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    Santiago boys basketball defeats Pacifica in semifinals, advances to finals for first time
    • February 22, 2025

    GARDEN GROVE — The Santiago boys basketball team earned a monumental victory Friday night as it defeated crosstown rival Pacifica 50-43 in the CIF-SS Division 4AA semifinals.

    By winning, the Cavaliers punched their ticket to the championship game, the first in program history.

    Jorden De La Mora scored 13 of his game-high 25 points in the final quarter for Santiago (21-11), which will face Ramona in the final next week at a site to be determined.

    Santiago coach Matt Moorhouse was overcome with emotion after the game, while he also relished the moment — earning a spot in the CIF championships on the team’s home court and surrounded by the team’s fans.

    “That made it perfect,” he said. “I mean, that’s why I was so emotional, because I wanted to do something for this school ever since I got here eight years ago.”

    The Mariners (21-11), who were led by Myles Salas’ team-high 13 points, trailed 33-29 as they entered the fourth quarter. They soon found themselves down by seven after a 3-pointer from De La Mora.

    Pacifica, the No. 2 seed in the division, went on a 7-0 run tie the score. They got a basket from Luke Thompson, a 3-pointer from Mateo Angel and a shot from Anthony Smith.

    De La Mora responded with back-to-back 3s, one from well beyond the arc and another from the corner as he got free thanks to a screen. He finished the game with five 3-pointers.

    Pacifica coach David Friedman was proud of the heart and effort from his team and felt like they had their opportunity to win. He also tipped his cap to De La Mora.

    “Turnovers and missed layups absolutely cost us tonight,” Friedman said, “but the other big thing was their kid, De La Mora, hit some big-time shots. “He had 13 points in the fourth quarter, and as they say, ‘players make plays’ and he took over. You gotta hand it to the kid.”

    Santiago's Jorden De La Mora scored a game-high 25 points to lead his team to a win over Pacifica, 50-43, in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 4AA playoffs Friday, Feb. 21. (Photo by David Delgado)
    Santiago’s Jorden De La Mora scored a game-high 25 points to lead his team to a win over Pacifica, 50-43, in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 4AA playoffs Friday, Feb. 21. (Photo by David Delgado)

    “That’s Jorden, it wasn’t unexpected or anything new,” Moorhouse said. “He’s been our most consistent player, but everybody helped in the game.”

    Jayden Baude scored 10 points, Jerell Guidry added six points while Diego Bracamontes chipped in with five points in the second quarter. Anthony Bermudez provided great defense for the Cavaliers.

    Tustin coach Ringo Bossenmeyer was in the crowd to lend support for Santiago. Moorhouse credits Bossenmeyer with teaching him how to run a program.

    Moorhouse hinted at the possibility of this being his final season at Santiago, and he would like nothing more than to bring home the school’s first CIF championship before it’s all said and done.

    “I don’t know what’s going to happen after this year, if I’m going to stay or go,” he said, “but this is my goal. This is a great way to cap it all off if this is it.”

    As for Pacifica, it will have a 12-day layoff before the CIF SoCal Regional playoffs begin. Friedman is looking to continue the postseason with more memories.

    Friedman earned his 400th career victory in the first round and witnessed Myles Salas hit a last-second, go-ahead shot over Tarbut V’Torah in the second round.

    “I’ve enjoyed every moment of it and not taking it for granted, yet, not nervous, just really feeling like we belong here,” he said.

     

     Orange County Register 

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