Serra outlasts El Camino

"In the first half, we were able to keep our matchups," said El Camino coach Archie Junio. "In the second half, with foul problems, we had to change matchups and it changed the game a little bit.

"You have to keep your best players on the floor."

The Colts biggest concern was wing Michael Smith, who picked up his third foul early in the third quarter and his fourth early in the final quarter. With Smith having to tone down his aggressiveness, the Padres took advantage. Especially Henry Caruso, who was being guarded by Smith. Caruso scored 11 in the first half and exploded for 19 in the second half to finish with 30 points and it was his play in the post that proved to be the difference.

"We got a couple of mismatches on the block and we took advantage," said Serra coach Chuck Rapp.

In addition to Caruso, Jacqui Biggins finished with 23 points -- the only two Padres to score in double figures.

While El Camino faded down the stretch, everything was going the Colts way in the opening 16 minutes. Noted mostly for the play of Smith and point guard Elijah White, the Colts got more players involved in the first and second quarters, having six players in the scoring column as El Camino led Serra 37-30 at halftime. Smith and White, however, paced the Colts in the first two quarters, combining for 23 of the Colts' 37 points.

Smith finished with a team-high 28 points, while White chipped in with 19.

"Give El Camino credit. Those guys (Smith and White) are hard covers," Rapp said. "The first half was way too easy. [Smith] hit a couple of easy shots, then he hits the difficult shots."

Both Rapp and Caruso admitted the Padres came out of the blocks rather slowly and they paid the price as they trailed at halftime.

"We kind of came out flat. We had a strong second half," Caruso said. "In the first half, it was real easy for them to get into their offense. In the second half, we didn't allow that."

Added Rapp: "Everything felt a little off. We have to play better. I thought our first 16 minutes lacked energy. That was my emphasis at half."

In the second half, the Padres made a concerted effort to be more aggressive. They attacked the basket more consistently and did a better job rebounding the ball, out-rebounding the Colts 19-10 in the third and fourth quarters.

"If we don't step it up (in the second half), we're going to lose," Caruso said. "We just wanted to keep attacking."

The shots weren't really falling for either team, but the Padres aggressiveness resulted in constant trips to the free throw line. Serra had 25 free throws attempts over the final two quarters, converting 22 of them. It was their free throw shooting down the stretch that kept the Colts at bay.

"The second half was a lot better," Rapp said. "We had more intensity and started battling."

Serra started the third quarter on a 10-4 run to cut the Colts lead to 41-40 following a Biggins 3-pointers. El Camino responded with back-to-back 3s from Smith, sandwiched around a Caruso bucket, as the Colts pushed their lead back to five, 47-42. But another 3 from Biggins and a bucket from Matt Jajeh tied the game at 47 with 1:23 left in the third and the teams were tied at 49 going into the fourth.

Biggins gave Serra a 51-49 early in the final period, but the Colts responded with a 5-0 run to take a 54-51 advantage. It would be their last lead of the night. Caruso's basket with 4:20 left tied the game at 55 and his bucket on the Padres' next possession put the Padres ahead for good, 57-55. Serra scored only one basket the rest of the way, but went 13 for 15 from the line over the final 3:21 of the game.

"This is the Open Division. There are no low seeds," Rapp said. "You only get one mulligan and this was it."

Despite the loss, the season is not over for the Colts. Part of the allure of the Open Division is the fact first-round losers move into a consolation bracket as well as advance to the Northern California tournament. That means the Colts are assured of at least two more games this season.

"We get to play again, but we never want to be happy with a loss," Junio said.

Serra will play the winner of No. 6 Piedmont Hills and No. 3 Sacred Heart Cathedral at a time to be determined Wednesday. El Camino will face the Piedmont Hills-SHC loser in a consolation game Tuesday. Both game are at Independence High School in San Jose.