Like magician David Blaine, the St. Patrick-St. Vincent High boys basketball team is famous for elaborate magic tricks.

Down all game, the crowd at the Bruin's Lair might have wondered what illusion the Bruins were going to pull off in the waning minutes of the North Coast Section Division III championship against No. 2 Branson of Ross.

Unfortunately for top-seeded St. Pat's, the No. 2 Rams had all of the smoke and mirrors on Saturday evening as they avenged a loss to the Bruins in the 2020 section title game, 82-75.

Junior post George Gale had 12 of his team-high 24 points in the fourth quarter -- one of four players in double figures for Branson (25-5).

"That's what championship teams do -- (Branson) made big shots, they made big free throws, got the stops they needed. They made the plays tonight," said Bruins head coach Derek Walker.

St. Patrick-St. Vincent's Josiah Jones is mobbed by Branson defenders during the Bruins' 82-75 loss in the North Coast Section title game. (Chris Riley/Times-Herald)

St. Pat's (22-2) pulled off a two-point victory over Archie Williams in the section semifinals without Tri-County Athletic League Rock Division MVP Nick Medeiros, who had to sit due to COVID protocol. Medeiros was back on Saturday and the senior scored 21 of his game-high 28 points in the second half, but it wasn't enough.

"(Branson) was just a better team tonight," Medeiros said. "It's not the outcome we wanted, obviously."

The Bruins were down just 70-67 with 3:20 left in the fourth quarter after a bucket from senior Jevon Blackmore (15 points), who was in foul trouble for a majority of the game. However, back-to-back jumpers from Joaquim Arauz-Moore started a 7-1 spurt that put the Bulls in control.

St. Pat's closed made it a two-possession game at 77-73 with 46 seconds left after Medeiros made a shot in the lane. However, the Bruins were forced to foul and Branson made six of 10 at the line to ice the win.

Arauz-Moore and freshman Semetri Carr both had 18 points and Branson's other post player, Jase Butler, added 11 points.

Despite playing on the road, Branson looked ready from the outset, leading 9-3 out of the gate and forcing Walker to call timeout. St. Pat's bounced back from there, closing to 18-16 late in the first quarter on a jumper from Medeiros. The Bulls took a 21-18 lead at the end of the period.

The two teams stayed close throughout the second quarter. It looked like St. Pat's would go into halftime down just 36-33 after two foul shots from Medeiros with 20 seconds left, but Gale made a put-back at the buzzer to give his team a 38-33 lead heading into the locker room.

Medeiros kept his team within one possession going into the fourth quarter as he sank two foul shots with 2.1 seconds left to get his team to within 54-51. Medeiros nailed a 3-pointer from the top of the key early in the fourth quarter too as the Bruins trailed just 57-56.

Unfortunately for St. Pat's, the Bruins could never tie or take the lead. Whenever they got close, the Bulls had an answer.

The game did not flow at a typical St. Pat's pace. The Bruins normally limit an opponent's scoring chances with their trapping, halfcourt defense, but Branson looked ready.

"We were hoping the (trap) would help, but their coach did a great job of having them prepared and being in the right spots," Walker said. "They did some things that other teams didn't do when we press. They took advantage."

Medeiros agreed with his coach.

"They handled (the trap) really well," he said. "I'm sure they watched film of us and they were ready. We didn't get that many steals off our trap, but it happens."

St. Pat's will await brackets for the Northern California State Playoffs on Sunday. Walker said he had no idea if his team would be home or on the road for NorCals.