BOYS DIVISION III STATE FINAL: THE KING’S ACADEMY VS. SAN GABRIEL ACADEMY
Records: The King’s Academy 27-4, San Gabriel Academy 20-13
Tipoff: Friday at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, 2 p.m.
Storylines: Even with a roster filled with young players, The King’s Academy ran through the NorCal playoffs like a group of seasoned veterans. Having five players who can put up 20 points or more on any given night certainly helps. … Freshman sensation Boss Mhoon does a little bit of everything for TKA, but is a three-level scorer who can get his shot off at any time. Senior Caedmon Dickson, the West Bay Athletic League Player of the Year, and junior guard Claxton Ladine form a lethal shooting combo that forces opposing teams to run the Knights off the 3-point line. Junior point guard Xavier Barnett is a crafty point guard that puts pressure on the rim and senior Karan Kolappa is a beast down low. … Led by head coach Cameron Bradford, TKA’s impressive postseason run includes beating Carmel in the CCS Division III title game and notching wins over Pleasant Valley, Aptos, Carlmont and Palo Alto to get to the state final. … A state championship won’t come easy for the Sunnyvale school. San Gabriel Academy boasts an athletic lineup that includes 6-foot-11, four-star sophomore Mahamadou Diop and 6-4 junior Mamadou Traore. Diop scored 16 points, grabbed 16 rebounds and blocked seven shots in a 58-49 win over Maranatha in the SoCal final. … The Eagles have played a gauntlet of a schedule that includes losses to SoCal powerhouses Sierra Canyon, Notre Dame-Sherman Oaks and Harvard-Westlake. … TKA will be looking to capture its first state title to cap off what has been the greatest season in program history.
– Nathan Canilao
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