Modesto Christian’s boys basketball season ends in heartbreak

The Modesto Christian Crusaders sat and watched, almost motionless, as De La Salle posed for photos and celebrated at halfcourt.

When De La Salle’s party ended, the Crusaders slowly gathered themselves and left Sleep Train Arena. Brokenhearted. Again.

Modesto Christian barely fell short of the Northern California Open Division title Saturday night as a dramatic second-half comeback fell short in a stinging 41-40 loss.

A three-point play by De La Salle reserve guard Colby Orr with 4.9 seconds left – he slashed down the key for a finish off the glass and a free throw – turned out to be the difference. MC failed to get off a shot and, for the second straight year, its bid for a fifth berth in the state finals resulted in a cruel slap from the basketball gods.

“I’m just proud of all the guys. They’ve done what we asked them to do all year,” MC coach Richard Midgley said as the team surrounded him on the postgame podium. “They’re all winners to me.”

Modesto Christian (32-2) positioned itself for a pulsating win in the final minute. Josthin Dawkins penetrated and passed to reserve Nico Rojas Rojas, who – despite 6-foot-6 De La Salle post Emeka Udenyi flashing out to meet him – connected on a soft baseline 14-footer with 24 seconds left. MC led 40-38.

De La Salle (31-2) inbounded after a timeout with 16.2 seconds to go, and MC’s defense appeared stout as the clock ticked. But its 6-10 center, Robinson Idehen, had fouled out moments before, and his absence at the end was crucial. Orr drove through the Crusader pressure for the winning points. In fact, the junior scored his team’s final five points.

Modesto Christian, tentative and off-target on offense in the first half, outplayed De La Salle after halftime. The Crusaders grew more comfortable with the game’s slow pace and threw the Spartans off-balance with extended and trapping pressure. Their 10-point deficit in the first half gradually melted.

“De La Salle is a good defensive team. We’re a good defensive team,” Midgley said. “I felt it would be a low-scoring game.”

He was right, and MC eventually gained traction on offense with Jordan Hollins-Buckner (13 points). He tipped in a missed three-point attempt by Darrian Grays, and Idehen followed with a jump-hook. Grays netted a three-pointer from the top of the key with 2:40 to go, and Modesto Christian pushed in front 37-36 for the first time all night.

The momentum belonged to the Crusaders until the closing seconds, when De La Salle countered and earned a finals meeting against powerful Chino Hills.

Modesto Christian was outrebounded 33-24, and most of the damage was done by the physical Udenyi, who gashed the Crusaders for nine points and 13 rebounds. His matchup with Idehen (four points, eight rebounds) formed the hub of this pounding defensive slug-out.

“(Udenyi) held down the paint,” said Nikhil Peters, De La Salle’s leading scorer with 11 points. “I don’t know if we would be here without him.”

In a few days, Modesto Christian will reflect on its 32-game winning streak and another memorable season.

“It was the best season we’ve had since I’ve been here,” senior guard Christian Ellis summarized.

None of that mattered, however, as the Crusaders made their long, silent walk to the locker room.

This story was originally published March 20, 2016 at 12:04 AM with the headline "Modesto Christian’s boys basketball season ends in heartbreak."