MARK MOLINA | STAFF WRITER
The Santa Rosa Warriors have qualified for nine Region IV tournaments and won three of them under head coach Johnny Cipriano, so there really is nothing new to experience when it comes to venue, timing, rim type or even opponents.
When the Warriors step on the floor of the Goldie Harris Gym for their 6 p.m. regional semifinal playoff game, it will be against San Antonio Cole, the very team they beat in last year’s regional finals.
“We have a new team and (Cole) has a couple of returners,” Cipriano said. “I don’t think it’s going to be much of a difference; we’re just going to approach this game the way we’ve been approaching every other game. We’ll strategize going into it and go do what we need to do to try and win the game.”
The Cole Cougars (32-5) are one of three teams who were ranked in the in the top 25 of the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches poll at the end of the regular season, finishing at No. 6, joining Universal Randolph at No.5 and Odem at No. 6.
Santa Rosa (23-8) went unranked, making the defending the Region IV-3A champion Warriors somewhat of an underdog to come out of the tournament once again, but you’d be hard-pressed to find anybody talking about outside noise around the locker room or in practice.
Cipriano said he’s tried to keep it business as usual during practice and film study.
“We don’t change much,” the Warriors’ coach said. “Yesterday’s practice was our normal Wednesday practice. I just try and keep them in the same mindset that it’s just another game. Of course, I think they know it is bigger than any other game. We still try to prepare for it as if it was another game just to keep them more relaxed.”
The players have followed suit, even the underclassmen.
Sophomore guard Christian Vela said that he and his teammates have chosen to live in the moment.
“We’ve just been focusing on this round and trying our best to get this done,” he said. “We’re not focusing on the future; we’re just focusing on now. Even though we’re not veterans and we’re newcomers, we still try to go out there, play as a team and do our best.”
The Cougars, who are coming off a regional quarterfinals victory over No. 4 Marion, will present challenges that the Warriors are used to seeing after deep runs in recent years in the form of height and physical play on both ends of the court.
It will be another physical night in the paint for the Warriors against a tall Cougars’ backcourt, highlighted by freshmen center Vince Iwuchukwu, who is listed at 6-foot, 10 inches tall.
Santa Rosa junior guard Mike Bermea, who was on last year’s regional championship team, said the task is daunting, but hopes he and the other veterans can help keep the team focused and on the same page.
“We have young guys on this team, but my job is to help keep them calm and basically have them play their game” he said. “When everybody plays their game, everybody plays their best. Cole is a good team, we’ve seen them on film, but if all of us play our game, execute, and hit our shots, I think we’ll be good.”
The Warriors have shot and defended well enough to advance through the first rounds where they dismissed Falfurrias, Jourdanton and a veteran Goliad squad, but Cipriano says his squad has yet to play their best basketball.
“I just hope we shoot a little better,” he said. “Even though we’ve won the playoff games, I don’t think we played our best basketball. I know we’re still capable of playing a little bit better. In order to get to the next round, we’re really going to have to play better than we have the first three rounds. Hopefully our shooting comes around; I don’t think we’ve shot as well as we can.”