Boys basketball playoffs: San Marin advances to NorCal title game

Miller Morgan hit a clutch 3-pointer inside the final 2 minutes and Anthony Elwell added a jump shot as San Marin pulled away late for a 54-47 road win against Rancho Cotate in the NorCal Division V semfinals in Santa Rosa on Saturday.

Morgan’s shot extended San Marin’s lead to 48-41 with under 100 seconds left. Rancho Cotate (25-9) responded with a basket but Elwell scored to give the Mustangs a 50-43 lead.

Morgan finished with 27 points, including three 3-pointers, to go with 10 rebounds and two assists. He fueled the Mustangs’ 27-point run in the third quarter as he put up 12 points.

San Marin beat Rancho Cotate 61-44 in the Mustang Invitational in December. The Cougars took the early lead Saturday as the Mustangs struggled out of the starting gate, with only four points int he first quarter, before turning the tables on the Cougars to pull to 17-16 at halftime.

Elwell had eight points, 10 rebounds, two steals and two assists. Grant Means added nine points, five rebounds and three assists.

The Mustangs got solid defense from Kellen Dunning, and support from Jake Beisler (five points, three rebounds) and Joey angler (three points, three rebounds, three steals).

The No. 3 Mustangs (20-13) advance to the first NorCal title game in program history on Tuesday on the road against No. 1 Mission San Jose (22-10), which was a 62-58 winner against No. 13 Weed in Saturday’s other semifinal.

Novato players power St. Vincent to final

Novato resident Jack Ellis pumped in 27 points to lead St. Vincent de Paul to a 73-59 victory over Victory Christian in Saturday’s NorCal Regional D-VI semifinal. The second-seeded Mustangs (23-10) will face No. 1 Redding Christian (27-3) in Tuesday’s championship game. Dylan Chelew added 16 points for the Mustangs, who received nine points each from George Chaput and Harrison Barley, who are also from Novato.