Boys basketball: Modesto Christian just too much for Argonaut

SALIDA -- After a 60-point first half, it was clear that Friday would not be the night Modesto Christian High might suffer a postseason letdown.

MC, which has regularly pounded lesser foes in the playoffs over the last decade, did it again with a 90-41 win over Argonaut in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV quarterfinals.

Reeves Nelson scored 26 points and Daniel Lemburg had 24, including four 3-pointers, to lead MC (25-4) to a 16th consecutive win and a trip to Wednesday's semifinal at Tokay High.

It will be a homecoming for guard D.J. Seeley (18 points), who led the section in scoring as a junior last year at Tokay, before transferring to MC.

The No. 2-seeded Crusaders, pursuing their 11th section title in 12 years, face No. 3 Encina (21-7) in the semifinal. The time will be announced today.

"(Argonaut) just didn't have the manpower we had," MC coach Gary Porter pointed out.

Argonaut was coming off an upset of No. 7 Vacaville Christian, but it was clear early in the game that the Mustangs wouldn't make it two in a row.

MC led 25-18 after a quarter, then went on a 35-10 run in the second quarter to put it away.