Pacific Grove-Monte Vista boys hoops

Central Coast Section
Division IV semifinals
No. 2 Pacific Grove (21-4) vs. No. 3 Monte Vista (19-6) at Kaiser Arena, Santa Cruz, 7:30 p.m.
 As Pacific Grove learned last Saturday, rematches are misleading.
 The reigning three-time Mission Trail Athletic League champions needed overtime to knock off North County -- a team they beat by 38 back in December -- in the DIV quarterfinals.
 Now comes Monte Vista, a team the Breakers humbled by 25 points on Jan. 30.
 After a blistering 16-2 start to the season, the Mustangs are 3-4 since that setback to Pacific Grove, opening the postseason with a 10-point win over San Lorenzo Valley.
 Monte Vista is balanced with 6-foot-10 Lucas Schmidt patrolling the paint and sharpshooter Michael Greene on the outside along with Ryan De Los Santos.
 There was no mystery in the first meeting between these teams as two-time MTAL Most Valuable Player Brad Sendell put up 21 points for Pacific Grove.
 For all the attention Sendell requires, Jake Merenda has evolved as another option on the perimeter, burying four 3-point goals against Monte Vista in the first meeting.
 And Chip Wagner and Zack Miller, a pair of 6-foot-4 posts, are a nice combination inside the paint, averaging a combined 18.3 points and 15.1 rebounds a game.
 Defense was the difference in that first meeting as Pacific Grove held the Mustangs to a season low 33 points.