Last-Second Shot Falls Short for Renaissance Academy

ONTARIO – Vince DeGuzman had the ball in his hands for the last two shots for the Renaissance Academy boys basketball team in the CIF Southern California Regional Division V final on Saturday.

He scored on a tough layup and ended up sliding out of bounds into the baseline wall to pull Renaissance Academy within one point with 10 seconds to play in the game.

But his off-balance 3-pointer at the buzzer hit off the front of the rim and bounced out. Renaissance Academy lost to Village Christian, 58-57, at Colony High School.

DeGuzman scored 10 points in the game and made two 3-pointers for Renaissance Academy (27-7), which ended a dominating run through the CIF playoffs with a heartbreaking, one-point loss in the Southern California Regional championship game.

Jessy Cantinol led all scorers with 22 points for Renaissance Academy. He was 9-for-11 from the field and had six rebounds.

“He was very tough to stop,” said Village Christian’s Bryan Alberts, who guarded Cantinol for most of the game. “He was very physical and very quick. It was a tough challenge for me.”

Alberts hit the game-winning shot for Village Christian (32-1), a 3-pointer that broke a 55-55 tie with 45 seconds left to play in the game.

DeGuzman cut the lead to one with a driving basket through the lane. But Renaissance Academy used up most of the shot clock and left only 10 seconds on the game clock.

Renaissance Academy fouled Joe Shashaty on the ensuing play and sent him to the free-throw line for a one-and-one. He missed the first free throw, giving Renaissance one last chance to win the game.

With five seconds left to play, Renaissance Academy worked the ball to DeGuzman, who took a wild 3-pointer at the buzzer that rattled off the rim.

Renaissance Academy was a man down for the championship game. Starting point guard Nick Troplent didn’t play. He was out with a sprained knee and had flu-like symptons, said Sid Cooke, the Renaissance Academy coach.

Cooke added that many of his players were fighting the flu last week.

Marquis Salmon scored 19 points to lead Village Christian, which won the Southern California Regional Division V championship for the first time in school history. The Crusaders will play in the CIF State Division V championship in Sacramento next week.

Renaissance Academy won the Southern California Regional Division V championship in 2008 over Price.