Diamond Ranch coach Kevin Ryan told his somber players to “be proud.”

“Really excited for the boys from Pomona,” the ninth-year coach said. “Never been here before, so it was a great experience the whole year.”

Diamond Ranch (23-15) led by 10 points late in the first half. The Panthers endured a 16-0 run in the third period by International to trail by just two early in the fourth.

But the drives of Maguire (32 points), the inside presence of Will Savill-Welch (12 points, 18 rebounds, 7 blocks) and efficiency of International was too much.

International (25-12) made a stunning 15 of 25 field goals (60%) in the second half after going 10 for 35 (29%) in the first half. The Jaguars focused more on driving to the basket in the second half than taking 3-pointers.

That’s the type of effort it took to beat the Panthers.

“No one expected us to go this far,” said Diamond Ranch junior guard Devin Turner, who scored a team-high 16 points. “(Our postseason) makes me feel good. I hope it makes everyone else feel good.”

Diamond Ranch senior forward Michael Salazar scored all 14 of his points in the first half and finished with 11 rebounds. Junior Jaiden Pullian added 10 points and nine rebounds.

The Panthers showed their resolve, especially in the third quarter. After International went on a 16-0 run to erase a five-point deficit and take 42-31 lead, Diamond Ranch came back to challenge early in the fourth quarter behind Turner.

“They were a good team,” said Maguire, who made a North Coast Section record 14 3-pointers in a game last month. “I thought early they hit a couple shots that were tough.”

Diamond Ranch ended the first period with a 6-0 run to lead 15-11. In the second, the Panthers used a 7-0 run, highlighted by a banked 3-pointer by Presley Mondragon, to open a 26-19 lead.

The Panthers showed resiliency throughout the playoffs. After losing to Kaiser 61-48 in the CIF-SS Division 5AA final, they beat Kaiser 52-47 in the second round of the CIF Southern California Regional.

Diamond Ranch won its next two games, including a win over No. 1 seed Wilson of Hacienda Heights, to reach the state final. That’s quite the run for the fourth-place team from the Mt. Baldy League.

“We played well together,” Pullian said. “Our team, I’m going to miss these guys. This has been a long season.”