Heading into Thursday's San Francisco Section title game at Chase Center, Lincoln boys basketball coach Carl Jacobs, with a shot at history, finally broke down and wept for the first time thinking about his 86-year-old mother, Norma Jean, who died Jan. 19.
"I was hearing her voice all day," he said. "She always calmed me before a big game, saying, ‘Just relax, son. I got you. You got this.'"
Jacobs passed the same message to his Mustangs, who were after a record fifth straight section crown, joining Mission (2014-18) and Lowell (1935-39) for the most consecutive SFS titles.
The biggest difference between these Mustangs and those other teams was that Lincoln was playing under the hot lights and pristine confines of an NBA arena.
"I told them to relax, that it's just basketball," Jacobs said. "We're at Chase Center but I'm not going to be Steve Kerr and you're not going to be Steph Curry. Let's just go and be who we are and get the job done."
The Mustangs did, riding the full-game efforts of senior guard Fred Davis (21 points) and late contributions by sophomore forward Maximo Haas (12 fourth-quarter points) to post an entertaining 63-58 win over the Jalen Ly-led Lowell Cardinals (16-12), who had throttled Lincoln 68-45 during the regular season.
Ly was everywhere, with a game-high 29 points, but the feisty Cardinals, who fought back from a 52-42 deficit early in the fourth, couldn't quite get over the hump.
Poor free-throw shooting, which had ended Lincoln's long NorCal run last season - the Mustangs were 10 of 24 in a 55-52 Division 4 semifinal loss at Santa Cruz - bit the team again Thursday with eight misses before Davis missed two more with 12.8 seconds left and Lowell trailing just 61-58.
But Ly, who keyed the comeback with 11 fourth-quarter points, was called for a backcourt violation when he took an outlet pass from Tyko Mellquist while straddling the halfcourt line. Lowell had to foul again and this time Haas, who had just two points and no field goals through three quarters, swished two free throws with 8.5 seconds left, giving the Mustangs the final margin.
Both teams advance to next week's CIF Northern California playoffs. Placement of divisions and seedings are Sunday.
Davis, who had just two points on 1-of-11 shooting in last year's championship win over Washington at Chase, breathed a giant sigh of relief.
"I thought I might have blown it with those two throws," said Davis, who made three 3-pointers and was 9 of 15 from the field. "But Maximo and my teammates picked me up. We have a great group of guys. It was a heartfelt game. Winning here is phenomenal. I really loved it."
High School Basketball Playoffs Results and Schedule
Boys Basketball
SAN FRANCISCO SECTION
Thursday's championship at Chase Center
Lincoln 63, Lowell 58
OAKLAND SECTION
Wednesday's semifinals
No. 1 Oakland 61, No. 4 Fremont 49
No. 3 Oakland Tech 78, No. 7 McClymonds 30
Friday's championship at Merritt College
No. 1 Oakland (23-6) vs. No. 3 Oakland Tech (19-10), 7 p.m.
CENTRAL COAST SECTION (all games 7 p.m. unless noted)
Open Division
Pool A
Wednesday's games
No. 1 Riordan 68, No. 4 Bellarmine 45
No. 5 The King's Academy 60, No. 8 Serra 36
Pool B
Wednesday's games
No. 2 St. Ignatius 65, No. 3 Mitty 56
No. 7 Menlo-Atherton 67, No. 6 Valley Christian 62
Friday's championship
No. 1 Riordan (26-1) vs. No. 2 St. Ignatius (24-3) at USF, 8 p.m.
Division 1
Thursday's semifinals
No. 2 Los Gatos 59, No. 3 Carlmont 43
No. 1 Milpitas 61, No. 4 Palo Alto 30
Saturday's final
No. 2 Los Gatos (21-5) vs. No. 1 Milpitas (25-1) at Santa Clara HS
Division 2
Thursday's semifinals
No. 3 St. Francis 63, No. 2 Christopher 58
No. 1 Willow Glen 57, No. 5 Burlingame 45
Saturday's final
No. 3 St. Francis (11-16) vs. No. 1 Willow Glen (23-2) at Mission College, 7 p.m.
Division 3
Thursday's semifinals
No. 2 Sacred Heart Cathedral 52, No. 3 Pioneer 35
No. 1 Soquel 56, No. 5 Leland 46
Saturday's final
No. 2 Sacred Heart Cathedral (10-16) vs. No. 1 Soquel (23-5) at Mission College, 5 p.m.
Division 4
Thursday's semifinals
No. 2 Half Moon Bay 83, No. 3 Menlo School 59
No. 1 Sacred Heart Prep 62, No. 4 Pacific Grove 52
Saturday's final
No. 2 Half Moon Bay (16-10) vs. No. 1 Sacred Heart Prep (14-11) at Mission College, 1 p.m.
Division 5
Thursday's semifinals
No. 2 Priory 86, No. 3 Oakwood 67
No. 1 Palma 73, No. 5 Pinewood 40
Saturday's final
No. 2 Priory (19-6) vs. No. 1 Palma (24-2) at Santa Clara HS, 1 p.m.
NORTH COAST SECTION (All games 7 p.m. unless noted)
Open Division
Wednesday's semifinals
No. 1 Salesian 54, No. 4 De La Salle 51
No. 2 Clayton Valley 55, No. 6 Dougherty Valley 50
Saturday's championship
No. 1 Salesian (26-3) at No. 2 Clayton Valley (26-3) at San Leandro HS
Friday's third-place game
No. 6 Dougherty Valley (21-9) at No. 2 De La Salle (23-7), 6 p.m.
Division 1
Saturday's championship game
No. 3 Granada (22-7) vs. No. 1 Bishop O'Dowd (22-7) at San Leandro HS, 5 p.m.
Friday's third-place game
No. 4 Liberty (25-4) at No. 2 Amador Valley (18-12)
Division 2
Wednesday's semifinals
No. 1 University 69, No. 5 Albany 50
No. 3 St. Mary's 69, No. 7 San Lorenzo 57
Saturday's championship
No. 3 St. Mary's (20-10) at No. 1 University (26-5)
Saturday's third-place game
No. 7 San Lorenzo (18-11) at No. 5 Albany (22-9), 3 p.m.
Division 3
Friday's championship game
No. 2 Cornerstone Christian (23-8) vs. No. 1 Branson (18-14) at College of Marin
Friday's third-place game
No. 6 College Park (17-3) at No. 5 Brave Christian (25-6)
Division 4
Wednesday's semifinals
No. 4 Mission San Jose 49, No. 1 San Marin 45
No. 2 Rancho Cotate 59, No. 6 Alhambra 40
Friday's championship
No. 4 Mission San Jose (19-10) vs. No. 2 Rancho Cotate (23-7) at Montgomery HS, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday's third-place game
No. 6 Alhambra (20-9) at No. 1 San Marin (16-13), 3 p.m.
Division 5
Saturday's championship game
No. 2 Eureka (17-12) vs. No. 1 Sonoma Academy (23-5) at Cardinal Newman, 5 p.m.
Friday's third-place game
No. 4 Drew (21-11) at No. 3 Redwood Christian (21-10)
Division 6
Wednesday's semifinals
No. 1 St. Vincent de Paul 58, No. 4 Averroes 52
No. 2 Mendocino 62, No. 3 San Francisco Waldorff 44
Saturday's championship
No. 2 Mendocino (22-4) at No. 1 St. Vincent de Paul (20-10)
Girls basketball
SAN FRANCISCO SECTION
Thursday's championship at Chase Center
Washington 49, Lowell 42
OAKLAND SECTION
Wednesday's 5:30 p.m. semifinals
No. 1 Oakland Tech 68, No. 4 Skyline 26
No. 3 Oakland 69, No. 7 McClymonds 47
Friday's championship
No. 1 Oakland Tech (17-10) vs. No. 3 Oakland (13-15) at Lake Merritt, 5:30 p.m.
CENTRAL COAST SECTION (All games 7 p.m. unless noted)
Open Division
Pool A
Wednesday's games
No. 1 Mitty 66, No. 4 St. Ignatius 28
No. 5 St. Francis 68, No. 8 Half Moon Bay 27
Pool B
Wednesday's games
No. 3 Archbishop Riordan 53, No. 2 Priory 40
No. 6 Pinewood 69, No. 7 Alisal 32
Friday's championship
No. 1 Mitty (25-2) vs. No. 3 Riordan (18-7) at USF, 6 p.m.
Division 1
Thursday's semifinals
No. 2 Los Gatos 51, No. 3 Homestead 46
No. 1 Menlo-Atherton 58, No. 4 Los Altos 46
Saturday's final
No. 2 Los Gatos (20-6) vs. No. 1 Menlo-Atherton (20-5) at Santa Clara HS, 5 p.m.
Division 2
Thursday's semifinals
No. 3 Aragon 40, No. 2 Hillsdale 38
No. 1 Valley Christian 48, No. 4 Monta Vista 44
Saturday's final
No. 3 Aragon (14-11) vs. No. 1 Valley Christian (11-15) at Mission College, 3 p.m.
Division 3
No. 2 Santa Cruz 54, No. 3 Pioneer 47
No. 1 Mills 43, No. 4 Notre Dame-San Jose 36
Saturday's final
No. 2 Santa Cruz (18-9) vs. No. 1 Mills (13-13) at Santa Clara HS, 3 p.m.
Division 4
Thursday's semifinals
No. 2 Scotts Valley 58, No. 3 Sacred Heart Prep 41
No. 1 Notre Dame-Belmont 39, No. 4 Menlo School 31
Saturday's final
No. 2 Scotts Valley (26-1) vs. No. 1 Notre Dame-Belmont (19-4) at Mission College, 11 a.m.
Division 5
Thursday's semifinals
No. 2 Castilleja 33, No. 6 St. Francis SCP 30
No. 1 Palma 41, No. 5 Crystal Springs Upland 34
Saturday's final
No. 2 Castilleja (12-10) vs. No. 1 Palma (23-3) at Santa Clara HS, 11 a.m.
NORTH COAST SECTION (All games 7 p.m. unless noted)
NCS girls basketball playoffs
Open Division
Wednesday's semifinals
No. 1 San Ramon Valley 74, No. 4 Clayton Valley Charter 44
No. 2 Carondelet 52, No. 3 Piedmont 39
Saturday's championship
No. 1 San Ramon Valley (25-3) vs. No. 2 Carondelet (25-5) at Dublin HS, 7 p.m.
Friday's third-place game
No. 4 Clayton Valley Charter (22-8) at No. 3 Piedmont (20-4)
Division 1
Friday's championship game
No. 7 Heritage (23-6) vs. No. 1 Redwood (24-6) at Marin Catholic
Saturday's third-place game
No. 11 Pinole Valley (18-13) at No. 4 Acalanes (21-9), 3 p.m.
Division 2
Wednesday's semifinals
No. 1 Salesian 51, No. 5 Lick-Wilmerding 34
No. 3 Justin-Siena 47, No. 2 Moreau Catholic 45
Saturday's championship
No. 3 Justin-Siena (26-5) vs. No. 1 Salesian (20-10) at San Leandro HS, 3 p.m.
Saturday's third-place game
No. 5 Lick-Wilmerding (24-7) at No. 2 Moreau Catholic (22-7), 3 p.m.
Division 3
Friday's championship
No. 2 Benicia (20-9) vs. No. 4 Miramonte (17-13) at Alhambra HS, 7 p.m.
Friday's third-place game
No. 11 Mission San Jose (17-12) at No. 1 St. Bernard's (21-8)
Division 4
Wednesday's semifinals
No. 1 Rancho Cotate 46, No. 4 Las Lomas 25
No. 2 Branson 40, No. 6 Marin Academy 25
Friday's championship
No. 1 Rancho Cotate (16-12) vs. No. 2 Branson (19-12) at Montgomery HS, 7:30 p.m.
Friday's third-place game
No. 6 Marin Academy (17-12) at No. 4 Las Lomas (16-13)
Division 5
Saturday's championship game
No. 6 San Domenico (12-13) vs. No. 4 Healdsburg (13-17) at Cardinal Newman
Saturday's third-place game
No. 10 Sonoma Academy (15-11) vs. No. 9 Gateway (14-12) at SF Waldorf, 5 p.m.
Division 6
Wednesday's semifinals
No. 1 Cornerstone Christian 67, No. 5 St. Vincent de Paul 43
No. 2 Ferndale 54, No. 3 Grace Christian Academy 27
Saturday's championship
No. 2 Ferndale (19-9) at No. 1 Cornerstone Christian (23-7)
Jacobs and Davis said it's been a "bumpy" season for their team that was short on experience entering the year.
Lowell, which got 10 points from Mellquist and eight points and 14 rebounds from Noah Hong, exploited all of Lincoln's weaknesses in the regular-season matchup. Jacobs called the 23-point loss one of the worst of his 40-year career.
Despite that and the team's other nine losses, Jacobs kept the faith the team would "eventually click."
"You come out to our practices and you'd say, ‘Wait a minute. This isn't the same team you'd see in the games,'" he said. "We did everything right at practice. We just needed to do what we do normally. In a game."
Davis set the tone with nine quick points and the Mustangs emphatically landed the early punch, up 14-3. Ly, a 6-foot-1 senior, didn't flinch, however, with two 3-pointers and a driving layup. By the end of the first, the Cardinals trailed only 18-14.
"It's a Lowell-Lincoln thing," Jacobs said. "No matter who delivered the first blow, the other was going to respond."
Haas, the Mustangs' leading scorer at 14.5 per game, made four fourth-quarter interior field goals and four free throws to finally turn Lowell away. "I considered taking him out because he wasn't doing much," Jacobs said. "But my coaches said to stick with him, that the fourth quarter was his, and it was."
Washington girls 49, Lowell 42: At Chase Center, the top-seeded Eagles (16-6) fought off a furious fourth-quarter rally from the 22-time champion Cardinals (15-11) to score the game's final seven points, five by freshman Christine Hou (12 points, eight rebounds, six assists).
Lowell, which got a game-high 13 points from Dylan Mac and a combined 16 by Mariana Palomares and Hannah Tandoc, trailed 41-27 early in the fourth quarter before going on a 15-1 run capped by two free throws from Samantha Nieper to tie it 42-42. Hou made three free throws and added a steal and breakaway layup to clinch Washington's 10th section title and third since 2020 under coach and former player Sharon Cheng. The victory avenged a 45-27 loss to Lowell in last year's title game.
Zara Sambudi and Marisa Abantao combined for 16 points for Washington.
"I think I aged 10 years in that last quarter," Cheng said. "Playing here is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I just wanted the girls to embrace it, have fun and enjoy the moment. The game had a lot of runs, so the message was to stay composed and stay together. I think we did that."
Said Lowell coach Matt Magsanay, who has won three SFS titles since taking over for Aki Kuwada in 2016-17: "Our mantra is ‘next play,' and I think we really took that to heart tonight. That comeback definitely showed the heart and character of this group. We're very grateful to play a championship game here."
This article originally published at High school basketball roundup: Lincoln boys, Washington girls claim SFS titles.