Boys basketball: Redwood advances to final on Carr’s late assist

In case anybody was wondering, Redwood High’s prolific-scoring guard Semetri Carr can pass, too.

With time running out in Tuesday’s North Coast Section Division 1 basketball semifinal, Carr somehow escaped stifling triple-team coverage near halfcourt and rifled a pinpoint pass under the basket to Jake Post, who converted a layup for the winning points in Redwood’s frantic 49-47 victory against Amador Valley in Larkspur.

The No. 2-seed Giants hit the road for the first time this postseason Saturday — time to be announced — when they play top-seed Dougherty Valley at Livermore High in the NCS Division 1 title tilt.

“That was a nail-biter,” Redwood coach Jay DeMaestri said. “They were throwing two, three, four – and when I watch the film of the game later I’ll probably see five guys – at Carr to defend him. Jake Post made a perfect cut to the basket and picked a perfect time to convert it.”

Excluding the infancy of the contest when the Giants (22-6) quickly knocked down a trio of three-point shots – none by Carr – and led 9-0, defense was the name of this game.

“We got whatever we wanted early in the game,” DeMaestri said. “But except for the first few minutes, we weren’t making the shots.”

By the time Amador Valley’s Cade Kruger sank a three-point buzzer beater at the end of the first period, the score was tied 12-12.

From then on, defense was the preferred method of travel and the lead changed hands five times.

Redwood had some breathing room and led 45-39 when Brennan Woodley converted a short jumper in the lane with three minutes remaining in the game.

But the tenacious Dons scored six of eight points to knot the score at 47-47.

With 35 seconds left, Redwood – not surprisingly – put the ball in Carr’s hands for the final shot.

Amador Valley had other ideas, pressuring Carr with three defenders just past halfcourt.

“I wanted to take the last shot,” said Carr, who despite all the defensive attention finished as game-high scorer with 18. “But when I came down, there were two, three guys on me. Jake cut to the basket. I got the ball to him and he made the shot. What can I say – championship game.”

Post’s only other points came on three-point shots in the first and third periods,

“When your name is called, you’ve got to be ready to go,” Post said. “It’s the kind of play you dream about – with the clock running down and the game on the line.”

Amador Valley’s game plan was evident from the outset. Each time Carr touched the ball, he drew a crowd.

Carr did not score his first points until he knifed to the basket for a layup 10 minutes into the proceedings.

Still, early in the fourth period, Carr seemed destined to take over the action when he drained a three from the top of the key, and on Redwood’s next possession, Carr drove from halfcourt for a layup and the Giants led 43-37 at the midway point of the final period.

But Carr could muster only a pair of free throws in the final four minutes before his assist with a twist helped account for the margin of victory.