SANTIAGO has a tough defense (Tribune photo),

By David Arthur/Orange County Tribune

When the Santiago Cavalier boys’ basketball team travels to Ontario’s Toyota Arena on Saturday, at 9:30 a.m. they’ll face a tall – and quick – order in overcoming the Ramona Rams of Riverside for the CIF-SS Division 4-AA title.

The Rams, who finished second in the River Valley League, overall posted a 26-6 record and are riding a seven-game winning streak into the title game. Their leading scorer is the 6-foot 4-inch Troy Terrell, averaging 17.8 points per game.

Andrew Green, 6-foot, 5-inches tall, is the rebound leader with 11.9 caroms per game and Garrett Pickens is averaging 9.8 assists and 4.1 steals a game.

Eric Tabatabai is the head coach.

The Cavaliers are used to tough schedules. Their 21-11 record includes a fistful of close games, including five decided by two points. Coach Matt Moorehouse’s team finished third in the Coast League at 5-3 and has a closing kick of four straight wins.

In their big CIF-SS 4-AA semifinal game on Friday against Garden Grove district rival Pacifica, Jordan De La Mora scored 25 points, include five that came on three-point shots. Jayden Baude was also crucial to the 50-43 win, scoring 10 points and adding six assists, three rebounds and two blocked shots.