Vanden boys sink Whitney at buzzer, earn berth in NorCal finals

M ATT Miller MMILLER@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — Sterling McClanahan helped deliver a magical moment for the Vanden High School boys basketball team when his putback shot at the buzzer Saturday night helped the Vikings edge out visiting Whitney of Rocklin 56-55 in the CIF Division II Northern California Regional Finals at James L. Boyd Gymnasium.

Vanden had multiple shots after Tyler Thompson’s original drive to the basket in the final seconds. McClanahan buried the game-winner and the No. 5 seed Vikings will return to the NorCal finals for the first time since losing the title game in 2017.

The Vikings will host San Joaquin Memorial of Fresno at 7 p.m Tuesday.

The No. 6 Panthers defeated No. 7 Weston Ranch 68-59 Saturday.

Tuesday’s winner will play the Southern California champion at 4 p.m. Saturday at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. No. 3 Orange Lutheran plays No. 9 Pacific Chris- tian of Newport Beach in the Southern California final Tuesday night.

Vanden last won a Northern California title in 1990 when the Vikings defeated Tamalpais 64-58 in Division IV.

“It was crazy,” Vanden head coach Micheal Holloway said of Saturday’s game. “I didn’t even know how much time was left. We got four offensive rebounds before we put it back in. We wanted to go early with 10 seconds left and give ourselves a chance at the rim.”

Vanden improved to 25-10 overall. Elijah Lewis led the Vikings with 16 points. McClanahan and Jayden Robinson had 12 points apiece. Thompson added eight.

The game was tight throughout. Whitney had the early 13-11 lead after the first quarter. The Vikings led 30-26 at halftime, 45-40 after three quarters and the final one-point, 56-55 edge, at the buzzer.

Holloway said Lewis had a huge game and made some big midrange baskets when the offense was “a little still.” McClanahan