Article 441: Tip Off Classic loaded in 2016

11/15/2016

The 10th Annual Nor Cal Tip Off Classic features seven games starting at 11:00 AM on Saturday, November 26th at Newark Memorial High. Past nightcap games have bee competitive and feature high profile teams. This year’s game pits Bishop O’Dowd against a Bishop Montgomery team that is ranked nationally in the top 10 by multiple publications.
Below is the schedule of games with records from the previous season:

Game 1: 11:00 am - St. Patrick-St. Vincent (20-12) vs. Monte Vista (24-8)
Game 1 will be a battle of backcourts as the Bruins feature seniors Tavian Henderson and BJ Standley while the Mustangs have senior Austin Fadal. St. Patrick-St. Vincent tied for second in the Tri-County Rock League last season. Salesian and El Cerrito look to be the teams to challenge again this upcoming season. Other non-league games of note include Sacramento (Dec 20) and Half Moon Bay (Jan 14).
Monte Vista will be in year five under Coach Nick Jones who has broken the 20 win mark each year with the Mustangs and won the 2014 Division I state title. Last season, the Mustangs went 0-3 against East Bay Athletic League champion De La Salle. Monte Vista ended Oakland Tech’s postseason last year and will face the Bulldogs and San Francisco commit Souley Boum again on Dec 16 as an early gauge for both teams.

Game 2: 12:30 pm – Dublin (23-4) vs. Las Lomas (16-12)
Dublin is moving from the Diablo Foothill Athletic League (DFAL) to the East Bay League this season. Last season ended in an opening round loss in the Division I playoffs. The Gaels return Montana signee Timmy Falls to lead the offense while 2020 guard Robbie Beasley is a promising underclassman who has Division I written all over him.
Las Lomas lost to Dublin twice in DFAL play last season. The Knights have a promising 2018 backcourt duo in Robert Prince and Devin Payne. Las Lomas will have non-league battles with Berkeley (Dec 13) and El Cerrito (Jan 14).

Game 3: 2:15 pm – Berkeley (24-9) vs. Christian Brothers (17-11)
After a state final appearance under Coach Mark Deluca, new coach Ralph Fields will look to continue the success in Berkeley. Junior guard Ben Baker will be a potent weapon for the Yellowjackets. Berkeley faces De La Salle (Nov 30) and will battle in the West Alameda County League that features Bishop O’Dowd.
Christian Brothers is trending in the right direction as they only lost three seniors from the roster and return 2018 forward Elias King. The Falcons tied for second in the Capital Athletic League last season. Christian Brothers will have key non-league games against West Campus (Jan 7) and Central Catholic (Jan 28).

Game 4: 3:45 pm - Moreau Catholic (25-5) vs. Immanuel (25-6)
Last season, the Mariners were a senior led team with Oscar Frayer (Grand Canyon) and Terrell Brown (San Jose State). Moreau Catholic started lasted season with a thrilling victory against Sierra Canyon while ending their season with a comeback that fell short in the postseason against Sheldon. This year’s Grand Canyon commit Damari Milstead and newcomer Kyree Walker are the featured Mariners. The early season schedule is loaded with games against Archibishop Mitty (Dec 2) and the Hoophall West event (Dec 9-10 in Scottsdale, AZ).
Immanuel’s 2015-2016 season ended against a loaded Chino Hills program. But the Eagles return CSU Bakersfield commit Darrin Person along with 2018 guard Nate Kendricks. The Central Sequoia League program went undefeated in league play and will be looking for an early season signature win.

Game 5: 5:30 pm - Capital Christian (19-10) vs. Bishop Alemany (24-9)
Capital Christian had a 19-win season that broke a streak of four straight 25+ win seasons. The Cougars return senior Austin Alexander and four players in the 2018 NCP Top 40 (Zach Chappell, Rick Barros, Tolu Jacobs, and Isaiah Jones) along with two highly regarded 2020 prospects in postman Kendall Munson and guard Fred Burton. The team who went undefeated in Golden Empire League play in 2015-2016, will have high profile non-league matchups against Bishop O’Dowd (Jan 16), Sheldon (Jan 21), and Modesto Christian (Feb 4).
Bishop Alemany will be led by UC Santa Barbara commit Brandon Davis and junior Division I guard prospects DJ McDonald and Earnie Sears. In winter tournaments last season, the Warriors defeated Moreau Catholic (63-60 Dec 26) while losing to De La Salle (56-47 Dec 30). Bishop Alemany is a battle-tested program that is familiar with strong Northern California programs.

Game 6: 7:00 pm - Newark Memorial (21-10) vs. Woodcreek (20-9)
Newark Memorial defeated Woodcreek last season 78-68 in overtime in the same event. The Cougars lose seven seniors and will have to find themselves early this season. Senior guard Decaurey Brown leads them. Other non-league matchups of note include El Cerrito (Dec 10) and Modesto Christian (Jan 16).
On the other hand, Woodcreek returns two players each in the 2017 and 2018 NCP Top 40 including big time post prospect Jordan Brown, who is ranked in top ten in his class by multiple publications. The Timberwolves finished second in the Sierra Foothill League to Folsom but look to be the favorites this season.

Game 7: 8:30 pm - Bishop O'Dowd (17-15) vs. Bishop Montgomery (28-3)
The Dragons had a young team last season that had only two seniors. Bishop O'Dowd is led by a strong backcourt that includes senior BJ Shaw, and juniors Naseem Gaskin and Elijah Hardy. The Dragons will see if the youth has matured enough to handle non-league games against Crespi (Dec 22), Sierra Canyon (Jan 7), and Capital Christian (Jan 16).
Bishop Montgomery was one of the better teams in the state last year but their postseason ended against Chino Hills (84-62 Mar 19). Oregon State commit Ethan Thompson and San Diego State commit Jordan Schakel lead the Knights along with high-level junior guard David Singleton. Bishop Montgomery has a current streak of four straight 28+ win seasons that includes the 2014 Division IV state title.

Article 440: How We Saw It: Week 5: St. Francis at Bellarmine

10/1/2016

After losing 11 straight in this WCAL series against Bellarmine, St. Francis came out attacking on their first three possessions as senior running back Cyrus Habibi-Likio (6-foot-1, 210 pounds) scored on a 58 yard run while senior Garrett McCarthy (5-foot-9, 170 pounds) had punt return touchdowns of 54 and 60 yards. After the 2:57 mark in the first quarter, the Lancer offense had a non-existent passing game and used the running game to melt the clock to win 21-12. The Lancer defense had several key stops and timely sacks to end Bellarmine drives as junior Tyler Manoa (6-foot-4, 290 pounds, BYU commit) had 1.5 sacks for the game.

The Bells are normally a disciplined, mistake-free team. Bellarmine's first offensive play was a botched snap that resulted in a 19-yard loss. Senior quarterback Ike Ogbogu (6-foot-1, 185 pounds) was pressured into four sacks and one interception. The Bells were held scoreless in the first half but mounted two scoring drives in the second half. But the special teams missed the first PAT that led to a failed two-point attempt on the second score after already giving up two punt return scores to the Lancers. On the bright side, the defensive unit shut out St. Francis after the first possession and the offense has senior tight end Justin Malone (6-foot-4, 220 pounds) who was a big and open target.

Article 439: Milstead ready for more at Moreau

8/25/2016

Four-year starters are rare at either the high school or the college level for any team sport. Even more rare is the four-year starter for programs that have successful postseason runs. For the Moreau Catholic program, senior Damari Milstead is looking to cap off such a run.

The point guard started from day one and has led his Mariners to succeeding win totals of 27, 23, and 25. His stats at Moreau progressed from 15.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 3.3 steals to 16.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 3.4 steals to 19.1 points, 3.65 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 3.0 steals.

In his 17 number years of Bay Area high school basketball coaching, Moreau Catholic Head Coach Frank Knight says, “Damari's game is so unique that it’s really hard to find a player that he reminds me of in particular. But he is a cross between Kwame Vaughn (Skyline Oakland) and Will Cherry (McClymonds). Kwame and Damari both have that offensive game that's not flashy and not littered with highlights of dunks but will have filled up the stat line at game’s end. Will Cherry because of his defensive intensity and they just have that will to win down the stretch. They both will have finished high school with lots of wins.”

In his first three seasons, Milstead missed only six games out of 94 total regular and postseason games. Despite that, he has a strong chance to be the all time leader in points (will likely break the 2,000 point mark in his senior year), assists, and steals in Moreau Catholic history. As the point guard who runs the Mariners, Milstead has guided Moreau Catholic to two league championships, a NCS Division 4 championship, a NCS Division 3 Championship, a NCS Division 3 runner up, a NorCal Division 4 NorCal Championship, and a Division 4 State Championship runner up.

The 6-foot-3 and 175 pound prospect previously played for the Oakland Soldiers program. Milstead says about the move to Splash City, “I was going to leave the Oakland Soldiers after the summer of my sophomore year before Splash City was even formed. I just felt it wasn't a good fit for me and I wanted something different.”

The chance to make a mark on the newly formed Splash City 17 program was too good to pass up on as he averaged 16.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. The team’s inaugural season in the Under Armour circuit, Splash City made it to the championship game. Milstead says about the summer season, “Being the first year for Splash City and playing on the UA Circuit was a lot of fun and we did really well as a team in the spring as well in the summer. I feel like we put Splash City on the map and set the bar for the organization going forward.”

Coach Frank Knight provides an anecdote of Milstead’s toughness, “When Damari was a freshman and we were playing Salesian in the NCS D-4 championship game he sprained his ankle pretty bad at the end of the third quarter. Salesian started to pull away in the fourth while he was out and he was adamant on returning. After our trainer taped him back up, he walks up to me during game and said he is ready to go back in. I asked him was he sure and he said he wanted to be out on the floor with his brothers in this game. He did the same thing last season in the first round of the Open Division playoff against Sheldon. Came back with a partially broke nose, and we cut a 20 point lead to a one possession game with less than one minute remaining. He has an ultimate desire to win.”

Moreau Catholic has the chance to send another four-year starter to a Division I program. Oscar Frayer was a four-year starter who is now with the Grand Canyon Antelopes program of the Western Athletic Conference. In addition from last year’s team, Terrell Brown is at San Jose State, Brandon Lawrence is a preferred walk on at St. John’s, and Armond Simmons is at Columbia College in Southern California. Milstead’s strong summer bolstered his recruiting exposure. In addition, he was invited and attended elite camps during the summer that included Pangos All American Camp (June 3-5), Steph Curry Select 30 Camp (June 28 - July 1), and Under Armour All American Camp (July 5-8).

Knight says about his point guard’s future, “Damari has worked on every one of his deficiencies each summer, tackling one specific one each year and has really made himself a good all around player. I think what he needs to work on most to play immediately at the next level is his speed and athleticism. If he can keep improving his overall speed and agility and his ability to change pace in traffic with the ball, he will be tough to deal with.”

Milstead holds offers from Grand Canyon, Montana, New Mexico, Pacific, Pepperdine, Southern Utah, St Mary's, UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, USC, and Wyoming. Schools showing interest include Iowa State, Oregon State, Stanford, Utah, UNLV, and Virginia Tech. As of now, he has official visits scheduled for Wyoming (October 7) and St Mary's (October 14).

Knight says about Milstead’s leadership, “He is like another coach on the floor. The one final piece of development Damari has left at Moreau Catholic is his ability to lead a team. He is a winner. Now, can he lead a team that is younger, not as experienced but oozing with potential? We will learn a lot about his character after this up coming season. I’m excited on what kind of legacy he leaves here at Moreau.”

After working to improve his jump shot during the summer, Milstead will be looking to be more efficient running his team to make a deeper postseason run. His Moreau Catholic roster is young but includes Kyree Walker, Maxwell Anderson, LJ Anderson, and Dvan Molden. Look for Milstead to guide this team as he caps off a successful four-year run with the Mariners in Hayward, Calif.

Article 438: Calcaterra looking to light it up

8/23/2016

Joey Calcaterra has been a proficient scorer throughout his high school years. At Marin Catholic, he averaged 5.8 points as a freshman and 20 points as a sophomore. In a 19-11 season for the Wildcats last year, the shooting guard prospect averaged 27 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals.

Coach Mike Saia considers Calcaterra a unique talent, “In the 6 years of coaching at Marin Catholic, I can’t think of an accurate comparison to Joey. His unique style on the offensive end of explosiveness, body control, toughness in getting to the rim, and mid and deep range shooting is something I haven’t seen, especially from a player with as ‘slight’ of a build that Joey has. He doesn’t have the bulk that many would think of a guy who puts up big numbers, but he is wiry strong, and a very tough kid. Accepts the physicality of the game, and has the concentration to finish.”

Calcaterra came into his freshman season as a lanky scorer but has also evolved his athletic and defensive skills. Over the past summer, he played for the inaugural Splash City team in the Under Armour circuit. The competition from the circuit pushed his play to a new level.

According to Calcaterra, “Playing against Trevon Duval and Jalek Felton forced me to really work on my defense and quickness because while playing in front of over 75 college coaches every game, I couldn’t have any weaknesses on the court. I'm being recruited as a player who can score as well as handle the ball. All the schools I've talked to are looking for scorers and ball handlers and I feel like I can take on that role at the next level.”

This strong showing of his overall and comprehensive basketball and athletic skill set increased his recruiting status. Pacific, San Diego, San Francisco, Stetson University, and UC Davis have offered while he has decided on his official visits to be Pacific, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Clara, and UC Davis. During his junior year of high school and club basketball, over 30 schools contacted him with varying levels of interest with the most recent being Davidson, Hofstra, seven Ivy League schools (out of eight), Loyola Marymount, Santa Clara, Southern Utah, and UC Santa Barbara.

Coach Saia says about what his star guard needs to do during his senior year and thereafter, “Continue to get stronger, and that will come over the rest of his high school and college careers. He is very committed to working on his game in the off-season, and that includes weight room and speed work. I don’t believe he is done growing and filling out. And he has to show that he can defend both the PG and SG at the next level. His offense will get him into games, but his defense will keep him in games. He has a very good feel for the game, and is excellent in the open floor. He has offers from excellent schools and basketball programs. Very excited for him and his family.”

The 6-foot-3 and 165 pound Wildcat is working to gain some more pounds and get bigger during the rest of summer. He is also focusing on improving his quickness, ball-handling, and perimeter shot.

Marin Catholic has had win totals of 17, 23, and 19 during Calcaterra’s first three seasons. Coach Saia walks through his own timeline with Calcaterra on his roster, “Biggest difference is his evolution as a leader on this team. He played with his older brother Frankie his first 2 years. Last year and this year, as a captain, he needs to continue working on leading this team. We, as a team, have goals that we want to achieve, and Joey will lead us, both on and off the court. He was our 7th man as a freshman, and has started every game since the beginning of his sophomore year. On the court, he just keeps getting better and better, and much stronger every year. Early in his high school career, he was the recipient of many passes. We expect him this year to be more of a distributor, even though we will be expecting him and need him to get his share of touches.”

Calcaterra muses about his final high school season, “I’m looking to make another run at a NCS Title like my sophomore year as well as a run at state. We didn’t get as far as we wanted to last year so we need to make up for it. Our team is made up of most of my senior class this year so we have experience and we’re looking to have a strong team this year.” The senior captain is looking to light it up again from the hard wood with his Wildcats in Kentfield, Calif.

Article 437: Bibb holds two offers

8/11/2016

The Salesian program overachieved last season with a young but talented roster that finished 28-5 and pushed eventual state runner-up De La Salle into overtime (51-45) in the Open Division. The Pride’s championship run in the NCS Division IV bracket and high profile Open Division matchup helped increase the exposure of 2018 standout, Jamario Bibb. The junior-to-be parlayed that successful regular season into the summer by getting more recruiting attention.

Bibb played previously for the Fresno-based Team Superstars program that evolved into the Splash City program this past summer. The Salesian prospect played with Splash City at the start of the AAU season before switching to the Bay Area Red & Black program to be closer to his home.

Going into the summer, Bibb had a lone offer from San Jose State. After the summer, Bibb put up impressive numbers for his Red & Black club by averaging 15.5 points and 6.7 assists per game while bulking up to 194 pounds to go with his long 6-foot-5 frame. More importantly after the summer, UC Davis made an offer to him while Boise State, Montana, and Yale have been in serious contact.

The Salesian roster was young this past season with nine underclassmen. Bibb averaged 10.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.2 assists as the junior will be one of the leaders of the Pride. The deep postseason imparted on Bibb this thought, “I learned that any five that's on the court have to have chemistry, communication, and motor to win.”

Salesian went undefeated in Tri County Rock League that will have other teams to watch that include El Cerrito, St Patrick St Vincent, and St Joseph Notre Dame. Bibb plans to push his Pride as he has a jungle lion mentality, “Eat while you can, you never know when your life can be taken.”

The Salesian rotation has a talented and battle tested bunch that includes James Akinjo, Derrick Langford, and twins Jaden and Jovon McClanahan. Bibb believes that this is a tough minded group that knows how to finish games in another one of his favorite quotes, “Players play, tough minded players win.”

The Pride may have snuck up on some teams, as they were labeled young and inexperienced. Opponents will have Salesian circled on their scheduled this upcoming season. The new sets of challenges should not intimidate Bibb as he looks to parlay a successful summer with his upcoming junior season for the Pride in Richmond, Calif.

Article 436: JUCO Jamboree standouts

7/8/2016

The annual NorCal JUCO Summer Jamboree normally fields 18 teams but this year’s edition had a reduced 12 team field. Despite the abridged schedule in San Bruno, 15 college coaches (Fresno State and Portland State in Division I) attended day one of the two-day event. Here are some player updates.

Jovian Cormier 6-foot-5 Wing Heritage (San Joaquin Delta) 2015: Cormier has good size but is still agile with his feet. The Heritage product hit several mid range shots, can create through his dribble, and was not afraid of contact in the paint. When grading on an aggregate of athletic, physical, and basketball skill levels, Cormier was probably the highest rated player on day 1.

Marquel Hodge 6-foot-4 Wing WC Overfelt (De Anza) 2015: Hodge is a good all around scorer. His lateral movement allows him to be a strong defender. He plays strong and helps with rebounding.

Jovontae Carleton 6-foot-4 W El Cerrito (Diablo Valley) 2014: Carleton looks more and more comfortable to make the move to the four year college level competition. He has good size and body control as he is effective in perimeter shooting and can finish on the fast break. The El Cerrito alum is undersized for his wing position and could benefit by improving his ball handling.

Karim Ndiaye 6-foot-9 PF Archbishop Riordan (Marin) 2015: Ndiaye was highly publicized during his high school years as his size was always enticing but knee injuries and inconsistency set him back. At the College of Marin, Ndiaye will be a key contributor going into his second year as his defensive presence with his size and length to make a difference in rebounding and defending the paint. Offensively, he looked for his shot but still needs to refine his post moves and finish more consistently.

Soren Carpenter 6-foot-0 PG Lowell (Skyline) 2015: The Lowell product is a crafty guard that moves efficiently on the court. Carpenter displays a nice perimeter touch and made a few athletic baskets going to the rim. He is a bit undersized on the defensive end and could be overpowered by bigger opponents.

Chris Turner 6-foot-5 Wing Pioneer (De Anza) 2015: Turner is long and athletic but needs to add size for rebounding. The wing product has an accurate perimeter shot but needs improvement on his dribble drive moves.

Jeremiah Alston 6-foot-4 Wing San Lorenzo (Contra Costa) 2015: Alston is long and versatile as he has a good shooting touch. As a freshman, he shot close to 44 percent from 3-point range for Contra Costa. Alston is wiry but could add some bulk.

Rodney Pope 6-foot-1 PG Freedom (Diablo Valley) 2014: Pope is another scoring point guard who is athletic. He moves his feet well on defense. Pope can add some bulk and needs to be more of a floor general by distributing more.

Austin Haro 6-foot-3 SG Manteca (Modesto) 2014: The Manteca product has good size for a shooting guard as it shows in his on ball defense and rebounding. Haro also has a good shooting touch and is strong on his dribble drive attacks.

David Lerma 5-foot-10 PG Jim Elliot Christian (San Joaquin Delta) 2015: Lerma is another undersized point guard but benefits from getting playing time at the JUCO level. A good perimeter shooter who is a scoring point guard and also attacks the basket aggressively. On defense, Lerma moves his feet well and uses his body for leverage.

Jaimon Robinson 6-foot-2 PG Vanden (Marin) 2012: The Vanden prospect is the floor leader for the Marin program. He is a scoring point guard that can score anywhere on the floor. He moves well laterally on defense and uses his size to rebound well.

Dru Solis 6-foot-2 CG Concord (Contra Costa) 2016: Solis looks to be a contributor as a freshman at the JUCO level. The Concord alum is comfortable handling the ball, can create his own offense inside or outside, and has good length at the guard position. To play at the four year level, he could add more bulk.

Eric Nielsen 6-foot-10 Post Dublin (Diablo Valley) 2013: Nielsen was part of some high flying Dublin teams in high school. After high school, Nielsen went the baseball path but had Tommy John and rotator cuff surgeries that ended his career on the mound. Nielsen still has college level height and size but is working himself back into game shape. His offense trails his defense as he rebounds well and is a space eater in the paint.

Article 435: McClanahan twins pace the Pride

5/12/2016

In the past twelve years under Bill Mellis, Salesian has won 315 games (26.25 average, 34 high, and 19 low). The Pride outperformed expectations this past season by going 28-5 and undefeated in the Tri-County Rock League. The roster had nine underclassmen including freshman twins, Jaden and Jovon McClanahan.

The twins are 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds as Jaden averaged eight points, five rebounds, and five assists while Jovon averaged sevn points, six rebounds, and five assists. The brothers play both guard positions and are interchangeable in either guard position or with each other.

Mellis believes that the duo has potential for improvement, “Both Jaden and Jovon enjoyed success as freshmen. Jaden started for us and Jovon came off the bench. As far as next year and in the future, I could see either or both of them starting for us, if they continue to progress and develop their skills. They could certainly be on the court at the same time, keeping in mind that we have numerous other players who will be returning. For us, it is not a matter of who starts or who plays the most minutes, it is a matter of making sure that you play hard and unselfishly while you are on the court, and both of them are great examples of this.”

In the recent Nor Cal Spring Showcase, the twins played an attacking style on both sides of the court. Their skill set and activity look seamless as they both disrupt the backcourt and on the full court press. On offense, the twins can attack the rim and but also looked comfortable in distributing on offense.

The twins played for Team Superstar last summer for the first time before transitioning to the Under Armour Splash City 15U program (run by the same Team Superstar coaches). The Under Armour Association stops in Los Angeles next during Memorial Day weekend. The Salesian pair will be at that event before playing a couple of local tournaments and concluding the summer in Las Vegas.

This past year’s Salesian team had its tallest player listed at 6-foot-5 as the Pride played a multi guard set that allowed the brothers to hone their skill set and versatility. In addition, both were on the junior varsity football team as Jaden was the quarterback while Jovon was both at running back and at linebacker. Both plan to go out for the varsity football team next season.

The Salesian program has produced several Division I prospects as Mellis sees that for the McClanahans, “As far as their future in college is concerned, I believe that both of them will be recruited fairly heavily at the Division I level. They are attractive to college coaches because they play extremely hard and they both have a tremendous work-ethic. Specifically, Jaden is a good defender and ball handler, and Jovon is a good shooter and ball handler. Because of their desire to get better, I know that they will improve in the areas that need work and they will become very good all-around players.”

The brothers expect to top out at 6-foot-2, which is a very serviceable height for a college level point guard. Jaden, who is older by one minute and more social, has a 3.57 freshman GPA while Jovon is at a 3.27 GPA. They want to play for a college system that is up-tempo in nature.

Jaden says, “Playing with my brother is a true blessing because we know where each other are on the court on the defensive end, I don't have to tell him anything because we can just read each other’s minds.” They want to play together at the college level. Jovon says, “We have a signal that we made in 6th grade, and it's like a click-click type of sound. When we make that signal to each other, we can read each other's mind. So, he knows what I want him to do or what he wants me to do.”

In the TCAL, Salesian went undefeated in a league that has been historically dominated by El Cerrito. The Pride defeated El Cerrito three times this past season, each victory by five points or less. The Pride’s dominance led them to an opening round overtime defeat (51-45) to eventual State runner up De La Salle in the Open Division. Salesian’s quick growth allowed Jaden to win Freshman of the Year in the North Coast Section in basketball.

The Pride jumped from 19 wins to 28 wins in this past year. Salesian returns the twins plus a talented roster including James Akinjo, Jamario Bibb, and Derrick Langford. Look for the Pride to make a run at 30 wins and a state title with the McClanahan twins in Richmond, Calif.

Article 434: Nor Cal Spring Showcase Day 1

4/23/2016

In April, the college basketball season concludes with a champion while NBA teams begin their playoff passage.  For the high school level, the club season commences with the college evaluation period where NCAA coaches can view future recruits.  Day 1 of the Fifth Annual Nor Cal Spring Showcase at Jamtown in Oakland had five games on each of the four courts.

Here are some players of note on Day 1:

Jaden and Jovon Mcclanahan 5-foot-9 G Splash City 15 (Salesian) 2019: The twins play interchangeably and similarly as they both control the tempo well on offense while being disruptive on the defensive end.  Both can drive and finish well in the paint with contact.  Salesian is young and talented for the next few years.

Kaleb Hedstrom 6-foot-8 West Valley 16 (San Lorenzo) 2019: The sophomore-to-be has good size and footwork.  Hedstrom is a back to the basket player who rebounds well and uses his size for post scoring.

Daniel Bessolo 6-foot-4 Wing Bay Area Warriors Gold (Castro Valley) 2017: The 2017 product is athletic and versatile for size.  He rebounds well and was able to finish around the rim.  Bessolo also competes in track after the basketball season.

Nick Lombardi 5-foot-10 PG Red and Black Basketball 17U (Justin-Siena) 2017: Lombardi is a solid floor leader with a good shot.  The Prolific Prep prospect also displays tenacious perimeter defense.

Miles Tention 6-foot-4 PG Palo Alto Midnight (Palo Alto) 2017: The Palo Alto product has a balanced game as he has good size for a guard as he rebounds well and plays in control.  He has grown almost half a foot in the past year to increase his recruiting stock.

Shemar Morrow 6-foot-4 Wing Oakland Soldiers 15U (Sacramento Country Day) 2020: The current Sacramento middle school product is headed to La Mirada.  Morrow plays with athleticism and strength beyond his age.  If his basketball skills development can match his physical skill level, then Morrow could be a high level recruit.

Tony Covington 5-foot-9 PG Bay Area Warriors Gold (Mt. Eden) 2017: The undersized guard can create on the dribble and finish at the rim.  He has good quickness and directs the team well.

Kyree Walker 6-foot-5 Wing Oakland Soldiers 15U (St. Martin De Porres) 2020: The Hayward native has similar characteristics as Oscar Frayer.  Walker is quite skilled at his age and is a local product to watch in the 2020 class.  He can score inside or outside and has a frame that can evolve well for the college game.

Colby Orr 6-foot-0 PG Red and Black Basketball 17U (De La Salle) 2017: Orr does a little of everything and is a glue guy type of player.  The team focus is consistent with the De La Salle program as Orr dribbles well either hand and is steady at the point guard position.  His perimeter scoring needs to be more consistent.

Notes:

Eric Musselman (Nevada) and Rodney Tention (San Jose State) were in attendance as their sons were competing with their clubs.  Several lower division and junior college coaches were also in attendance.

Brandon McGee 6-foot-3 G KBA Seniors (Salesian) 2016: McGee has several Division II and JUCO offers.  The Salesian product is playing into the summer to see if any other offers come up.

Nikhil Peters 6-foot-4 Wing KBA Seniors (De La Salle) 2016: Another unsigned senior, Peters is a productive guard that can provide instant offense.  His academic status has been squared away and he is playing into the summer seeking additional offers.

Article 433: Mitty moves onto semi-finals

3/13/2016

Mitty was able to rally several times to force the game into an overtime session against Whitney that the Monarchs dominated to win 63-56 in the second round of the Division II NorCal playoffs.

The Monarchs jumped out to a 19-12 advantage in the first quarter as sophomore Riley Grigsby made three 3-point shots. The Wildcats roared back in the second quarter with accurate shooting and pressing defense to lead 34-29 at the half. Each team made six 3-point shots in the half but Whitney had ten free throw attempts, eight more than the Monarchs.

The game was tied at 34 early in the third quarter but the Wildcats pulled ahead 44-38 towards the end by taking advantage of their height and Mitty’s foul trouble in the interior. Whitney had leads of 51-46 (3:23 left) and 53-50 (0:33 left) but missed on a double bonus that led to a Riley Grigsby 3-point tying shot. In overtime, Whitney played tight by missing several looks in the paint while Mitty was more fluid in winning 63-56.

Mitty never looked flustered and played to their strengths that included their wing players, Grigsby and Kyle Peterson, and post players, Mike Diaz and Nick Labruna. The Monarchs return their top three scorers in the game next season (Grigsby 28 points, Peterson 10 points, and Diaz 8 points). Mitty goes to 15-13 and advances to the regional semifinals.

Whitney led most of the game after midway through the second quarter. The Wildcats played more aggressively by getting the Monarchs into foul trouble. However, Whitney shot 13-of-23 from the line while the Monarchs were 8-of-14 in free throws. The Wildcats missed several free throws in the second half of the final quarter. In the overtime session, Whitney played tight and mustered only three points. The Wildcats finish the season 25-7 and return several productive guards for next season.

The Monarchs face El Cerrito in the next round with a battle of the wings, Grigsby against Montana commit Sayeed Pridgett. Both teams came into this season with high hopes but each has 13 losses. The winner gets to face the survivor of Serra and Antelope.

Player of Note:
Riley Grigsby 6-foot-5 Wing Archbishop Mitty (2018): Grigsby had a game high 28 points on 10-of-19 shooting including seven 3-point shots. The sophomore had several timely shots that pulled the Monarchs back into the game. Grigsby has good length and versatility to play the wing position.

Article 432: Castro Valley gets road win

3/10/2016

Since the NCAA Men’s Division I tournament went to the 64 team format in 1985, the 8 vs 9 game has been the most evenly opening round matchup with the eight-seed winning 53.4 percent of the games. On Wednesday evening, No. 8 Piedmont Hills did not follow that trend and lost to No. 9 Castro Valley 56-54. The Trojans move on to play top seed Bellarmine on Saturday in the second round of the Division I bracket.

Both teams started the game hot from the perimeter as Castro Valley and Piedmont Hills made five and three 3-point goals respectively in the first quarter. But the Trojans used their size and athleticism to take a 23-13 advantage at the end of the quarter. The teams went cold in the second quarter as neither made a perimeter shot. The Pirates used their scrappiness to cut the deficit to 33-25 at the half.

Piedmont Hills trailed by double digits for the first part of the third quarter before heating up from the perimeter to trail 44-42. In the final quarter, the Pirates came as close as one point. Castro Valley’s shaky free throw shooting gave the Trojans the eventual 56-54 score as Piedmont Hills’ last possession half court shot did hit the board and rim.

Castro Valley’s starting five has four players 6-foot-3 and taller who are of the athletic guard or wing types. The team’s rotation does not have true post size but was much bigger than the Piedmont Hills program that was undersized with 6-foot-1 being their tallest player in the rotation. The Trojans won in rebounding, block shots, and in free throw attempts but the Pirates were more accurate in their perimeter shooting and more aggressive in the dribble drives to the basket.

Piedmont Hills end the season at 21-7 but did win the CCS Division I title. Castro Valley goes to 19-11 and faces the 19-8 Bells in San Jose. The Trojans will need to use their versatility and athleticism to keep it close with Bellarmine.

Player of Note:
Daniel Bessolo 6-foot-5 SF Castro Valley (2017): The junior was tallest player in either starting rotation as he led the Trojans in rebounding and block shots during the season. Bessolo’s skills are varied as he had three key block shots to prevent easy layups, had several rebounds including a few offensive ones, and made a nice mid-air put back. He scored 14 points but contributed in all facets of the game.

Article 431: WCAL sweeps CCS Open Division

2/27/2016

The public schools gave a valiant effort but were overwhelmed in the end by their private West Catholic Athletic League (WCAL) opponents in the opening round of the bottom half of the Central Coast Section Open Division bracket. Santa Cruz led most of their battle with St. Francis but ran out of gas in overtime to lose 68-58 in the opening game at Piedmont Hills. Menlo-Atherton from the Peninsula South League kept it close with WCAL opponent Archbishop Mitty but ended up losing 47-42.

The eight seed Santa Cruz from the Santa Cruz Coast League rushed out to a 19-9 first quarter lead on accurate perimeter shooting. St. Francis caused many turnovers but could not convert nor make a perimeter shot. The top-seeded Lancer offense settled down in the second quarter as they hit two 3-point shots to trail 30-23 at the half.

The Lancers worked all the way back to a 41-39 advantage at the 1:40 mark in the third quarter before the quarter ended at 41-41. Despite being shorter and having less depth, Santa Cruz was on the verge of winning as the Cardinals led 56-51 with 57 seconds left. The Lancers made a timely 3-point shot and then converted on a layup on a turnover from the following in-bounds. The teams exchanged one free throw and exchanged turnovers with Santa Cruz getting blocked on a breakaway to end regulation at 57-57. Without any interior offense and no longer making their perimeter shots, Santa Cruz got blitzed in the four minute overtime session to lose 68-58.

Both Menlo-Atherton and Archbishop Mitty were evenly matched up in terms of size and depth. The first quarter was a 12-12 tie while the Bears were able to take a 24-22 lead at the half. Menlo-Atherton scored half their points on four 3-point shots while Riley Grigsby accounted for 12 points for the Monarchs.

Menlo-Atherton kept shooting from the perimeter but only made one more 3-point shot in the second half. Despite this, the Bears led 35-34 after the third quarter but the lack of offense caught up to them in the fourth quarter as Mitty lived at the free throw line as the Monarchs had 23 attempts compared to nine for the Bears in the game. The contest was still tied 38-38 midway in the final quarter before the Monarchs pulled away 47-42.

Players of Note:

Curtis Witt 6-foot-3 PG St Francis (2016): Witt was a stabilizing factor on the offense as he scored 23 points on 8-of-14 shooting including three 3-point shots. His perimeter game gave him several driving opportunities. The Lancer frontcourt was bailed out by the guard play, especially from Witt.

Kaijae Yee-Stephens 6-foot-2 G Santa Cruz (2016): In a losing effort, Yee-Stephens led all scorers with 26 points on 10-of-27 shooting as the Cardinals had eight total points from their front court. The Lancer defense keyed on the perimeter, which caused Yee-Stephens to put up several contested shots. He has a quick release and suspends well mid-air to create some shooting space.

Riley Grigsby 6-foot-5 Wing Archbishop Mitty (2018): With Ben Kone injured, Grigsby was the offensive focal point for the Monarchs. He has a nice high perimeter release while having good length to get to the basket quickly. He had 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting with two 3-point shots.

Nick Labruna 6-foot-5 PF Archbishop Mitty (2016): The brawny forward played to his strength, which was staying in the post and making contact. The senior led all scores with 15 points on 3-of-5 shooting including nine free throws.

Blake Henry 6-foot-7 PF Menlo-Atherton (2016): Henry led the Bears with 13 points on 6-of-12 shooting but took a few ill-advised perimeter shots when he was the biggest post player for Menlo-Atherton. With Kone out, Henry had the height advantage in the post and was able to convert on a few nice post moves but could have taken advantage more times.

Next up:

Mitty will try to avenge the two losses against St. Francis from the regular season, 62-60 and 67-55. The Lancers have the size and depth advantage against the Monarchs. The Monarch backcourt will have their hands full on both ends.

Both Bellarmine and Serra, WCAL members as well, also advanced in the upper half of the Open Division bracket. Serra won both meetings during the regular season.

Both games will be on Tuesday starting at 5:30 PM at Independence High School.

Article 430: Fadal running wild with Mustangs

1/24/2016

Since Nick Jones took over Monte Vista in 2012-2013, the program has had season win totals of 20, 32, and 27. In the current 2015-2016 season, the Mustangs are 14-3 and look to be on pace with the previous seasons’ win totals. A big reason for this year’s success has been the play of transfer combination guard, Austin Fadal.

The former Dougherty Valley standout transferred to Monte Vista as his family moved to Danville during the summer. Jones said about the transition period, “Austin has transitioned very well into Monte Vista. I still think that everybody is learning how to play together and his teammates are learning his strengths and he is learning theirs as well. He had to play point guard early in the season (he has never played PG before) due to injuries and that was an adjustment for him but things on our team have resolved themselves and he is only playing the point about half the game now.”

As a junior, Fadal has been averaging 17 points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals while making 50 percent of his 3-point shots (33-of-66 shooting). Six of the Mustang victories have been by more than nineteen points. As a result, player minutes are spread out more evenly through both the first and second rotations.

Jones had a successful stint at Castro Valley High where he developed several college level prospects. Talking about Fadal’s abilities, Jones said, “Austin really has knack for scoring. He has a tremendous first step and can really get to the rim. He has been a consistent 3-point shooter as well.”

This year’s East Bay Athletic League (EBAL) may be a two team race between Monte Vista and De La Salle. As Fadal gels with his teammates, Jones wants to see his junior improve in certain areas as well. “We are pushing him everyday in practice to become an outstanding defender, both on-ball and off the ball. I think he has the skill set to be an excellent defender who is getting 3-5 steals a game.”

During the summer, Fadal will continue to play with Team Superstar in the Under Armour Association. Fadal felt that his previous summer helped him improve most in his ball handling, shooting accuracy, explosiveness to the basket, shooting off the dribble, and playing the combo guard position. Fadal currently sports a 3.20 GPA.

The programs that are either in contact with him or have seen him in open gym practices include Montana, Nevada, San Jose State, St. Mary’s, UC Irvine, San Francisco, and Weber State. Aside from his AAU and high school basketball involvement, Fadal trains with Teohn Conner and Kelvin “KP” Potts.

The 2014-2015 EBAL regular season ended with Monte Vista and De La Salle tied at 12-2 while San Ramon Valley was 11-3. The 2013-2014 EBAL regular season had Monte Vista at the top at 13-1 while De La Salle and San Ramon Valley were 11-3. Expect the current EBAL season to be a wild scramble to the top as Fadal runs wild with the Mustangs in Danville.

Article 429: St. Francis closes out Serra

1/9/2016

The top two teams in the 2014-2015 season in the West Catholic Athletic League squared off for their second league game on Friday evening. The crowd was a ruckus in Mountain View with the Lancers winning 54-52.

Early foul trouble kept Serra sophomore Jack Wilson on the bench. Three 3-point makes gave the Padres a 13-11 first quarter lead. St. Francis benefited from being aggressive and was in the penalty early in the second quarter. The Lancers made nine free throws while Serra had no free throw makes in the first half. A half court heave by the Lancers’ Curtis Witt narrowed Serra’s first half advantage to 28-26.

Both Lancer senior Peter Hewitt and Wilson picked up their third foul early in the third quarter but Serra had a game high 38-30 lead before leading 40-37 after three quarters. Serra made their first free throw at the 7:35 mark in the fourth quarter while Wilson picked up his fourth and fifth fouls around the midway point. The Padres tied the game at 52-52 at the 1:00 mark with a made 3-point shot that could have been a 4-pt play. The Lancers’ final possession had a few missed opportunities but ended with a Hewitt two-handed slam and the eventual final 54-52 score with ten seconds left. Serra could not capitalize on three opportunities in those final ten seconds to tie the score.

Going into the game, the interior players highlighted each team, but Serra scored 39 of their 52 points from their guards while the Lancers’ leading scorers were guards Curtis Witt (13 points) and Logan Johnson (12 points). The battle of post prospects was won by St Francis as Hewitt made the game-winning dunk, had six points, and stifled Wilson to just two points.

At 9-1, the Lancers should be the team to beat in WCAL play as St. Francis has the deepest roster. St. Francis plays Folsom in the Father Kelly Tribute and can see if their size advantage is enough to overcome Folsom’s talented backcourt. The Padres drop to 9-3 but look like a contender with their tenacious guard play and potential in the post.

Players of Note:
Logan Johnson 6-foot-2 PG St Francis (2018): The sophomore was efficient with his 12 points (5-of-6 shooting). He plays in control, is laterally quick, and drives aggressively to the basket. Johnson’s older brother, Tyler, played for the Lancers (2010), Fresno State (2014), and now plays for the Miami Heat.

Peter Hewitt 6-foot-10 Post St Francis (2016): The senior’s scoring numbers for the first two WCAL games totaled only 11 points, but the UC Davis signee had the game-starting dunk against Archbishop Riordan and had the game-ending dunk against Serra. Hewitt also flustered Wilson with two early block shots and helped draw fouls against the opposing post.

Jeremiah Testa 6-foot-2 G Serra (2016): Testa led the game with four 3-point shots and scored 18 points on 7-of-10 overall shooting. If left open, Testa has an accurate perimeter shot. The senior has the ability to score in bunches both from inside and outside.

Lee Jones 5-foot-10 G Serra (2016): Jones had 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting in addition to a team high seven assists. The senior is a good floor general who can also create his own shot. Combined with Testa, the Padres backcourt is senior-laden, mature, and versatile.

Article 428: Mitty extends streak

1/6/2016

In the 2008-2009 season, Sacred Heart Cathedral won all three meetings with Archbishop Mitty. Since then, the Monarchs have reeled off 17 straight wins over their league counterpart with a 55-50 win on Tuesday.

The game started out offensively stagnant for both teams but the Monarchs converted in the paint and limited turnovers to take a 15-7 first quarter advantage. The Irish continued their turnover ways in the second quarter but timely 3-point shooting narrowed the halftime deficit to 28-24.

The Monarchs inability to convert on turnovers and free throws allowed Sacred Heart to take an early 29-28 third quarter lead. Alfred Hollins picked up his fourth foul and Mitty took a 39-35 lead at the end of the quarter. The Irish would get as close as 46-44 with less than three minutes left in the game but faltered in the end to lose 55-50. Both teams entered the game around the .500 level as Mitty moves to 6-5 while the Irish drop to 5-5.

Mitty’s forwards and center accounted for 44 of the 55 total points. Guard play and free throw shooting (9-of-23) will be the wildcards in terms of how successful the Monarchs are in league play. Ben Kone and Riley Grigsby form an effective and efficient one-two punch.

Sacred Heart’s offense runs through Hollins as his fourth foul was at a critical juncture of the game. The Irish have athletes on the floor but committed too many careless turnovers. Sacred Heart needs to find other scorers and take care of the ball better to challenge for league.

Players of Note:
Riley Grigsby 6-foot-5 SF Archbishop Mitty (2018): The sophomore played efficiently as he scored 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting. Grigsby lets the game come to him but would benefit from being more aggressive in looking for his offense. According to him, Utah is the lone school that has made contact with him.

Ben Kone 6-foot-8 PF Archbishop Mitty (2016): The Oregon State commit had 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting and was effective on defense in the paint. His mid-range game was not working but he was effective when he went strong to the basket.

Alfred Hollins 6-foot-6 SF Sacred Heart Cathedral (2017): Hollins led all scores with 19 points. He smoothly steps into his 3-point shooting motion as he hit back-to-back shots in the second quarter. The junior is aggressive in his offense and is an active body on defense.

Ramzi Carter 6-foot-6 PF Sacred Heart Cathedral (2017): The junior had six points and was the main defensive presence in the post. Carter had a nice left-handed move in the paint to score but he will need to develop his perimeter offense more. Carter currently does not have enough height or size to be an effective post player on the next level.

Romello Dunbar 5-foot-8 PG Sacred Heart Cathedral (2017): The undersized guard had nine points as he could create his own space and offense. Dunbar played frenetically on both sides and could be disruptive when pressing the opposing guards.

Article 427: Bibb leads Salesian Pride

1/5/2016

Salesian has nine underclassmen on their roster of twelve. Despite the youth, the Pride have started the season 9-4 and are ranked No. 15 in NorCal.

One of the underclassmen making his mark is Jamario Bibb, the No. 8 player in the 2018 Top 20. Bibb is a long, athletic wing that will be the focal point on Salesian for years to come.

For a Salesian team that has its tallest player listed at 6-foot-5, the 6-foot-4 Bibb is expected to help with post defense and rebounding even though his natural position will be at wing or shooting guard on the next level. During the summer, the sophomore played for the Team Superstars 15U program. Bibb plays with a high motor, is always in attack mode, and competes at a high level.

Team Superstars 15U Coach Grady Dodson says, “Jamario plays bigger than he is. Slashes to the bucket with force. He loves to rebound and block shots. Jamario is an animal on the court. High motor for playing (helps that he plays football). He fears no one. He is a proven leader on and off the court.”

Team Superstar 15U ended their AAU season with a 30-4 record beating the Oakland Soldiers 15U team twice (once for the Memorial Day Championship) and Earl Watson 15U (fellow Under Armour Team) as well as another 20 plus teams while capturing three of the six championships that the team played during the past summer.

Without a doubt, the summer team was led by Bibb. The Salesian prospect already has high interest from several schools including Boise State, Cal, and Nevada while San Jose State has offered.

As a local prospect, Bibb will initially get interest from the Big West, Mountain West, and West Coast (WCC) conference teams. As he matures and grows his body and skill set, he will garner more Pac 12 and even national interest.

The Pride finished 19-11 overall and 5-5 in league play last year. Salesian is the lone team from the Tri County Rock League ranked in the current NCP Top 20 rankings. Look for the Pride to challenge for league with Bibb in Richmond, Calif.

Article 426: Langford leading the Pride back

December 2, 2015

After seven straight 20 plus win seasons, Salesian fell back to earth with a 19-11 record last season. The Pride lost two seniors from that squad but return a plethora of talented underclassmen including sophomore Derrick Langford.

The 6-foot-2 combination guard has room to grow as he plays similarly to former Ohio State Buckeye D'Angelo Russell. Langford is a floor general who facilitates for his teammates but has the ability to score with his dribble. During the past summer, Langford was travelling with Team Superstar 15U on the Under Armour circuit.

Team Superstar Coach Kellan Carter says, "Derrick's best strength is scoring. He is very shifty with his dribble and attacks the basket very well. Also has a great shooting touch. Made seven 3s in one game this summer. On the court, he is very poised. He is a very good teammate and I always could count on him to get the team back on the right track. Whether we needed a basket or somebody to make a play, he stepped up."

By all accounts, Langford is a humble and easygoing type of student. He considers math to be his subject and wants to major in Sports Science. He is looking for a program that can help him maximize his playing abilities while winning some games.

The schools that have expressed interest in Langford have primarily been on the west coast in the Pac-12, Big West, Mountain West, and WCC conferences. The Salesian program has produced several Division I level prospects recently including guards like Mario Dunn (Montana) and Markel Leonard (Cal Poly, Lewis and Clark).

Coach Carter has high hopes for Langford, "At the next level, I think he will become a great PG. His size is very good for the position and his decision making improved greatly over the summer. He will be a great play maker and a great leader. Derrick was by far my most consistent player this summer. His recruiting should sky rocket this year."

El Cerrito went undefeated in the Tri County Rock League last season but the Gauchos lost half their roster due to graduation or transfer. Salesian has great depth in the backcourt that includes Langford, fellow sophomore Jamario Bibb, and senior Brandon Mcghee. Look for the Pride to be back in the mix with Langford in Richmond, Calif.

Article 425: Tip Off Classic Preview

11/14/2015

All the teams will have identical records and identical goals when the high school basketball season starts in Northern California with the 9th Annual Prep2Prep Tip Off Classic.

The event features seven games starting at 11:00am on Saturday, November 28 at Newark Memorial High. The previous eight events have included state championship caliber high school programs and have featured over 50 eventual Division I prospects.

This year's field includes four 2015 Northern California regional finalist teams: Bishop O' Dowd, Modesto Christian, Woodcreek, and St. Mary's. In addition, four 2015 Northern California teams participated in the Open Division state playoffs: Bishop O' Dowd, Modesto Christian, Folsom, and Moreau Catholic. Bishop O'Dowd was the 2015 state championship team in the Open Division while Southern California based Sierra Canyon, the Division V winner, will play in the nightcap against Moreau Catholic.

Below is the schedule of games with records from previous season:

Game 1: 11:00 am - St. Mary's (Albany) 20-12 vs. Manteca 22-8

St. Mary's has had three different coaches the past three seasons but still had more than 19 wins in each of those three years. The Panthers compete in the ultra-competitive Tri County Rock League and will not be intimidated by Manteca. Senior Kevin Warren is a versatile scoring guard, who can easily put up 20 plus points per game. Sophomore point guard Kyree Brown is a likely Division I prospect.

Manteca will go into the season with advantages in size and athleticism in the post as the Buffaloes feature 6-foot-8 junior Tydus Verhoeven, 6-foot-8 senior Kenneth Wooten (Nevada signee) and 6-foot-10 senior Anand Hundal. Wooten is a long and athletic postman who impacts the game at the defensive end significantly. He had to sit out last year due to transfer rules. Verhoeven is an athletic point forward while Hundal is a five man who can score inside and outside.

Game 2: 12:30 pm - Bishop O'Dowd 28-4 vs. Dublin 18-12

Bishop O'Dowd will find out if they are either rebuilding or reloading in this upcoming season as the state champions need to replace Paris Austin and Ivan Rabb. Senior Mike Hauser has size at 7-foot-0 while sophomore guards Elijah Hardy and Naseem Gaskins are playmakers. Freshmen Raymond Hawkins (6-foot-7 post) and William Chavaron (6-foot-1 guard) are bright prospects with high-level potential.

Dublin graduated seven seniors from last year's team. The Gaels return one of the more versatile guards in NorCal in junior Timmy Falls. Senior guard Kobe Toney will also be a key contributor. A victory against Bishop O'Dowd would be a signature win to start the season for the Gaels.

Game 3: 2:15 pm - Immanuel (Reedley) 30-3 vs. Weston Ranch 20-13

These two teams are quite familiar with each other as they met twice last season with the Eagles from Reedley winning both games. 30 win seasons are not easy to come by but the Fresno County program is a force in the Central Section. Immanuel will be led by Tulane commit Colin Slater. Slater is a New Orleans native who averaged 20.8 points, 4.8 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game last season. Junior post Darrin Person and sophomore guard Nate Kendricks are also Division I prospects.

Weston Ranch is senior laden with nine seniors but no one on the roster is taller than 6-foot-5 with Anthony Booker becoming eligible in January. Senior Jaelen Ragsdale is a scoring point guard who was the team's leading scorer a year ago. Senior guard Fred Lavendar can also put up points in a hurry. Both players have signed with Cal State Stanislaus. Weston Ranch will look to dethrone Sierra in Valley Oak League play this season.

Game 4: 3:45 pm - Sheldon 21-8 vs. Army-Navy (Carlsbad) 26-7

Sheldon returned to a 20 win season last year but had an early exit in the State Division I playoffs. The Huskies had only two seniors from last year's program and return their top four offensive threats in Isaiah Brooks, Elishja Duplechan, Devin Greene, and Matt Manning. Senior big man Justin Allen has low major potential.

The Warriors from Carlsbad are located in the northern San Diego County and feature 2017 forward Richard Polanco who is a high-major prospect. Senior big man Aziz Seck also has Division I potential. Army-Navy made a deep run in the Division V brackets and will be looking to build on that success.

Game 5: 5:30 pm - Modesto Christian 30-4 vs. Folsom 28-5

Modesto Christian started last season in the same event with an easy win against Bullard. The Crusaders graduated three seniors, but two went on to Division I college programs (Anthony Townes and Jeff Wu). Guard Christian Ellis and forward Robinson Idehen provide a good inside-outside combination and both are solid Division I prospects.

Folsom has won 60 games in the past two seasons. This year's Bulldogs will feature versatile scoring point guard Jordan Ford (St. Mary's signee). Folsom lost all their post size but return sophomore Mason Forbes who is their tallest player at 6-foot-5 and has the athleticism to be a small forward or wing but will be called on to be their primary post player. Senior guard Tre Finch can also provide scoring punch.

Game 6: 7:00 pm - Newark Memorial 14-14 vs. Woodcreek 27-6

Newark Memorial will be trying to bounce back from a sub-20 win season as hosts of the event. 6-foot-10 Kevin Kahriman has the size to help the Cougars to achieve that goal. Junior point guard Decaurey Brown has low major potential. The Cougars hope this season starts off better as they lost to Folsom last season in this event and started the season 3-8.

Woodcreek had a potent freshman-senior combination of Jordan Brown and Noah Blackwell last season. Blackwell is now at Long Beach State but Brown (who is 6-foot-9) returns and is ranked in the top five nationally in the class of 2018. Woodcreek and Folsom tied in the Sierra Foothill League standings last year and look to be the favorites again this season.

Game 7: 8:30 pm - Moreau Catholic 23-7 vs. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) 26-4

Moreau Catholic lost in the opening round of the Open Division last year but lost only one senior from that team. Oscar Frayer is a Cal commit while Terrell Brown is a San Jose State commit. Junior point guard Damari Milstead has several offers as he runs the Mariners. Senior guard Brandon Lawrence is also a Division I level player.

Sierra Canyon is expected to be one of the top teams in the country this upcoming season. The Trailblazers won the Division V state title last year and return their core players in juniors Ira Lee, Remy Martin, and Cody Riley and senior Devearl Ramsey (Nevada signee). All are high major prospects. In addition, the Trailblazers have five other players who are likely Division I prospects on the roster. The winner of this nightcap can make a statement win for either the north or the south for geographical dominance in the state of California for the upcoming season.

Article 424: Bellarmine wins TO battle, game

10/3/2015

The West Catholic Athletic League opener between Serra and Bellarmine was hard fought but the Padres had too many turnovers to overcome. The Bells bolstered their claim to being the team to beat in the WCAL with the 36-28 win.

The first quarter was scoreless as both defenses came up with big stops to prevent scoring chances. Serra quarterback Leki Nunn had a tipped ball that was intercepted in the red zone while Bellarmine was stopped on a fourth and one at Serra's five yard line. Serra scored first in the second quarter on a three yard run by Kelepi Lataimua that was setup by two key passes by Nunn to extend the drive. Bellarmine got a big 53-yard kick return from Will Wegner that ended with an Antonio Garcia one yard score to tie the game at 7-7. A Nunn fumble led Bellarmine to a 42-yard field goal. The Bells had first and goal at the two but a Troy Martig interception ended the half with a 10-7 advantage for Bellarmine.

Lataimua started the third quarter with a 52-yard score to give Serra the 14-10 margin. Bellarmine scored on their next three possessions with a Martig 51-yard running score, another Garcia one yard run (missed PAT), and a Martig 13-yard scamper. Serra helped by having back-to-back interceptions by Nunn and on a trick play pass by Nikolao Vaefaga. Trailing 30-14, Serra got a seven yard passing score from Nunn to Brandon Monroe (missed two-point conversion) but Martig answered with a 52-yard connection to Kyle Macauley (missed PAT). Nunn completed the scoring with an 18-yard passing score to Vaefaga (two-point conversion) but the Padres could not recover the onside kick to lose 36-28.

The Bells' past formula has always been a strong running game with an opportunistic and stout defense. Martig runs the offense efficiently and minimizes the risk for turnovers. The Bellarmine defense won the turnover battle with three interceptions and a fumble recovery. Bellarmine has another big test at home next week against Archbishop Mitty.

Serra's backfield of Nunn and Lataimua has big play capability on every play. But Nunn's three turnovers ended scoring chances and gave the Bells a short field. The Serra defense had trouble stopping Bellarmine as the Bells had close to 32 minutes in time of possession. The Padres have a trip to San Francisco to face Archbishop Riordan next.

Players of Note:

Troy Martig 6-foot-0, 175 pounds QB Bellarmine 2016: Martig manages the game well. He is not flashy with his athleticism but makes good decisions and moves north-south with the ball efficiently on his runs. He only completed 5-of-12 passes but did run for 156 yards.

Jacob Bergstrom 6-foot-3, 225 pounds LB Bellarmine 2016: Bergstrom was constantly in the backfield making key tackles against the Serra running game. At the high school level, he dominates the line with his size and height. As a college prospect, he is a solid linebacker option.

Justin Malone 6-foot-2, 210 pounds TE Bellarmine 2017: For a team that is run oriented, Bellarmine has a good target with Malone who slipped through the line for a few catches in the first half. His catches helped extend drives, as he is a good third down option with his size and speed to outmatch opposing linebackers or defensive backs.

Leki Nunn 5-foot-10, 175 pounds QB Serra 2017: Nunn is an athletic, mobile quarterback who is high risk, high reward in his playmaking. He helped move the chains but also had three turnovers. Nunn passed for 175 yards and ran for 141 yards.

Kelepi Lataimua 5-foot-8, 200 pounds RB Serra 2016: The senior is shifty and elusive for his size. He averaged nearly 10 yards a carry for 183 yards with two touchdowns.