“I wanted to go home,” Schachter said. “I was just thinking, ‘How can I get out of here?’ I was thinking about getting two quick [technical fouls] and just leaving.”
Schachter stuck around and the Sea Kings picked up the intensity.
CdM fought back before falling late, 54-50, for the second time in as many nights.
Seeing the Sea Kings (9-10) rally from a huge deficit and still lose hurt Schachter just as much as their effort in the first quarter.
As Schachter left the locker room, an assistant from Canyon (13-6) told Schachter, “Don’t be so hard on the refs.”
Schachter smiled. Only if the assistant had heard Schachter in the locker room, where he ate up his team and discussed at length the lost opportunities the past two nights.
CdM went into Saturday losing the night before at University, 56-52, a critical Pacific Coast League contest, which marked the end of the Sea Kings’ 16-game league winning streak.
Down the stretch, CdM, ranked No. 13 in the CIF Southern Section Division III-A coaches’ poll, earned its way back against Canyon, No. 6 in Division III-AA.
Getting quality play from guard Parker Stone (11 points, six rebounds) off the bench, playing stifling defense and seeing senior Sean Donovan find his shot helped.
Donovan poured in 10 of his 15 points in the fourth. He cut the Sea Kings’ deficit to 52-50 with 38.6 seconds left by hitting a jumper.
A foul was called on Canyon, giving the ball right back to the Sea Kings.
Donovan drove toward the basket, fighting off a couple of defenders. The shot rimmed in and out.
The Sea Kings quickly fouled. Canyon converted one of two free throws, pushing its lead to 53-50 with 22.2 seconds remaining.
