Artesia Earns Title in a Runaway

SACRAMENTO — One by one, the Artesia boys’ basketball players went up to Coach Scott Pera to accept their state Division III championship medallions, receiving an emotional embrace that spoke plenty of what had been accomplished.

“For us, it’s been an unbelievable journey,” Pera said. “To do what we’ve done is incredible.”

Artesia’s 60-41 victory over Stockton St. Mary’s at Arco Arena on Saturday brought to a close a season that started with uncertainty and ended with an emphatic acknowledgment from friend and foe that the Pioneers (33-1) are the best in the state from any division.

“I don’t say it often, but we’re good,” Pera said. “We’re real good. I told them if we won the last one, I’d tell the world.”

Pera’s players have already done lots of talking by the way they play. It was Artesia’s 15th consecutive double-digit victory. James Harden scored 21 points, Malik Story had 12 points, and Derek Glasser finished with 11 points and six assists.

There was little suspense because St. Mary’s (31-4) missed all eight of its field-goal attempts in the first quarter and fell behind, 17-4. The Rams trailed by 18 points at halftime and never got closer than 13 points in the second half.

Artesia doesn’t let opponents come back because it has too many weapons, whether it’s Harden scoring on dunks, Story connecting on outside shots, 6-foot-11 Shawntell Norman blocking shots or Glasser making unselfish passes.

“We feel we could play with anybody in the country,” Pera said.

Even the Artesia teams of the 1990s that won three state championships led by the O’Bannon brothers, Ed and Charles, would be impressed by this season’s group.

Pera, in particular, felt gratification because there was a time he didn’t know if he’d return for his sixth season as coach. He was sidelined for 11 weeks on paid leave until an investigation by his school district failed to substantiate allegations of rule violations in his program. He returned to practice in November only days before the season began.

“When people accuse you of wrongdoing and make things up and believe people who are nuts ... that motivated us,” Pera said.

With victories over City Section powers Westchester and Los Angeles Fairfax, two victories over Santa Margarita and a triumph over North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake, Artesia proved its strength and durability against the best this season.

“We stuck by each other, and at the end of the day, we got our championship,” Norman said.