Article 342: CSWC early game recap

December 23, 2012

The Catholic School's Winter Classic at Cal State East Bay in Hayward featured Catholic programs from Northern California. Here is a run down on the early games and some of the highlight players.

Central Catholic 57, St. Elizabeth 19

Central Catholic cruised to a 57-19 victory as they run their record to 10-1. The Modesto based program has six players listed at 6-foot-5 and taller which was the clear reason for the victory. This game did not give an accurate read of the guard play for the Raiders but their post play and size present matchup problems against opponents for the rest of the season.

St. Elizabeth falls to 1-8 on the season as the Mustangs had trouble matching up at all positions due to their lack of size. They trailed 16-3 after one quarter and 31-9 at the half as they could never muster a rally. The Mustangs had no double digit scorer in the game.

Archbishop Riordan 79, Moreau Catholic 63

Riordan goes to 7-0 with the win but may be a dark horse in the West Catholic Athletic League race when the New Year starts. The Crusaders await five transfers to become eligible that bolsters a team that is already quite balanced in the exterior and interior. In this game, the guard play was the difference in its perimeter shooting and pressure defense.

Moreau Catholic has the uncanny situation of five freshmen starting as they drop to 8-4. Newark Memorial are the clear favorites in the Mission Valley League. If the Mariners can develop their youth, then they should be the second best in the their league at season's end.

St. Mary's Stockton 65, St. Francis 52

St. Mary's Stockton goes to 6-4 in an up and down season so far. The team has no one taller than 6-foot-4 and are guard oriented. Lucky for the Rams, they do feature some good individual and cohesive guard play.

St. Francis drops to 5-2 as the Lancers have some solid pieces on the team. But in the talent rich WCAL, the Lancers may have a hard time cracking the upper half in the league. The team is a senior laden team but seemed to be flustered by the press and made too many turnovers in this game.

Players of Note

John Fenton 6-foot-9 Post Central Catholic (2013): The Colgate commit had 16 points as he dominated in the paint with offensive rebounding and easy post moves. Fenton has a strong frame and center of gravity. His lateral movement is adequate as he positions himself well.

Jonathan Boddie 6-foot-5 SF Central Catholic (2014): The junior is athletic and long as he benefits in the paint with teammate Fenton. If he can develop his perimeter game in the next two years, then his stock would be even more impressive. But the size, length, and athleticism are all tangible for a college level prospect as he scored 13 points.

Graham Gilleran 6-foot-7 PF Archbishop Riordan (2013): The senior had 11 points in the win. He plays fundamentally well as he moves his feet, positions himself, and gets good rebounding position. His lateral movement and athletic quickness are question marks but his size and skill are serviceable at the next level.

Geru Mabrey 5-foot-9 PG Archbishop Riordan (2013): Mabrey plays as a quick jitterbug guard on both ends as he pushed the ball and applies good pressure defense. He had 19 points and several steals in the victory. The senior said that Cal Poly, Pepperdine, and Western Oregon have put out feelers.

AJ Padrones 5-foot-10 G Archbishop Riordan (2013): The senior hit three 3-point shots in the third quarter as he led the team with 20 points. Padrones moved well without the ball to find his perimeter spots. With five transfers to come on board in the New Year, Padrones playing time may be limited in league play.

Khalil Johnson 6-foot-2 SG St. Francis (2013): Khalid's twin is bigger and is more of an offensive scoring threat. He also can use his body more effectively inside and rebounding. Menlo College is apparently interested in the senior.

Oscar Frayer 6-foot-5 F Moreau Catholic (2016): Frayer fought foul trouble throughout the game but is long and skilled for a freshman. He has a nice turnaround move and steps into his midrange shot well as he had 10 points. He blocked a few shots and already showed his defensive and rebounding prowess.

Brandon Lawrence 6-foot-1 SG Moreau Catholic (2016): Lawrence has a very smooth perimeter shot as he was able to release with little separation. He moves well without ball and finds his spots as he scored 20 points. The freshman can still grow in terms of height, weight, and skill but plays beyond his grade level already.

Armond Simmons 5-foot-11 PG Moreau Catholic (2016): Simmons is an athletic point guard who can score inside or outside as he had 11 points. He has good size and has time to grow into the prototypical point guard height. The Moreau program looks to have a solid trio of freshman to build on.

Gabriel Vincent 6-foot-3 SG St. Mary's Stockton (2014): Vincent plays bigger than his size as he takes the ball strong in the paint and has good body control. He is also long and rangy on the defensive end. The junior had 12 points in the victory.

Jacob Aruta 6-foot-0 SG St. Mary's Stockton (2015): Aruta hit a couple of perimeter shots and took the ball to the basket aggressively as he had 13 points. His offense looks solid but can use some more bulk for his defense. The sophomore will benefit from the guard oriented system where they spread the floor on offense for perimeter shots and press the opposing teams.

Khalid Johnson 5-foot-9 PG St. Francis (2013): Johnson is rangy and runs the team well. He is aggressive with his dribble to the basket. Sonoma State apparently has strong interest in the senior.

Eric Morgan 6-foot-7 PF St. Francis (2014): The junior has height and length but needs some bulk. He made some nice post moves but could be more aggressive in his moves. He scored 8 points in the defeat.

Article 341: Hoops POY Watch

November 26, 2012

With the new playoff format of the state's Open Division, crowing a Player of the Year (POY) will be more interesting. Below are the POY candidates who can put up big statistical numbers in any given game and over the course of the season. These players also have the intangibles to take their teams deep into the postseason.

Aaron Gordon - Leading Mitty to a third straight state title could warrant POY honors for the third consecutive year, a feat never accomplished before. The versatile forward has the ability to put a team on his shoulders and carry them. Despite having missed most of the summer season due to a toe injury, Gordon bounced back in time for the Nike Peach Jam/EYBL Finals. The national recruit has narrowed his choices to Arizona, Kentucky, and Washington but is expected to decide in the spring period. More importantly and immediately, Gordon is focused on finishing strong in his senior campaign.

Marcus Lee - The long wingspan of the Kentucky commit has been synonymous with his defense, shot blocking, and rebounding ability. But during the summer season, Lee showcased some fluid back to the basket moves and a crisp mid-range jumper. The added offensive arsenal will be needed as he will be the focal point for his Wolverine team. Lee made big strides during the summer. His past Deer Valley teams never made deep postseason runs but a deep run during his senior year would validate his POY candidacy.

Jabari Bird - Bird decided to stay local by committing to Cal, where his father also played during his collegiate years. The versatile wing will be looking for another state title run in his senior year as he was clutch in the postseason. Another similar performance this season would warrant him POY. Salesian adds some post players to give legit rebounding and size but the offense will still flow through Bird to facilitate and to score.

Elliott Pitts - De La Salle exited the postseason earlier than usual last year. A deep run in the upcoming season will require a big performance by the Arizona commit. Pitts has good size for a shooting guard and will be a matchup problem for any opposing team. This year's Spartan team has some added interior size which should alleviate Pitts from some of the rebounding and post responsibilities. Pitts should be the offensive focus and in turn should see his numbers rise as well.

D'Erryl Williams - Williams II displays all the intangibles in helping his Sheldon team win. He does what is needed to help the team in any facet of the game and also plays as a true point guard in looking to facilitate more than score. During the summer and fall, Williams II showed a more aggressive nature in looking for his own shot and was also quite accurate from beyond the arc that ultimately helped him decide on signing with San Diego State. If these tendencies carry over into his senior year, expect some big numbers. However, he may be sidelined early in the season due to a minor ankle issue.

Dakarai Allen - Allen has the length and wingspan to be a defensive stopper at the next level. In addition, his toughness despite not having a large frame also is seen in his rebounding and ability to getting to the basket. These attributes led him to sign with San Diego State with childhood friend, Williams II. Earlier in his high school career, Allen had a tendency to defer to to teammates but looked to be the go to guy last season and will be expected to do the same in his senior campaign.

Raymond Bowles - Bowles has always had a scorer's mentality who can score from the inside or the outside. But the Pacific bound shooting guard may not need to be so this upcoming season as two key transfers and several underclassmen are ready to help. As a result, his POY consideration should be based less on actual point totals and more on the team's performance and his other ways of adding value to his team. Regardless, Bowles has the ability to take over offensively if Modesto Christian needs him to.

Henry Caruso - The Ivy League bound small forward has good size, lateral movement, and overall scoring ability. He plays in a cerebral manner that fits the Princeton style of play. Serra is expected to be runner up to Mitty in league play but Caruso has a strong supporting cast that can surprise. Producing in these big league games could warrant him in the POY discussion.

Rae Jackson - At Rodriguez, Jackson was expected to do many things, especially the scoring. Jackson believes that he will be more effective as a point guard on the next level. Switching to El Cerrito, Jackson will have more playmakers that will alleviate his need to score and can help showcase his other basketball skills. El Cerrito has a deep team and can make a deep run in the postseason. Jackson could naturally step in and be the leader of the Gauchos to put him in POY consideration.

Gabe Bealer - Bealer had a breakout season as a junior after transferring to Antelope from Jesuit. He averaged 16.6 points and 7.4 rebounds in helping the Titans to a 30-2 record and the school's first section title. They are back in the mix among the top teams in Northern California as Bealer and fellow NCP Top 40 senior Isaiah Ellis look for another section crown and better success in the state playoffs. The 6-fot-5 Bealer is a rangy wing who slashes well, can finish at the rim and is a better outside threat than most think.

Article 340: Tip Off Classic recap

November 25, 2012

The Sixth Annual NorCal Tip Off Classic at Newark Memorial High School tipped off the high school basketball season for Northern California. Here are the results for the midday games and overall team/player analysis.

Game 1: Dublin, 75, Freedom 63
Both teams played loose defense as the game had several fast break baskets, back door layups, and open perimeter shots. Dublin was able to hold a multiple possession lead after the first quarter and maintain a comfortable cushion throughout the game. Freedom had more turnovers and could not get over the size advantage of Dublin in the post.

Dublin - Jojo McGlaston scored 31 points that was highlighted by a few dunks and he showed a soft perimeter touch that included three 3-point shots. The senior has good quickness to get to the rim. McGlaston's ball handling and scoring versatility makes him a legit shooting guard for the next level.

Eric Nielsen had 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 blocks as his height advantage disrupted any offensive flow in the paint for Freedom. The senior does not have the quickest lateral movement for a post player but he did have a few nice post moves to score. He may be a better pitching prospect as he is 6-foot-8 and has been clocked at 90 mph on the mound.

The Gaels are a senior laden team that sometimes settles for too many perimeter shots when they have a size advantage in the paint with Nielsen and have big guards in Jamir Andrews and McGlaston to post up smaller guards or take defenders into the paint. Campolindo and Miramonte have talent in the Diablo Foothill Athletic League but Dublin should be the favorites going into league play.

Freedom - Elliott Smith led the Falcons with 21 points and 10 rebounds in a losing cause as he was often matched up in the post. The junior is likely to be a wing player on the next level as he runs the floor well and looks comfortable in handling the ball even though he had 7 turnovers in this game.

James O'Neal contributed 16 points as he accounted for the team's three 3-point field goal makes. O'Neal has a smooth perimeter shot when left open. The senior is undersized to be a college shooting guard but can handle the ball sufficiently to possibly be a combination guard.

The Falcons will need to improve their point guard play as they had a total of 9 assists against 17 turnovers. Opposing teams who can press may fluster the Falcons into many bad decisions that turn into easy points. Teams should key on Smith and O'Neal on the offensive end and force other teammates to score. In the Bay Valley Athletic League (BVAL), expect Deer Valley and Heritage to be ahead of Freedom at this point.

Game 2: Heritage 66, McNair 48
Heritage had a huge size advantage, as the tallest players on McNair are 6-foot-1. As a result, Heritage had a 17-4 first quarter lead that expanded to 35-15 at the half. McNair also lost two key transfers during the offseason as it looks to be a rebuilding year for them.

Heritage - Shon Briggs was the biggest player on the floor but had a quiet eight points and two rebounds. Briggs only played 18 minutes but showed good activity and movement. At 6-foot-6, the junior needs a few more inches to be a power forward at the next level or he needs to further expand his ball handling and perimeter shooting. But his athletic ability and overall basketball skills will make him an attractive recruiting target.

Pierre Carter was versatile in accumulating 10 points and 9 rebounds in addition to using his quickness and size on the defensive end. He played on a loaded Nevada Wolverines summer club that may have overshadowed his recruiting. The senior confirmed that he is likely going the junior college route at Casper JUCO in Wyoming for one year to address some academic needs before going to a four year program. But his 6-foot-5 frame and overall athletic ability will put him on the college recruiting radar even if he takes the JUCO route.

Senior point guard George Johnson had 11 points but more importantly provided ball control and direction on the court. He is undersized as a point guard but can score and lead a team.

The Patriots have a complete team both inside and outside. This game was not indicative of what they are capable of or what their true level is as they played against an undermanned opponent. They have a balanced team that could challenge Deer Valley in the BVAL.

McNair - The Eagles are coming off of two straight 20-win seasons. But losing their top two juniors from last season to transfers, the Eagles may be hard pressed to reach double-digit victories. The team is undersized and will be guard oriented. As a result, the Eagles will depend heavily on their perimeter shooting but converted on only one 3-point shot in this gane. The team had 4 assists against 19 turnovers in this loss and will need to be more efficient in the season to be competitive.

Game 3: Pleasant Grove 74, St. Patrick-St. Vincent 63
In last year's event, Pleasant Grove defeated St. Patrick-St.Vincent 62-49 as they led from the start. In this year's battle, the Eagles overcame a sluggish first quarter to win despite not having senior guard Colfax Nordquist. Both teams have a deep rotation with potential young talent.

Pleasant Grove - Malik Thames looked really polished and smooth in the way he controlled his dribble, his shot, and his body on offense. He got to the free throw line 11 times and scored 23 points in total. The younger brother of San Diego State guard, Xavier Thames, has an offer from San Francisco and interest from UC Irvine and UC Santa Barbara.

Matt Hayes had an off night in terms of his shooting but still had 12 points but was part of the frenetic pressing defense that caused 17 turnovers. At 6-foot-0, the senior will likely have to play point guard or combination guard at the next level. He has been hearing from Chico State, Hawaii, and UC Davis.

Two sophomores saw significant minutes for the Eagles. Guard Johann Tate had good ball handling and was key in applying pressure against the opposing guards. 6-foot-5 Marquese Chriss had good energy on defense and rebounding, showed good ball handling for his size, and had good lateral movement.

Pleasant Grove is guard oriented with good shooters, ball handlers, and a pressing defense. They have sufficient size with Chriss and 6-foot-6 Thomas Fitzgerald. The Eagles have a legitimate eight-man rotation and will be the main challengers to Sheldon in the Delta River Athletic League.

St. Patrick St. Vincent - Jalen Canty had 25 points and 10 rebounds as he was the dominant player in the paint. In addition, he went to the free throw line 11 times. The junior should have these types of numbers throughout the season as he builds on his recruiting profile.

Jason Webster had several hard drives and slashing moves to the basket as he also had six free throw attempts. He has good size for a guard but is listed at 6-foot-0. The senior looks to be a point guard or combination guard at the next level as his perimeter shooting and ball handling will affect his recruiting.

Jose Flores transferred to St. Pat's and looked very smooth in his debut. He had 11 points as he displayed a nice shooting form. The junior played in a very controlled manner and has good size for a guard at 6-foot-3.

The Bruins dominated the first quarter but were only able to end it with a three point lead when they could have had a bigger margin. They have size on the bench but it is inexperienced. The point guard play will be important as they had 8 assists against 17 turnovers. The team has great potential but needs to be more disciplined and more efficient with the basketball. The Tri-County Athletic League - Rock Division is loaded with El Cerrito, St. Joseph Notre Dame, and Salesian. The Bruins can make a run in the Division IV postseason with the progression of their roster.

Article 339: Mustangs on the Mark(el)

November 23, 2012

As the high school basketball season begins this weekend, many top recruits are deciding on their college destination. Salesian point guard, Markel Leonard, made the call last month to attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. The senior took his official visit on the weekend of October 12-14.

Leonard felt that the Mustangs' playing style fit his basketball skills. "I saw myself fitting into their offensive style of play and I like how they get after it on defense," said Leonard. "Last year, they were in the top 30 in defense and top 40 in efficiency. They can run sets as well as play up-tempo depending on whom they are playing. Also, they set a lot of ball screens for the point guard so that will benefit me."

Salesian Head Coach Bill Mellis concurs. "I think Markel will fit into Cal Poly's program very well. They do a lot of things offensively that allow for their guards to be put in a position to make shots and make decisions that will directly lead to the success of their team. I believe that Markel makes very good decisions on the court, so I am excited to see him be a factor in their future success."

Academics have always played a critical role in Leonard's recruiting decision. "It is one of the best schools to attend on the west coast," said Leonard. "It's a very competitive school to get into...so competitive that you have to know what major you want to study coming in as a freshman. I also chose Cal Poly because they have my field of study that I'm interested in (Kinesiology)."

The relationship with the coaching staff was important to Leonard. "Sam Kirby and Joe Callero (head coach) recruited me," said Leonard. "What I liked about both of those men was that they were honest with me. They told me what I needed to hear and not what I wanted to hear. They didn't make any guarantees or promises. They told me that if I come to Cal Poly, I have to work for everything. What I like about their coaching staff is that they push you to be the best you can be as a student, athlete, and a person. They care about you as a person just as much as they do on the basketball court."

Coach Callero is going into his third year at Cal Poly as the Mustangs coach with 12-19 and 15-15 seasons in his first two years. The current roster has a very Northern California feel to it as it includes freshman Max Betkowski (Galileo High), senior Drake U'u (Rio Americano High), and sophomore Anthony Silvestri (Sacred Heart Cathedral).

Leonard's current Salesian squad boasts Jabari Bird and Mario Dunn, who have been a close knit unit. As a result, team bonding is important.

"The players at Cal Poly were great," said Leonard. "They are high character type of guys. On my official visit, I bonded with them right away. They treated me as if I was already on the team. That was what sold me and made me want to go to Cal Poly. The team chemistry was great. It reminded me a lot of how my high school team is this year and how we were last year."

Last year's Salesian squad accumulated 33 wins in a state title winning year. Despite committing before the season, Leonard recognizes that he still has more work to put in.

"During my senior year of high school of high school and the summer, I most definitely need to stay in the weight room and get stronger," said Leonard. "Guys on the college level are very strong. I also need to work on getting more explosive when jumping. Other than that, I'll continue working on the things I've been working on like my shooting ball handling and fine tuning my leadership skills."

Coach Mellis had these observations on Leonard's areas of development. "I would say that even though Markel is a good shooter, he needs to continue to grow to become a "lights out" shooter and he needs to continue to improve his ball handling. There is always an adjustment when a high school player makes the jump to college, and I believe that if Markel continues to improve the way he has over his career, he will have a good chance, once he gets there, to adjust to the strength and speed of the game at the next level."

The Big West expands during Leonard's freshman year to include Boise State and San Diego State. The conference will have twelve total members with ten being from California schools. Leonard will have familiar opposing point guards that include UC Riverside's Tajai Johnson (Vallejo 2012) and San Diego State's D'Erryl Williams (Sheldon 2013).

Any main contributor to a winning program will always have the itch to play and not sit the bench. Even though it is a year away, Leonard believes he can have an immediate impact on the San Luis Obispo campus.

"As a freshman, I expect to have some type of impact. Cal Poly needed ball handlers and a floor general for the 2013-2014 season. So, I think that depending on how I perform in practice, that will determine my role on the team next year as a freshman."

Salesian enters the season as the NCP preseason boys basketball top ranked team. With a section title win, the Pride could be playing in the Open Division bracket. Watch for Leonard to guide the Pride to the state postseason before heading south to San Luis Obispo in the fall of 2013.

Article 338: Nor Cal Tip Off Classic

November 22, 2012

As this week's Thanksgivings gives way to sports, high school basketball kicks off in Northern California with a seven game event on Saturday in Newark. The Nor Cal Tip Off Classic will feature nine of the NCP preseason boys basketball Top 20 teams while the feature game will have Kentucky-bound Marcus Lee of Deer Valley against a talented Sacramento High team. Here is a synopsis of the seven games and what to watch for.

Game 1: 11:00 am - Dublin vs. Freedom (Oakley)
The day kicks off with a Dublin squad that has two prolific scorers in Jojo Mcglaston and Jamir Andrews. Dublin lost only one senior from last year's squad and returns a very seasoned and senior laden team. Freedom has a talented junior in forward Elliott Smith, a scorer in James O'Neal, and a glue guy in small forward Tim Jordan. Expect the senior leadership of Dublin to prevail in a close one.

Game 2: 12:30 pm - Heritage (Brentwood) vs. McNair (Stockton)
Heritage has a good inside-outside thing going with point guard George Johnson, wing Pierre Carter, and forward Shon Briggs. The team will be looking to build on a 17 win campaign from last year. McNair had an impressive 22 win season last year but their two top scorers, Thomas Wallace and Eric Duncan, transferred. Expect Heritage to win easily as McNair tries to figure out their rotation in the season opener.

Game 3: 2:15 pm - St. Patrick's-St. Vincent's (Vallejo) vs. Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove)
Both teams had 20 plus wins from last season. Both teams have good guard and post play. Both teams have a good bench and depth. St. Pat's key playmakers will be guard Jason Webster who is a versatile scorer, junior guard Jose Flores, and post player Jalen Canty who can dominate the paint. Pleasant Grove has a good set of senior guards featuring Malik Thames who can take over on offense in addition to Matt Hayes and Cole Nordquist. Expect this to be a back and forth battle with Pleasant Grove coming out ahead at the end.

Game 4: 3:45 pm - El Cerrito vs. Miramonte (Orinda)
El Cerrito should be one of the better teams when the season is over but the team will start the season without footballers Marcellus Pippins, and twins Keith and Keilan Benjamin. The team still has plenty of depth with explosive senior guard Rae Jackson and sophomores Tyrell Alcorn and Devon Eisley. Miramonte has a good foundation with Kiran Shastri and Joey Goodreault who both can put up 20 points easily. Shastri committed to Chaminade who just stunned Texas this past week in the Maui Invitational. Expect Miramonte to win a close game but the shock effect is not as great as the Chaminade victory.

Game 5: 5:30 pm - McClymonds (Oakland) vs. Antelope
McClymonds lost a good deal of their productivity from last year's team but will return senior post prospect Dalvin Guy and a plethora of quick, serviceable guards. Antelope is coming off a 30 win season and returns their two key players in seniors Gabe Bealer and Isaiah Ellis. Expect Antelope to dominate the interior to take the win here.

Game 6: 7:00 pm - Newark Memorial (Newark) vs. Castro Valley
Host Newark Memorial has talent throughout the roster. The team will feature a trio of juniors in guard Joey Frenchwood and post players Damien Banford and Matt Thomas. By all accounts, Castro Valley overachieved last season with current juniors Jalen McFerren and Derrick Clayton. The team also breaks in a new coach this season. Expect host Newark to fend off a scrappy Castro Valley squad.

Game 7: 8:30 pm - Deer Valley (Antioch) vs. Sacramento
Deer Valley features Kentucky-bound Marcus Lee who averaged a near triple double last season in points, rebounds, and blocks while point guard Kendall Smith will provide balance on the perimeter. Sacramento returns a deep and experienced team with six seniors led by guards Aaron Cameron and De'Von Boyd (Chaminade commit) and forwards James Hadnot and Joe Barnes. The Dragons also have a trio of very promising freshman led by post man Devin Young who is on the rise. Expect Sacramento to come out ahead if they can get Lee in foul trouble early. If Lee or Smith is in full gear, then it is anybody's ball game.

Article 337: Preseason Boys BB Top 20

November 20, 2012

3          Sheldon           Sacramento      29-5     3

The Huskies return a senior laden team that is experienced and battle tested with Dakarai Allen, D'Erryl Williams II, Ryan Manning, Armani Hampton, Jalen Hicks, and Chris Haney. Add on Franklin transfer Darin Johnson in the new year when his transfer eligibility requirements are met and the Huskies have one of the deeper rotations in Northern California. Allen, Williams II, and Johnson are already Division I signees while the other seniors are getting serious collegiate looks. However, the team lacks a true post presence as small forward Ryan Manning handles most of the post duties. Despite that, Sheldon presents matchup problems for opposing teams and are the favorites for a section title and Open Division invite. They will travel plenty early in the season for major tournaments including the inaugural Tarkanian Las Vegas Invite, the ESPN Torrey Pines Classic in San Diego, and the All State Sugarbowl in New Orleans. In addition, the Huskies have non-league games against Archbishop Mitty, Bullard (Fresno), Deer Valley, and Salesian.

7          Newark Memorial       Newark           28-5     4

The Cougars return junior starters Joey Frenchwood and Damien Banford to lead the team. The other probable starters include last year's key reserve Sultan Siddiq, 6-foot-8 Matt Thomas, and senior transfer Josef Zamora from Serra. The bench will depend on senior guard Dwight Wilson and 6-foot-5 Chandler Rockwell inside. Newark Memorial will have tremendous quickness at the guard positions with Frenchwood and Zamora, who are both great on ball defenders that will put pressure on opposing ball handers. The Newark size in the front court will create size advantages as well. Newark could hit the 30 win mark but has winter tournaments in Gridley and the ESPN Torrey Pines Classic in San Diego. The Gridley Invitational Basketball Tournament may result in a matchup with Salesian. Big non-league games include Dublin in December and Inglewood will make a trip up north to play Newark in December.

16        Castro Valley  Castro Valley  22-8     17

Castro Valley welcomes in new coach Senque Carey, a former Fresno State assistant coach. The early returns have been positive, which should keep the Trojans among the better teams in the Bay Area. Last year's team was supposed to be in a midst of rebuilding but leaned heavily on current juniors Jalen McFerren and Derrick Clayton. McFerren is a crafty point guard while Clayton is a versatile wing. Nate Moore is another point guard to add depth while Andrew Garcia will be called upon in the post. The team strength will be its tenacious defense while depth may still be a question for the Trojans.

Article 336: Padres cruise

November 4, 2012

Serra ran out to a 27-0 halftime lead against St. Ignatius before cruising to a 47-21 victory in San Mateo. The Padres had six different players score a rushing touchdown as senior Eric Redwood had 227 rushing yards. The victory assures Serra no worse than second place in the West Catholic Athletic League.

Scoring summary: In the first quarter, Serra's Angelo Arco broke through on a 33 yard touchdown run while promising sophomore Kava Cassidy had a 3 yard scoring run to give the Padres a 14-0 lead. Anthony Toms converted two field goals that complemented quarterback Zack Kazakoff's 4 yard touchdown run to give Serra a 27-0 lead at the half.

The lone score in the third quarter was a 30 yard interception return by Wildcat Charlie Ford to cut the deficit to 27-7. St. Ignatius scored first in the fourth quarter with an Albert Waters 1 yard run as the Wildcats trailed by two scores. But SI got no closer as Serra added rushing touchdowns of 1, 12, and 32 yards while St. Ignatius passed for a 3 yard score to conclude the game at 47-21.

Unit Breakdown: Serra had six different players rush for touchdowns as the team had 411 yards rushing. Kazakoff had one nice deep throw to setup a late first half field goal but his arm was not needed for this game. Seniors Arco and Redwood are a solid tandem but the Padres will return sophomore Cassidy and junior Kevin Mcgee for next season.

The Wildcats went to the air game as quarterback Jack Stinn completed 14 passes out of 32 attempts for 146 yards. Stinn led the team in rushing as well with 52 yards. The offense was never in sync and had to rally from a huge deficit that made the play calling even more difficult.

Defense: Serra allowed St. Ignatius to get some first downs on their first two drives of the first half that did not lead to any scores before the unit forced three and outs on the final three possessions of the half. The Padres did not give up any big plays and forced the opponent to drive the ball down the field. The secondary allowed less than 50 percent in completions while the front line surrendered only 69 yards rushing on 22 carries.

The Wildcats defense caused the only two turnovers of the game but that was not enough to offset the 470 yards in total offense. Aside from the turnovers, the defense could only force one punt while the Padres scored on eight different possessions. The team has given up 82 points in the two consecutive losses to Bellarmine and Serra.

Special Teams: Serra made its only two field goal attempts but did miss one PAT. The kickoff and punt return games did not produce anything noteworthy. Serra recovered a key onside kick in the fourth quarter to stem any Wildcat rally.

Next Steps and Analysis: Serra hosts St. Francis next week. The Padres running game will be difficult to slow down and the defense looks balanced. Serra should make another deep run into the postseason.

St. Ignatius lost the battle for first place last week against Bellarmine, lost the battle for second place this week against Serra, and will play for third place against Archbishop Mitty next week. The defense will have to put up a more spirited battle against Mitty and in the postseason as a whole. The offense has the weapons to be balanced but cannot succeed when trailing heavily.

Article 335: Bells alone atop WCAL

October 28, 2012

On a sunny afternoon in the Sunset, Bellarmine and St. Ignatius entered the day tied for first place in the West Catholic Athletic League. Both teams feature dual threat quarterbacks who were indeed playmakers for their respective teams. But in the end, the Bells' ground game grinded enough yards to give them a 35-28 victory and sole possession of first place in league play.

Scoring summary: In the first half, St. Ignatius converted on a turnover in Bells territory to take a 7-0 lead on a 15 yard pass by quarterback Jack Stinn. Bellarmine scored the next three touchdowns in the half as quarterback K.J. Carta-Samuels was responsible for the scores on a 38 yard pass, a 3 yard run, and a 35 yard pass.

St. Ignatius converted on another Bellarmine turnover in the third quarter to lead to an Elijah Dale rushing touchdown of 1 yard to cut the deficit to 21-14. Carta-Samuels ran for another 3 yard touchdown to make the score 28-14. In the ensuing possession, Albert Waters weaved 80 yards to bring it back to a seven point deficit at 28-21. Bellarmine's Joey Sanfilippo scored midway into the fourth quarter on a 29 yard run to increase the lead to 35-21. The Wildcats engineered an 11 play and 80 yard drive that was capped by a 3 yard Stinn pass to close the scoring at 35-28 as the Bells ran the clock out.

Unit Breakdown: Bellarmine has a balanced attack as Carta-Samuels is a legitimate dual-threat quarterback but he can be turnover prone as he had an opening drive fumble and two interceptions. The Bells have two underrated running backs in Kenneth Olugbode and Sanfilippo who helped pick up key yards to extend drives and eventually to run the clock out. In addition, the offense had some holding penalties that stalled out drives.

The Wildcats have a similar offense as the Bells as they also have an effective dual threat quarterback in Stinn who was apt at scrambling while his favorite passing target was 6-foot-5 receiver Andrew Vollert. Dale and Albert Waters are both undersized but tough, shifty runners. The Wildcats are not one dimensional and are a matchup challenge.

Defense: In the two key league victories against Serra and St. Ignatius, the Bells' opponents scored 34 and 28 points respectively. The defense was not spectacular but has played well enough in a bend but not break fashion. The Bells did give up a big 80 yard touchdown run to Waters where containment was broken in the secondary.

The Wildcats had given up a total of seven points in their previous two games. Bellarmine is the league standard right now. With season ending games against Serra and Archbishop Mitty, the Wildcats defensive level will be revealed in the upcoming matchups.

Special Teams: The special teams were fairly mundane. Bellarmine missed a PAT but offset that with a two point conversion. The Wildcats squib kicked it several times and could not recover the onside kick on their final kickoff.

Next Steps and Analysis: Bellarmine closes with Valley Christian and Sacred Heart Cathedral who have a combine one win in league play which Valley Christian had against Sacred Heart Cathedral. It may presumptuous, but crowing Bellarmine as WCAL champions is not that outrageous of a statement at this point. But for the Bells to make a deeper run in postseason, they need to limit the turnovers and play a more stout defense.

St. Ignatius has a tougher road with Serra and Mitty as losses to both drops them out of the top three in league play. The defense has to put up a similar effort comparable to the offense in these tough matchups. As the season winds down, these two matchups show the true grit of the team.

Article 334: Fenton heading east

October 17, 2012

Last month, Central Catholic's John Fenton pulled the trigger and decided to commit to Colgate University, which is located in Hamilton, New York. The 6-foot-9 and 230 pounds post prospect likes the program for playing a tough schedule that includes Syracuse, Illinois, Marquette, and Providence in the upcoming season. In addition, Fenton played open gym sessions with the current roster and felt he could fit in.

From an academic perspective, he felt the school is one of the top academic schools in the country. He likes their academic reputation and the basketball team has a 100 percent graduation rate.

Coach Mark Linebaugh was his primary recruiter but Fenton had a positive opinion of the entire coaching staff. "My primary recruiter was Coach Linebaugh and I really connected over the process," said Fenton. "I get a sense that he knows who I am, and having played and graduated from Colgate, I see him as a great role model. Head Coach Matt Langel is smart, young, and energetic. He has assembled a staff that has similar qualities. On my visit, I enjoyed all five of the coaches and I could really see myself playing for them."

Fenton played for his Fresno based club, Organized Chaos, over the summer. Organized Chaos Coach Chris Stahowski thinks Fenton is a good fit at Colgate. "Colgate is looking to play John at the 5," said Stahowski. "That will let him play with his back to the basket more. Playing a more half-court game allows John to play to his strengths of containing the paint and finishing plays off by rebounding."

Fenton has always come across as being friendly and the consummate team player. As a result, meeting the Colgate roster was important to him on his visit. "I really enjoyed spending time with the team," said Fenton. "I felt like I had some things in common with the players. On my visit, I had many laughs and definitely felt like I would have great friends and teammates as soon as I stepped on campus my freshmen year."

Colgate currently has three centers on the roster with only one returning during Fenton's freshman year. "As a freshmen I expect to help the team anyway I can," said Fenton. "I will get on the court when needed and help us win more games."

During his senior season at Modesto, Fenton expects to work on his offensive game and his body. He wants to finish more at the rim and be a more finesse player. He would like to put on about 15 to 20 pounds as well.

Coach Stahowski believes Fenton still has specific aspects of his game to improve. "He is much more comfortable with his back to the basket and feeling where a defense is at. He needs to work on his offensive arsenal. Add a more polished counter move to each block."

Fenton expects to officially sign on November 15. He expects to enroll by August as that is when school starts. Watch as Fenton goes from being a Raider in Modesto this fall to being a Raider in upstate New York next fall.

Article 333: DII commits on visit

October 16, 2012

Sheldon teammates D'Erryl Williams and Dakarai Allen flew down to San Diego last Friday to witness Midnight Madness with the San Diego State Aztec basketball program. Allen made his commitment to the Aztecs last month. Williams made his desicion during an official visit this past weekend.

The Sheldon point guard had no intention of making a commitment, as he was there to take in the city, college, and basketball program. He planned to take this fact-finding trip and go home to evaluate with his family before visiting Loyola Marymount the following weekend.

But for the 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds Williams, everything fell into place. The key factors that mattered to him in no specific order included the community, weather, academics, basketball program, coaching, style of play, and team chemistry. In addition, his father has asked him to answer the hypothetical question, "If basketball was not a factor, would you be able to attend this college for all the non-basketball reasons?"

After arriving on Friday, Allen and Williams attended Midnight Madness as they sat in the student section, also known as "The Show." Williams liked the student enthusiasm and the overall atmosphere of the event.

On Saturday, Williams attended the first Aztec practice of the season from 1-3:30pm. He observed a competitive practice that had a lot of teaching, direction, and encouragement from the coaches. The coaches challenged the players as Head Coach Steve Fisher iterated to each player on the current roster to challenge himself and to dig deeper. Both Williams II and his father share that philosophy. As a result, watching the first season's practice really impressed him as they skipped the evening football game.

The fast tempo style, pushing the ball up the court, and intense defense were trademarks of the type of basketball that Williams likes. The Aztecs also allow the players to make decisions on their own, as Coach Fisher does not micromanage his players but lets his players play.

Former Pleasant Grove guard, Xavier Thames, was Williams' host for the weekend. He considers Thames to essentially be a big brother. And Allen has been a teammate of Williams since the seventh grade.

The Sheldon point guard liked the cool San Diego weather, which was a factor for him as he was tiring of the dry Sacramento heat. The overall San Diego State community was positive to him.

The Pittsburgh Panthers were coming on strong of late and Loyola Marymount was scheduled to be his other official visit next week. But all the pieces fell into place this mid-October weekend for Williams. Watch him lead Sheldon to another run at league this fall before he heads to San Diego State who joins the Big West Conference in 2013.

Article 332: Bells stop Serra in OT

October 14, 2012

The weekend started with Bellarmine, Serra, St. Ignatius, and St. Francis undefeated in West Catholic Athletic League play. St. Ignatius defeated St. Francis on Friday while the Bells defeated Serra in San Mateo, 35-34, in overtime.

Scoring summary: In the first half, Serra's Eric Redwood started the scoring with a 3 yard touchdown run. K.J. Carta-Samuels tied it up with a 17 yard pass to Joey Sanfilippo. Serra regained the lead 14-7 on a Zack Kazakoff 9 yard pass to Fia Malepeai. Carta-Samuels then ran it in from 5 yards to tie it 14-14. Daniel Fields gave Bellarmine a 21-14 halftime lead on a 5 yard punt block return.

In the second half, Carta-Samuels scored on a 2 yard run to give the Bells their biggest lead at 28-14. In the fourth quarter, Redwood had touchdown runs of 3 and 75 yards to tie the game at 28-28 in regulation. Carta-Samuels threw a 10 yard touchdown to Austin Changras to make it 35-28. Redwood then added a 4 yard run for Serra's overtime possession but the two point conversion running attempt by him was stopped to end the game.

Unit Breakdown: Bellarmine has a true dual threat offensive with Carta-Samuels. He accounted for all four offensive touchdowns as he was efficient in completing 12 of 15 passes for 201 yards and running for another 31 yards. Inexplicably, the offense fumbled the away on the first plays from scrimmage in both the first and second quarters but overcame the lone turnovers of the game.

Serra has a triple threat in the backfield that features Redwood who had 180 yards with 4 touchdown runs. Angelo Arco had 71 yards rushing to complement Redwood while quarterback Kazakoff is a mobile scrambler. Redwood is a threat to score every time he touches the ball which would make opponents wise to load up against the run and force the Padres to throw more often.

Defense: After giving up 41 points to De La Salle in the season opener, the Bells had been playing stifling defense up to this game. The offense had two fumbles that set the defense up with bad field position. But the unit came up big in the overtime with the key stop on the two point conversion and should be expected to play more stoutly for the rest of the regular season.

Give the Serra unit credit as the team could have folded after trailing 28-14 in the third quarter. The team made key stops to give the offense chances to tie and possibly win the game during regulation. A quarterback of the caliber of Carta-Samuels will give most defenses fits as this Serra defensive effort was not all self inflicted but a stronger effort will be needed if the team wants to go far in the postseason.

Special Teams: Bellarmine was able to kickoff into the end zone most of the times to negate Redwood's return ability. The punt block was critical as it swung momentum right before the first half ended. And the two point conversion miss by Serra in overtime was the difference.

Next Steps and Analysis: Bellarmine is the favorite to win the WCAL as they have key matchups with St. Francis and St. Ignatius in the following two weeks. The latter game could be a battle of league unbeatens to determine first place. Carta-Samuels looked accurate with his short, mid, and long throws while being quite elusive in the pocket to buy time or to scramble for yards. The blowout loss to De La Salle looks to be a long time ago as the Bells have made great strides to reach this point of the season.

Serra was unable to replicate a two point conversion like in their win against Buhach Colony. The Padres end the season with St. Ignatius and St. Francis as much is still on the line. Redwood is a shifty runner who can break away at any time. Defenses should key on him and force others on offense to make plays. The Serra defense hung in there against the Bells passing game but should not force the offense to win these offensive slugfests. The boys from San Mateo look to regroup against league doormat Sacred Heart Cathedral to build confidence going into the final three games of league play.

Article 331: Green is renewable

October 8, 2012

Two summers ago, Gabby Green, the region's top girl's basketball player in the 2014 class, broke her ankle in her first game with the Cal Storm club. The injury happened while she played in a summer Nike event in Chicago and ironically was her first game with that vaunted Southern California club. Green went for a left handed layup and was undercut by the defender, which caused her to land awkwardly and resulted in the injury.

The recovery time for Green was close to six months, as she did not make her season debut for St. Mary's Berkeley until the end of January against Piedmont. She ended up playing 15 games including the postseason. Green could have played earlier but made the decision to have the screws removed from her ankle before returning.

"Last year, [Gabby] came back early from her injury because she wanted to help lead her team to a third NorCal title," said St. Mary's Coach Nathan Fripp. "She performed well given the circumstances and I felt she played at about 70-75%."

The 6-foot-2 and 160 pounds shooting guard worked intently to be prepared for her junior year in Berkeley. During this past spring in 2012, Green was invited to the USA camp, but did not make the final team as she was still not fully mentally recovered from the injury.

During the summer, Green returned to play for Cal Storm and Chicago, where she came full circle and finally overcame her mental block regarding the ankle. Many college coaches commented that they could not tell that she had even gone through an ankle injury.

Green also worked on getting stronger and quicker on her feet with trainer, Anthony Eggleton. In addition, she worked on her various basketball skills with her father (Will Green) and basketball trainer (Donovan Blythe). Her father stressed working on her leg strength, quick cuts, and certain basketball moves.

Despite the ankle injury and the down time, Green is still one of the top girls basketball prospects in the 2014 class. Most of the major programs have contacted Green as she has not narrowed down her options and is still open to everything. Green plans to narrow her choices after her junior season and will likely be invited back to the USA tryouts in the spring of 2013.

Even with Green back in the lineup last season, the Panthers were unable to reach the state game. "This coming season I feel she is at 100% and ready to play at a high level," said Fripp. "We are planning to have Gabby continue to play on the perimeter at all three spots, leading the break, finishing, and in the decision making role. Her strengths for her physical attributes are her long arms, height, speed, quickness, and athleticism. She is very skilled as a scorer, shooter, ball handle, and defender."

The ankle injury was a temporary setback for this junior. Green has the proverbial chip on her shoulder to pay back her opponents for last season's postseason shortcoming. But watch in the upcoming season as Green is truly a renewable resource on the hard court in Berkeley, Calif.

Article 330: DII prepping for DI

October 1, 2012

For 2013 basketball prospects, the early signing period for NCAA programs is coming up in mid November. As a result, the onsite visits become important as these hardcourt prospects determine their college destinations. One recruit with a busy autumn travel schedule is Sheldon High point guard D'Erryl Williams II.

The NorCalPreps.com Division I Player of the Year as a junior has offers from Fresno State, Loyola Marymount, Long Beach State, Marquette, San Diego, San Diego State, San Francisco, and USC. His confirmed official visits comprise San Jose State (September 14), San Diego State (October 12), and Loyola Marymount (October 18).

Sheldon won the Sac-Joaquin Section title for the third consecutive year and made a trip to the state finals. At 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds, Williams II will be looking to man the point guard as a starter for all four years of his prep career. He will have the services of fellow four year starter wing, Dakarai Allen, and Franklin shooting guard transfer, Darin Johnson.

Williams II took his visit to San Jose State last month as his mother is a Spartan alum. He had a pleasant visit with the entire staff and roster. He saw himself fitting in the Spartans' basketball schemes.

The San Diego State coaching staff has been recruiting his Sheldon teammates with Allen committing last month. The Aztecs have a guard oriented set that would benefit a playmaker such as Williams in addition to the prospect of playing with one or more of his high school teammates as he has been playing basketball with Allen on every team together since the seventh grade. Another factor is that Williams is good friends with current Aztec, Xavier Thames. And the prospect of going to a football school that has its next two year's of basketball home games sold out is also a big plus. Aztec Coach Steve Fisher is a legendary coach who played five fab freshmen while at Michigan. As a result, the possibility of playing as a freshman is feasible for Williams if he were to attend SDSU.

Loyola Marymount recognized Williams' talent early on and felt that he was a perfect fit. He really likes the entire coaching staff. Chris Farr, who is the team trainer that trained Damion Lillard, is an x-factor as he could help mold DII into a prototypical point guard. The style of play is guard oriented which fits Williams' preference. Head Coach Max Good and Associate Head Coach Myke Scholl have elaborated their vision and game plan of what they would use with Williams as their combination guard. They like his ability to play/defend multiple positions and score in various ways. Despite current Lions guard Anthony Ireland being the starting point guard the next two seasons, Williams will have an opportunity as an incoming freshman due to his versatility.

Marquette is intriguing due to Buzz Williams and what he offers as a coach. Williams also likes their recent Sweet Sixteen success and ability to win despite being under the radar in Wisconsin and not having a football program. And the Golden Eagles have had a recent history of versatile guards that have been impactful.

At the end of the day, DII finds the aforementioned programs to have very similar styles of play. They are guard oriented systems, like to run the ball on the break, and play intense defense. When Williams takes his official trips and hosts in-house visits, he wants to make sure that he is able to bond with the coaching staff and the roster.

Williams' Sheldon teammates are ranked in many of the national polls. But certain intangibles he possesses cannot be computed in these subjective rankings. The will to win and one's internal fortitude are metrics that are hard to quantify and even to identify but college coaches have noted these attributes in Williams over the past summer. Sheldon's Allen has the length and Johnson has the scoring ability, but Williams' intangibles and leadership may put him over the top as the prime prospect on a loaded Sheldon team.

DII has received help from his father, D'Erryl Williams I, during the recruiting process. The elder Williams prepped in Detroit before attending Western Nebraska CC, which was the same junior college as current Sacramento Kings assistant coach Bobby Jackson. He then played as an athletic wing at Santa Clara where one of his highlight games was being the primary defender in limiting North Carolina Tar Heel Michael Jordan to only a game high 22 points in a 79-56 loss.

During the summer and into his senior year, Williams II has been working hard on his perimeter jump shot, being a leader by talking and motivating his teammates, improve his face up scoring, and managing the game. Coach Fisher was really impressed with this leadership aspect on a recent visit at an open gym in Sheldon. In addition, this point guard has an accurate perimeter game and is larger than most guards defending him. As a result, opposing teams will have matchup problems.

Highly touted high school teammates going to the same program is rare unless the pair are twin siblings. This Sheldon team has three prospects that are being nationally recruited by major programs. The possibility of two or even all three going to the same program could be intriguing and could shake up the college basketball recruiting landscape.

Williams likes the possibility of continuing play with his high school and Play Hard Play Smart clubmates as they all get along on and off the court. All three of the high profile recruits have no problem sharing the stage. In the end, they are just looking to win and can sacrifice for the team.

Ironically, one of the more high profile teammate signings was Mike Conley Jr. and Greg Oden of Lawrence North High in Indiana. The pair went on to Ohio State before being represented in the NBA by the agency run by Bill Duffy, who played at Santa Clara with Williams I.

Williams II plans to make his decision during the November early signing period. After that, the Sheldon guard will try to lead his Huskies to a fourth SJS title and another run at state. After that, DII will be getting ready for DI in the fall of 2013.

Article 329: Hot Prospects at ECHS

September 30, 2012

The Hot Prospects Camp had close to 100 Northern California basketball prospects that participated in the two day event at El Cerrito High, which was also a tryout for the Super 100 invitational event in late October. Here is a look at the top performers.

Ben Kone 6-foot-7 Post Salesian (2016): As an eighth grader, Kone played for the Oakland Soldiers 15 club. He has good bulk and moves well for his age and size. Kone elevates well and positions himself well on the court. He will be on the varsity team at Salesian. He should be in the rotation and could see more playing time as the season progresses.

Peter Hewitt 6-foot-8 Post St. Francis (2016): Hewitt is another promising freshman post prospect. He has good length and moves well for his size but can play above the rim as he also displayed an adept mid-range shot. Eric Morgan is ahead of him in the rotation, which may mean he starts on the junior varsity squad first.

Ryan Stewart 6-foot-9 Post St. Patrick St. Vincent (2015): Stewart saw time as a freshman but was still adjusting to the high school game and his size. In the drills, he looked more fluid and still has good length. He can complement forward, Jalen Canty, to help form an imposing post duo for his high school team.

Chiefy Ugbaja 6-foot-3 Wing Archbishop Riordan (2014): Ugbaja has good size for his position but stood out with his jumping ability and explosiveness. With cousin Jiday Ugbaja and Burlingame transfer Frankie Ferrari, Riordan should be moving up in the WCAL and will be a legit contender for the best high school team in the city of San Francisco.

Gabe Vincent 6-foot-3 SG St. Mary's Stockton (2014): Vincent looked very polished in all the skills drills. He has good size and speed for a shooting guard as his development has been trending positive over time. He confirmed that Boise State and Portland have been serious in their contact with him.

Trevor Dunbar 5-foot-9 PG St. Ignatius (2014): Dunbar has a tight and low to the ground dribble. The lefty guard uses his quickness to create separation and space for his shots. With Stephen Domingo leaving early for Georgetown, Dunbar will be the expected leader on his St. Ignatius team.

Damari Milstead 5-foot-9 PG Arts Christian Academy Middle School (2017): The eighth grader plays advanced for his age as he shoots well and makes good passing decisions. Milstead will likely play for Moreau Catholic, where his father is an assistant coach. He should have prototypical point guard size by the time he is well into his high school career.

Jordan Boddie 6-foot-5 F Central Catholic (2015): The sophomore has good length and athleticism but is still raw in his offensive game. With older brother Jonathan and Colgate commit, John Fenton, Central Catholic will have significant post player advantages in the upcoming year.

Johnathan Galloway 6-foot-9 Post Salesian (2014): The Salesian transfer looked very fluid in his drills and has good size and movement for a post player. One of his club coaches expects Galloway to have a breakout junior year as his work with the Oakland Soldiers during the summer and his work with the Salesian staff should payoff nicely in his development.

Rafie Herbert 6-foot-2 SG St. Joseph Notre Dame (2014): Herbert will be moving into the varsity rotation as the shooting guard displayed good ball handling and shooting touch. He is lanky and could add some weight. But his overall game and composure should translate well on the floor for the Pilots.

Alfred Hollins Jr 6-foot-3 SF ISA Middle School (2017): The San Francisco eighth grader already is displaying good scoring ability and finishes well at his age. Hollins will definitely be a prospect to watch in terms of the high school that he matriculates at.

Peter Chebi 5-foot-11 SG Hillsdale (2015): Chebi performed many of the skills drill well. He has good ball handling but displayed an adept shooting touch and basic fundamentals of the game.

Danny Mahoney 6-foot-0 PG Serra (2014): The Hillsdale transfer could crack the Serra rotation as the team may employ a multiple guard set. Mahoney uses his body well and can post up smaller guards. He displayed good ball handling skills and played fundamentally well.

Brandon Lawrence 6-foot-1 SG Moreau Catholic (2016): The freshman is expected to contribute immediately at Moreau Catholic. Lawrence displayed good footwork and movement. But his shooting and scoring ability is what will distinguish him.

Derek Johnstone 6-foot-6 F Benicia (2016): The freshman prospect could be another post player to make some noise. Johnstone displayed good footwork and body control for his age and size. He also had a nice midrange shot to keep the defender honest.

AJ John 6-foot-7 F Maria Carrillo (2014): John has good size but also was agile for that size. Those characteristics should translate well on his rebounding. He uses his body well for his post moves but the development of his perimeter game will help with his recruiting.

Article 328: Paly muffs, Mitty wins

September 15, 2012

Palo Alto came into this matchup with a high octane passing game while Archbishop Mitty boasted an efficient ground attack. Both offenses put up four touchdowns each. However, the Vikings muffed its fourth extra point attempt to end up on the losing end 28-27.

The scoring started off with a 16 yard run by Mitty's Chandler Ramirez in the first quarter. Following a turnover by Mitty, Palo Alto's Matt Tolbert ran it in from nine yards out to tie the game. The Vikings' highly touted quarterback, Keller Chryst, completed a 46 yard scoring play to Malcolm Davis for Palo Alto's only lead of the game at 14-7.

Mitty sophomore Dakari Monroe took the ensuing kickoff 99 yards to tie the game at 14 apiece. The Monarchs displayed an efficient offense as quarterback Wyatt Hansen passed for a 16 yard touchdown to Andrew Scott to conclude the half with Mitty leading 21-14.

The third quarter went scoreless but setup an eventful final quarter. Kyle Evans ran 13 yards to put Mitty up 28-14 with over seven minutes left in the game. The Vikings countered with a three minute drive that resulted in Tolbert running six yards for a score to cut the deficit to 28-21.

The Vikings forced a punt and struck with another Chryst to Davis pass play of 65 yards but the extra point attempt's snap was muffed to conclude the scoring at 28-27.

Palo Alto got the ball back with 55 seconds but Chryst was sacked and fumbled the ball away to end the game.

Offensive Comparison: The Monarchs' running game is the focal point of the offense with Ramirez being a sturdy runner and Hansen capable of running the option. Despite being undersized, Hansen displayed an accurate and strong arm. Hansen plays in the same vein as former Boston College Eagle, Doug Flutie.

Only a junior, Paly's Chryst put up big numbers as a sophomore and should do the same in his junior season. The receivers are undersized but speedy. Tolbert can help add some balance as he did run for two scores in the game.

Defenses Hold: The Monarchs line was able to sack Chryst several times and disrupt his flow. But when the line did not apply pressure and gave Chryst time to throw, the Viking quarterback was accurate as he did have those two long touchdown passes.

Palo Alto's defense had a bend but not break performance. Mitty was able to move the ball well against Palo Alto but did not capitalize on all their scoring chances. The defense will be shielded by the offense's ability to put up points.

Special Teams the Difference: In addition to the Monroe kickoff return, the Monarchs had a few other good kickoff returns and the punting was solid in its distance.

The Vikings employed the speedy wide receiver Davis in the return game as he displayed good elusiveness. Chryst also served as the punter but was at best average in his punts. And the missed extra point was the difference in the game.

Next Steps and Analysis: Mitty has a bye week before playing Serra and Bellarmine consecutively. That stretch could determine the West Catholic Athletic League. Mitty moved the ball well offensively as Hansen is a solid dual threat. The defense was able to apply pressure and win the battle of the trenches. To win the WCAL, Mitty will have to win that battle.

The Vikings play hometown rival Gunn before the De Anza League play starts. Palo Alto is still the favorite in their league. Chryst was harassed consistently in the backfield but was accurate with his passes when given time. The defense looked porous at times. Palo Alto should be able to outscore most of its opponents until the postseason rolls around.

Article 327: Spencer for Hire

September 14, 2012

The football season is early but the Inderkum Tigers have posted two impressive wins to stand at 2-0. A big matchup looms against Pleasant Grove. As always, the play at the quarterback position could be big as Inderkum sends out 2014 prospect, CJ Spencer, in that critical role.

At 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, Spencer is a dual threat quarterback who has the athleticism to force defenses to respect both his passing and running ability. As a result, his ability could be compared to former Oregon Duck Jeremiah Masoli or Syracuse Orange Donovan Mcnabb. Ironically, Spencer's father played for Oregon as a linebacker before transferring to Southern Oregon to finish his collegiate eligibility.

In their first two games of the season, Inderkum has outscored their opponents 73 to 14. Spencer accounted for 258 yards passing in those two games that included two touchdown passes and a 30 yard field goal as the team's placekicker.

Offensive Coach Terrance Leonard (aka to the players as "Coach T") says, "CJ's strengths are his leadership, his football IQ, his drive to get better, and he is a natural winner. He studies the field breaks down the defensive tendencies and weaknesses. He is able to translate that info to the coach on the field during the game."

Despite entering the season as a varsity starter for the first time, Spencer's physical attributes already has garnered him recruiting attention as Arizona, Boise State, Iowa State, San Jose State, and Washington State have cursory interest in the junior prospect. For Inderkum, Spencer runs the Wing T offense that utilizes his footwork and quickness. Spencer often looks for his favorite wide receiver in Tyler Dean who transferred back to Inderkum from Rancho Cucamonga.

Spencer is looking for a college that has strong academics and that has a history of producing NFL quarterbacks. He currently sports a 3.50 GPA with Math and Science as his favorite subjects as he would like to major in Sports Medicine.

The Inderkum coaching staff believes that Spencer is a likely Division I quarterback prospect who has all the intangibles, is a hard worker, good speed, arm strength, and the drive to continue to get better. His passing is also solid as he has a good spiral that is easy to catch and well placed.

During the past summer, Spencer attended football camps at Oklahoma and Oregon. He was the quarterback MVP at the UC Davis camp and the Cal State Underclassmen showcase. Off the field, Spencer watches football games to learn additional nuances of the game. He runs a small business that involves making organic dog food treats for local pet hospitals in the area.

Inderkum is looking to win the Tri-County League for a sixth straight year. But the Tigers need a signature non-conference win against Pleasant Grove this Friday. A big performance by the Tigers' signal-caller could be an indicator that Spencer is indeed for hire on the next level.

Article 326: DLS rings the Bells

September 1, 2012

Both Bellarmine and De La Salle replaced Division I quarterbacks from last season's teams. But the Spartans looked to be already in midseason form as both their offense and defense were dominant in both team's season opener that was played at San Jose City College. De La Salle ran its winning streak to 12 games with a 41-7 victory.

Scoring summary: In the first half, De La Salle ran out to a 28-0 lead before closing the half with a 35-7 margin. The lone score in the second half would come in the first 20 seconds as the Spartans held a 41-7 lead for the rest of the half as the two teams traded punts for the rest of the game.

Spartan running back, Tiapepe Vitale, had three touchdown runs that were highlighted by opening half possession runs of 79 and 27 yards respectively. Quarterback Chris Williams had two short touchdown runs and one 58 yard pass play to Austin Hooper. The Bells lone score was a 55 yard bomb from K.J. Carta-Samuels to Jared Vallner.

Unit Breakdown: De La Salle's running game looks to be deep as senior Vitale is the featured back and has junior Das Tautalatasi backing him up. Lefty quarterback Williams has good size to run the ground game but also displayed a crisp pass when the run setup the pass. The Spartan line dominated in the trenches and helped pave several running lanes throughout the game.

The Bells had a difficult time establishing any rhythm. When given time, Carta-Samuels displayed a strong arm that delivered catchable passes. The running game's effectiveness may have been stifled by the Spartan defense and should see better days against lesser defenses.

Defense: The Spartan front seven was consistently in the Bells' backfield and harassing Carta-Samuels. The defense's speed also limited any big running play as the lone big play surrendered was the Bells' passing touchdown. This Spartan defense looks prime to give up fewer than 100 points for the entire year.

Last year's front seven for the boys from San Jose was core to the defense and replacing that senior laden group was going to be difficult. This year's team had trouble containing the running game and gave up several big plays.

Special Teams: The kicking game of the Spartans missed a few extra points but the two point conversions helped offset two of those miscues. A second half kickoff return by Allan Marion to the Bells 27 was impressive. The punting game also won the field position battle with a few punts within the opponents' 20 yard line.

The Bells had several kickoff return opportunities but did not make any real spectacular returns. The punting game had one mishandled snap and a few wobbly kicks.

Next Steps and Analysis: De La Salle plays Colorado power Mullen who went through some turmoil during the summer as they had a coaching change. The following week will be a visit from St. Mary's of Stockton.

If there were any major question marks going into the season, the offense would be it as a new quarterback brings much uncertainty. But with Williams' opening game performance with a balanced running game and a vaunted defense, De La Salle looks hard pressed not to be a comfortable favorite in every regular season game.

Bellarmine will look to bounce back with non-league games against San Leandro and Piedmont Hills.

Whereas De La Salle had some questions answered, the Bells still have several remaining. Was the performance of both the offense and defense due to De La Salle's skill level? Carta-Samuels looks to be promising as the Vanderbilt commit has an accurate and strong arm when given the proper time. The middle of the season has consecutive league games against Archbishop Mitty, Serra, and St. Francis that could make or break their league standings.