Folsom holds off Franklin to advance to Nor-Cal final four, 63-61

Two of Sacramento's best basketball teams met Thursday at Folsom High for the right to advance to the final four teams in Nor-Cals and the Folsom Bulldogs got the best of the Franklin Wildcats, 63-61. In the game's final 15 seconds, Folsom's Jovan Dulay and Jack Shull both missed one-of-two free throws, which gave Franklin a chance to tie or even win the game in the final seconds. After Shull's miss with 6.4 seconds remaining, Franklin got the ball in the hands of their best player, Aiden Rollins, who decided to drive to the rim and go for the tie but his contested layup at the buzzer was off the mark and no foul was called, giving the Bulldogs the two-point win. "We just played as a team," said Shull, who led all scorers with 20 points. "Everyone just chipped in and played as a team. We just played together and persevered. Adversity struck toward the end of the game when they started to come back, but we powered through and got it done. A huge thanks to Parks (Weaver), who played defense at the end of the game." With 4:56 to play, Folsom led by three, 51-48, before Hollins cut it to one with a drive to the basket and a bucket. Alec Day completed a three-point play to put the Bulldogs back in front by four, but at the other end, Kwali Simmons dropped a three-pointer to again make it a one-point game with 3:48 to play. Shull then missed an and-one free throw after making a basket and getting fouled, before Franklin's Marcus Cephus scored on a drive, as the teams were matching each other basket for basket. Folsom, however, scored four straight points on two transition layups by Scott Nardinelli that put the Bulldogs in front 60-55 with 2:30 to play, which gave Folsom some much-needed breathing room, if you want to call it that. "Parks is an excellent passer and Jack is an excellent passer," Nardinelli said. "I just run my lanes and do what I have to do, the little things. If I end up getting the layup that's a bonus. I'm just happy we got the job done." Folsom coach Mike Wall said it was a well-played game. "Our guys just never quit," Wall said. "That was just a really hard-fought battle between two really good teams. There's no other way to put it. Both teams made some really good shots and all you could do was tip your cap and say 'good for you.' "Everyone pitched in and did their part. Everyone had their part in this and that's the way we've played all year." Weaver scored 12 points, while Nardinelli pumped in 11. Dulay and Day both finished with eight points. Simmons led the Wildcats with 19 points, while Benjamin Sandy scored 17 and Rollins, hampered with foul trouble, finished with 12. Folsom will play host to seventh-seed Dougherty Valley at 7 p.m. on Saturday night, who upset the No. 2 seed Clayton Valley, 59-55.