St. Patrick-St. Vincent-Palma basketball

State Northern California Division IV Finals
Saturday's game
No. 3 St. Patrick-St. Vincent, Vallejo (26-7) at No. 1 Palma (25-4), 6 p.m.
 For Palma coach Kelley Lopez, it comes down to one thing tonight.
 "Composure,'' Lopez said.
 A return trip to the State Division IV finals won't occur if the Chieftains get caught up in the Bruins up-tempo, track meet type pace.
 In three Northern California games, the Bruins have averaged 83.2 points a game, with the average margin of victory being 42 points, including an 18-point win over No. 2 seed Lick-Wilmerding.
 "This team is extremely athletic,'' Lopez said. "It's a program that likes to use its speed and make the game hectic.''
 Lopez compared St. Patrick-St. Vincent to Pittsburg and Monterey with their athleticism - two teams that Palma defeated this year.
 However, there is one significant difference.
 "This team has a post presence,'' Lopez said.
 Lopez was referring to St. Patrick-St. Vincent 6-foot-4 post Tavian Henderson, who averaged nearly 17 points a game this season, creating havoc in the paint.
 The Bruins also have two dynamic guards in B.J. Standely and Marquel Johnson, who are averaging a combined 28.9 points a game this year.
 "We've watched film of them,'' Lopez said. "It's something we're not afraid off.''
 Not when you have the reigning two-time Gabilan Division Player of the Year in your backcourt in Jamaree Bouyea.
 The senior scored the games last five points in Palma's five-point win over Central Catholic. On the season, Bouyea is averaging nearly 19 points a game.
 Yet, it's been his ability to distribute the ball that has kept the Chieftains season alive. Guard Nikhil Manimaram has lite opponents in the tournament, averaging over 20 points a game.
 Contributions from 6-5 Garrett Maker and 6-4 Cameron Jones in the paint have given opponents something else to think about when stopping the Chieftains.