OAKLAND, Calif. — With a reputation as a basketball powerhouse, it's not surprising that McClymonds High is heading for the state championships after a playoff win.

Here's the surprising part. They got the funds to stay overnight courtesy of the team they beat.

When players and parents at Monte Vista in the San Francisco suburb of Danville found out that McClymonds didn't have money for food and lodging, meaning a long bus trip the day of the game, they pitched in more than $1,000.

"It's quite a story," Monte Vista coach Bill Powers said Thursday.

"It's definitely been a blessing," agreed McClymonds coach Brandon Brooks. "There's still a lot of nice people in the world."

McClymonds, alma mater of NBA great Bill Russell, squelched Monte Vista's championship hopes with a 46-43 win Saturday.

A few days later, a Monte Vista parent saw an Oakland Tribune article noting that the team couldn't afford an overnight stay in Sacramento, about 85 miles from Oakland.

The parent, who declined to go public, told Powers his company was going to give money to the Oakland team and suggested exploring a quick fundraising effort.

Powers sent an e-mail to Monte Vista families involved in the playoffs on the boys and girls side "and what came back was just unbelievable. People donating $50, $100, just different increments and no questions, no, 'Wait a second. They just beat us. What are we doing?'"

Players as well as parents donated money, for a total of about $1,100 which was delivered to McClymonds this week.

After news of Monte Vista's generosity circulated, Oakland Unified School District officials released a statement saying that it was funding McClymonds' championship trip after all. Officials late Thursday thanked Monta Vista regardless and said it would return the donations.

The big game is Saturday, with the McClymonds Warriors meeting Westchester-Los Angeles Saturday night in the California Interscholastic Federation Division I state championship.

At Monte Vista, "the team and the school just feel fantastic," Powers said. "I cannot tell you how many e-mails I've received from people I don't even know who were in tears or have shared it with their children."

And Monte Vista still gets a shot at state glory.

The girls team did make the finals and will play Long Beach Poly Saturday in their first bid for a state title.