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 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 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 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 406: Crusaders march on

March 18, 2015

Modesto Christian overcame a packed, rowdy crowd in San Mateo to defeat Serra 53-48 and advance to the regional finals of the 2015 CIF State Open Division playoffs.

The Padres rushed out to a 10-2 early advantage and a 18-12 first quarter lead as senior Jimmy Wohrer scored eight of his team high 15 points in the quarter. Serra maintained that six point advantage at 29-23 at halftime before extending to a game high 10 point margin early in the third quarter.

The Crusaders used their interior tandem of Anthony Townes and Robinson Idehen to rally 43-41 to end the quarter. Serra had trouble scoring in the final quarter while Modesto Christian continued to use their size advantage to win 53-48.

Serra finishes the season at 23-6 after going further in the West Catholic League and in the postseason than preseason expectations. No player on Serra had more than four rebounds as the team totaled 19 rebounds for the game. However, Serra's 18 field goal makes resulted in 16 total assists. 6-foot-10 Jack Wilson, only a freshman, and junior forward Jake Killingsworth will be the pillars for next year's team as they battled hard against the Crusader post players.

Modesto Christian dominated the boards in the second half as the Crusaders had 35 total rebounds with senior Townes, a Pacific commit, and junior Christian Ellis grabbing 10 rebounds each. Townes and Idehen each made eight field goals to score 19 and 18 points respectively. Ellis and senior Jeff Wu, a Sacramento State commit, played more intense perimeter defense during the second half as Serra only had one 3-point make. Modesto Christian's 17 offensive rebounds gave them 14 more field goal attempts than Serra for the game.

The Crusaders hit the 30 win mark as they move to 30-3. Modesto Christian faces Bishop O'Dowd in the regional finals as the Dragons won 75-57 against Folsom.

Modesto Christian's starting five is strong but the roster goes only seven deep. Bishop O'Dowd has a deeper rotation in addition to national prospect, Ivan Rabb, Boise State commit Paris Austin, Isaiah Thomas who is headed to Northern Arizona.

Last season, Modesto Christian lost to Bishop O'Dowd twice, including a season ending 74-51 loss in the Open Division playoffs.

Article 405: WCAL Madness

January 15, 2015

Last year's Serra and Archbishop Riordan regular season West Catholic Athletic League games were offensive battles (Serra 64-63 2OT in San Mateo and Riordan 52-44 in San Francisco) when compared to the first meeting this season. Both teams came into the game with identical 9-3 (1-1 league) records as Serra won 33-32 in this defensive struggle. Both teams still have many question marks as league play continues.

Based on the starting lineup, Riordan had a size and an athletic advantage with 6-foot-8 Karim N'Diaye and 6-foot-3 Eddie Stansberry. However, the Padres play 10 deep with interchangeable players ranging from 6-foot-0 to 6-foot-5. 6-foot-9 freshman Jack Wilson is on the roster and was on the bench but did not see any game time.

Neither team had more than a two-possession advantage as the Crusaders had a first quarter 7-6 lead and a halftime 20-16 advantage. The Padres won the third quarter and lead 26-25 after three before holding on for the 33-32 win.

The leading scorer was junior Jeremiah Testa who came off the bench for Serra to tally seven points and tied for a game high eight rebounds. Serra head coach Chuck Rapp said after the game that this team's sum is much greater than its individual players. The Padres played tenacious defense all over the court, won the majority of the 50-50 balls, and caused several jump ball situations. Conversely, the team has no playmakers that can create offense when the half-court offense stagnates and the guards had some difficulty breaking the full court press.

Serra goes to 10-3 and plays Sacred Heart Cathedral and Archbishop Mitty in their next two games as these two teams have either athletic playmakers or superior size. The Padres already lost to a bigger St Francis team. The outcome of the next two games will indicate where the Padres are in the WCAL pecking order.

Riordan's main players of N'Diaye and Stansberry had five and four points respectively. The Crusaders missed all seven of their 3-point attempts and the team committed 21 turnovers. The team drops to 9-4 and faces St Ignatius next.

Like Serra, the Crusaders lost to St Francis already and will also be tested by Sacred Heart Cathedral and Archbishop Mitty later in the season. But Riordan will have to play more efficiently and more team-oriented to have a chance in those games.

Article 404: Classic: Final Report

December 31, 2014

In the final day of the 12th MaxPreps Holiday Classic on Tuesday, the three games involving the four Northern California teams all were contested battles that came down to the final quarter. Here is our final report.

Folsom 62, Archbishop Mitty 59
In a battle between the No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the most recent NCP Boys Basketball Top 20, Folsom was able to rally from a huge third quarter deficit to bolster their claim to the No. 2 ranking.

Folsom had a slow start to this game as the Bulldogs could only muster 12 points in total in the first half to trail 33-12 to the Monarchs. Ben Kone was the offensive leader in the first half with 10 points while the Mitty guards attacked the offensive rebounds that led to put backs and second chance points.

Jordan Ford was scoreless for the Bulldogs in the first half but came out firing in the third quarter. He hit four and three 3-pointers respectively in the latter two quarters. Folsom outscored Mitty 29-9 to cut the deficit to 42-41 after the third quarter. Kone and Sebastian Much scored early baskets in the fourth quarter to pad the lead, but Ford accounted for 15 out of the team's 21 fourth quarter points including six clutch free throws to help Folsom rally for the 62-59 victory.

Folsom goes to 11-2 with this win. Outside of league play, the Bulldogs have a matchup with Monte Vista on Jan 10. Folsom's success is directly related to Ford's numbers as he was able to create his shot off the dribble or to pull up with a quick release perimeter stroke. His only memorable shooting flaw in the Mitty victory was his lone free throw miss when the Bulldogs were shooting the penalty. Colin Russell had 13 points and can be expected for a double-double on the stats sheet for most of their remaining games. The key for Russell is if he can be a defensive intimidator in the post against shorter teams and if he can win the post matchups when battling a true post player. In the Mitty victory, Kone outplayed Russell on both ends. After Ford and Russell, the Bulldogs need a third scoring option to lessen their contributions.

Mitty drops to 6-3 and have some open questions as league play starts. The post play could be the answer as Kone had 21 points in the Folsom loss and can be penciled in for 20 plus points and 10 plus rebounds per game. 6-foot-7 sophomore Sebastian Much had 15 points while he provides additional size in the post and has good length and form on his perimeter game. Dakari Monroe looks like the third scoring option as he is a slasher and creates points on his pressure defense. The other Mitty guards look to be spot up shooters who have many open looks as opposing defenses have to handle Kone and Much in the interior. But these guards are undersized and often have difficulty breaking the press. 6-foot 4 Riley Grigsby is an intriguing piece as he has good size and length but still plays tentative at times as a freshman. Mitty is still the favorite to win league but is not a lock.

Sacramento 58, American Fork (UT) 55
Sacramento defeated a bigger but less athletic and less aggressive American Fork team. The Dragons pressure defense helped them take a 15-10 first quarter advantage. The Utah team has Brandon Bailey, who is an Arizona State commit and the son of Thurl Bailey. At 6-foot-8, he has a perimeter release that is difficult to guard as he kept hitting his shots to help American Fork lead 34-30 at the half and 49-45 after the third quarter. A combination of Sacramento's swarming defense and American Fork's passing ineptitude allowed the Dragons to rally for the 58-55 victory. American Fork threw several post passes away including a few that hit the rim accidentally and they threw their last two inbounds passes erroneously to end the game.

Sacramento goes to 8-3 and still has non-league games with Bishop O'Dowd and Sacred Heart Cathedral to test their post play. The Dragons only size is with juniors Solomon Young and Christian Terrell who had 11 and 10 points respectively in the win. Young dominates the paint in terms of rebounding and block shots while playing the offensive post position with a linebacker mentality. Terrell has length and good versatility as he is tasked with defending the opposing team's most dangerous scorer. During the four game event, the Dragons did not have a consistent third option. All the other players are essentially interchangeable guards who press and scrap relentlessly on the defense. Sophomore Sayvon Hines was a key perimeter contributor in the first two games but less so in the latter two. Senior Stevie Matthews had 14 points in the American Fork victory as he goes hard to the basket. More importantly, he was a tenacious defender as he had to defend against a much taller player in the post but he held his own. If either Young or Terrell have early foul trouble, then it is hard to see how the Dragons can compete effectively with limited size.

Moreau Catholic 64, Alemany 60
Moreau Catholic jumped out to a 19-11 first quarter lead against Alemany. Damari Milstead had 21 points, 8 assists, and 3 steals as 11 of his points came in the first half to give the Mariners the 37-28 halftime advantage. Moreau Catholic looked to cruise to victory, as they were ahead 53-40 after three. A flurry of turnovers allowed Alemany to narrow the deficit at 57-56 with less than three minutes left but the Mariners righted the ship with clutch free throw shooting to win 64-60.

Moreau Catholic goes to 5-5 as all five losses are against non Northern California teams. Arguably, the Mariners performed best at this event as their two losses were against the literal tall tasks of Mater Dei and Prestonwood (TX). Outside of league play, an MLK matchup with Archbishop Mitty would be an interesting battle of the two team's high level 2016 and 2017 prospects.

Oscar Frayer had 15 points in the Alemany victory. Milstead and Frayer were the most consistent and effective scorers for the Mariners in the four game event. Frayer shot the ball with confidence, created off the dribble, and was aggressive in rebounding and challenging opposing shots. Milstead was coming off of a suspension to make his season debut. In this final game, he drove and finished at the basket several occasions as he has an extra gear in the open court. The elusive third scoring option is still an unknown for the Mariners. Terrell Brown played well in Milstead's absence but contributed less in the four games here. Brandon Lawrence and Armond Simmons were key contributors in past seasons but have not gotten any consistency this season yet.

Additional Notes
College head coaches in attendance during the winter viewing period for the four games included Arizona (Miller), San Diego State (Fisher), USC (Enfield), and Washington (Romar). Assistant head coaches include Arizona State, Pacific, Pepperdine, San Diego State, and UC Riverside.

The original seeding of the Open Division was:
No. 1 - Sierra Canyon, Calif.
No. 2 - Mater Dei, Calif.
No. 3 - Prestonwood, TX
No. 4 - Etiwanda, Calif.

Unseeded Pebblebrook High of Georgia, which is coached by a George Washington, took the tournament by storm by defeating Damien, Calif. in its opening round. Then, it took out Prestonwood and Mater Dei before losing to Sierra Canyon 67-66. Mater Dei defeated Etiwanda for the third place game to place three Southern California teams in the top four of the event.

None of the four Northern California teams were initially seeded in the top four and they finished as such:
No. 7 - Moreau Catholic went 2-2
No. 11 - Sacramento High went 2-2
No. 13 - Folsom went 2-2
No. 14 - Archbishop Mitty went 1-3

Capital Christian finished 2-2 in the Gear to the Max Division.
Benicia High was in the event in the Field of 64. They went 2-2.
Sutter High (2-2) was in the event in the Field of 64.

Article 403: Holiday Classic Day 3

December 30, 2014

The MaxPreps Holiday Classic passed the midway point on Monday at Xavier College Prep in Palm Desert, Calif. The four Northern California teams in the Open Division split their four games. Here is a summary.

Archbishop Mitty 69, Saddleback Valley Christian 48
After losing their first two games in the event, Coach Tim Kennedy said that his team came out strong and played with more intensity in the first quarter. Mitty led 15-10 and 31-21 after the first two quarters respectively. The third quarter was shaky for the Monarchs as Saddleback's Eric Rwahwire, a UC Riverside commit who had 20 points in the game, helped cut the deficit to four points midway. But Monarch, Ben Kone, had 18 of his 27 points in the second half to help extend the third quarter advantage back to 46-34 and to pad the final score in the fourth quarter.

Guard Dakari Monroe had 14 points, as he was disruptive on the defensive end to help create turnovers to lead to easy baskets. However, the Monarchs only had one made 3-point shot. This year's Mitty team will depend on Kone being the offensive focal point as the perimeter shooting has not been consistent. Sophomore Sebastian Much has shown a nice touch but needs to look for his offense and shots more.

Mitty goes to 6-2 and faces Folsom Tuesday for the 13th place decision. This is a battle between the top two teams from Northern California after Bishop O'Dowd.

Folsom 58, Issaquah (WA) 57 OT
This Issaquah squad gave Moreau Catholic a battle in the first half of their Friday game. With a distinct size advantage with Colin Russell and solid guards, Folsom dominated early on with an 8-0 lead midway into the first quarter. Issaquah lives and dies by the perimeter shots as they made eight 3-point field goals in the game. With two of those in the first quarter, Issaquah trailed 14-13. Folsom gave up the lead midway into the second quarter but rallied with the advantage of 34-30 into halftime.

Russell picked up an early fourth foul and Folsom lost the hustle plays to trail 43-41 at the end of the third quarter. The final quarter, which ended in a 52-52 tie, and the overtime period had a lot of turnovers, missed free throws, and missed opportunities on both ends. Issaquah missed four free throws in overtime that allowed Folsom to take a 58-54 advantage before Issaquah ended the game with a 3-point shot.

Jordan Ford had 22 points for the Bulldogs and has been the most consistent offensive player in all three games for Folsom. Russell battled foul trouble but was able to get 14 points. Against Mitty on Tuesday, the Bulldogs, now 10-2, need to execute better and play to their preferred tempo.

Rufus King (WI) 56, Sacramento 52
Solomon Young was the tallest and strongest player on the court. He followed up a double-double from his previous game with 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 blocks. Christian Terrell had 18 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Despite their efforts, the Dragons trailed every quarter by nearly double digits. In the final quarter, Sacramento used a frenetic press defense to cause several turnovers. The Dragons had a few opportunities to take the lead but came as close as 53-52 with 0:22 left before losing the game.

Terrell and Young accounted for 15 of the team's 21 made field goals, 14 of the team's 17 rebounds, and all of the block shots. The Dragons do not have much depth in the interior and are highly dependent on Young being on the floor.

Sacramento drops to 7-3 and faces American Fork (UT) for the 11th place game. This Utah team has the size and depth to give the Dragons trouble.

Prestonwood (TX) 68, Moreau Catholic 53
On opening night, Prestonwood handled Folsom with ease. Prestonwood was up 13-2 midway in the first quarter and 19-7 at the end of it against the Mariners. Moreau Catholic could not hit any of their perimeter shots in the first quarter but turned the momentum around in the second quarter with some long distance makes to narrow the deficit to 29-23 at the half. Prestonwood came out in the third quarter and extended the margin to 46-33. The Mariners could not bring the deficit below ten points and would lose 68-53.

Oscar Frayer and Damari Milstead were the most aggressive and consistent offensive players. Frayer looked confident in his perimeter stroke as he did make a few of his perimeter shots. Milstead did not have the outside game working but was aggressive attacking the basket and converting. On the defensive end, the team did its best in a zone coverage to handle the two 6-foot-11 players from Texas.

The Mariners drop to 4-5 and will take on Alemany for the 7th place game. Alemany has some interior size to challenge Moreau Catholic.

Article 402: Classic: NorCal 2 for 8

December 28, 2014

The 12th MaxPreps Holiday Classic continued its Open Division competition on Saturday at Rancho Mirage High School (Calif). The four Northern California teams in the division repeated their day one results with just one win on day 2 as well.

Sacramento 66, Saddleback Valley Christian 55
Sacramento was the lone winner in day 2 from Northern California as they wore down Saddleback with 38 free throw attempts. Sacramento took a 14-10 first quarter advantage as sophomore guard Sayvon Hines had two of his three 3-point makes in the quarter. The Dragons extended their advantage to 27-22 at the half as Solomon Young was more aggressive and more effective than day one as he had 17 free throw attempts in the game. Saddleback took a lead midway into the third quarter but Sacramento had a 13-4 run to close the quarter with a 43-39 lead. The Dragons' physical play in the fourth quarter allowed them to stretch the lead to a 66-55 victory.

Saddleback had players with height but not with the same length and size as Sierra Canyon that posed problems for Young. Sacramento's interior depth could be exposed if Young gets into foul trouble. Young had 13 of the team's 31 rebounds and Saddleback hacked him to prevent easy scores in the paint. He made 11 of 17 free throw attempts.

The Dragons had seven players who scored more than seven points in a balanced effort. Hines leads the team in the two games with 26 points, including six 3-point shots. Sacramento moves to 7-2 and continues on in the 9th place bracket with a matchup against Rufus King High.

Rufus King (WI) 62, Archbishop Mitty 57
Mitty had the interior size advantage but the guard play was a deciding factor early on. King would take leads of 18-10 and 31-23 after the first two quarters as guard Jordan Poole made five 3-point baskets in the game including three consecutive to start the second quarter. The Monarchs would come as close as 40-38 in the third quarter before losing the game.

Mitty's point guard play was spotty at stretches as they turned the ball over in spurts. The team does not have a true point guard to direct the offense or to break the press. Dakari Monroe is an athletic guard who had a few breakaway steals and plays pressure defense but is not a pure point guard.

Mitty drops its second straight game and are now 5-2. They face Saddleback Valley on Monday who matches up well against the Monarchs both inside and outside.

Damien 68, Folsom 62
Folsom came out sluggish and trailed 19-11 after the first quarter to a more active and athletic Damien program. Jordan Ford was aggressive in looking for his perimeter shots as he helped the Bulldogs pull back from a 38-32 halftime deficit and 53-49 disadvantage. Folsom's 6-foot-9 post Colin Russell looked less tentative in the second half as he helped the Bulldogs to tie the game at 61-61 late in the fourth quarter before losing 68-62.

Folsom has looked flat at the start of both games. They face Issaquah (WA) and should have the size advantage but need to match their guard play to avoid losing a third straight game.

Mater Dei 70, Moreau Catholic 51
Mater Dei is the No. 2 seed in the tournament and the defending state champions. The size advantage was evident as they won every quarter against Moreau Catholic. Moreau cut the deficit to single digits several times but never really threatened to regain the lead. Center MJ Cage set the tone in the interior for Mater Dei, as they were able to kick out for many open shots including eight 3-point makes.

Oscar Frayer was effective scoring inside and outside as he had 20 points including two 3-point shots. He was aggressive and used his athleticism against a bigger Mater Dei frontcourt. The Mariner guard play was aggressive but had many turnovers and was smothered by the bigger Mater Dei team.

As an undersized team, the Mariners will need to win the perimeter shooting battles to be successful. Moreau Catholic evens up to 4-4 as they play in the 5th place bracket on Monday.

Players of Note

Ben Kone 6-foot-8 F Archbishop Mitty (2016): Kone had 23 points in the loss but was effective offensively in all phases as he also had a 3-point make. Against a team with no one taller than 6-foot-5, Kone could have dominated more as his height and athleticism was superior.

Solomon Young 6-foot-7 PF Sacramento (2016): The junior is physical and aggressive in the paint and with his rebounding. Young will be an active defender and rebounder on the college level. His offensive skills development will be critical to taking him to the elite status of players. During the two days, he would often just bull his way to the basket but could benefit from some finesse post moves or a mid-range jumper in his offensive arsenal.

Oscar Frayer 6-foot-6 SF Moreau Catholic (2016): The junior had 20 of his team's 51 points. He looked the least intimidated or frazzled of the Mariner players on the court. The Cal commit is playing out of position in the paint, but should benefit from the gained versatility of battling bigger and taller players like Cage.

Colin Russell 6-foot-9 Post Folsom (2015): The Portland commit has not looked consistent in the first two games so far. He seems to be bothered by contact and pressure in the post. He is Folsom's most legitimate post presence and will need to increase his intensity in order for the Bulldogs to make another postseason run.

Article 401: Holiday Classic Day 1

December 27, 2014

The 12th MaxPreps Holiday Classic started its Open Division competition on Friday at Rancho Mirage High School near Palm Springs, California. Four teams from Northern California are participating in the most competitive bracket at this event. Here is a summary on their games and some of the highlight players.

Sierra Canyon 62, Sacramento 55
Sierra Canyon is the overall No. 1 seed in the tournament even without sophomore forward, Ira Lee (shoulder injury). The Dragons jumped out to a 15-13 first quarter advantage as junior guard Christian Terrell connected twice from 3-point range. Sierra Canyon used pressure defense that led to several fast break opportunities to help them take the 28-23 halftime advantage. Sierra Canyon held double digit leads during the second half as they led 46-36 after the third quarter before finishing off the Dragons.

Sierra Canyon features two other touted sophomores in point guard Remy Martin and post Cody Riley as they outplayed their Sacramento counterparts in the second half. The Dragons battled against an elite team that has a very complete roster.

Listed at 6-foot-7, Solomon Young usually dominates against most high school opponents in the paint. He had to face a taller and longer defender in the 6-foot-8 and 240 pound Riley who limited Young to one made field goal. The lack of depth in the post after Young may cut short the Dragons later in the postseason. Sacramento's leading scorers was Terrell and fellow guard Sayvon Hines with 13 and 15 points respectively. But the two also combined for eight turnovers.

Sacramento drops to 6-2 and into the loser's bracket. They face next Saddleback Valley Christian which has three players listed at 6-foot-8.

Etiwanda 68, Archbishop Mitty 49
Etiwanda had a superior post presence with Wyoming commit Jordan Naughton who is 6-foot-10. Etiwanda had bigger and more physical players at each position to give them a distinct advantage. As a result, the Monarchs lost every quarter and could never stage a serious threat in the game.

For the average high school program, Mitty has good size in Ben Kone and Sebastian Much. Much is a face up forward who hit several perimeter shots with a quick and smooth release. The guard play is composed mainly of Dakari Monroe and Cameron Korb. Monroe is a slasher while Korb is a spot up shooter, but neither seems to be pure point guards to direct the team. Archbishop Mitty drops to 4-1, as they will face against a formidable Wisconsin program in King High who lost in double overtime to Oakley College, a Spanish program.

Moreau Catholic 67, Issaquah (WA) 56
Issaquah is a top program from the state of Washington but the team has no listed player taller than 6-foot-5. Issaquah jumped out to a 9-0 lead but the size and quickness of Moreau Catholic swung the momentum of the game. The Mariners would rally to take a 19-16 first quarter lead and win every subsequent quarter en route to their victory.

The game was the return of point guard Damari Milstead who was finishing a school violation suspension. Prior to this game, he had been part of three team practices. Milstead was rusty early on with some turnovers but settled down in the second half with his attacking offense and aggressive defense. He did not start and came in as the sixth man.

Moreau's size and quickness was the difference, especially that of Oscar Frayer. He altered a few opposing shots in the paint and also went strong to the basket several times. Moreau now has won three straight games to go to 4-3 and will now face Mater Dei who is the overall Np. 2 seed in the winner's bracket.

Prestonwood (TX) 77, Folsom 51
Folsom faced a Prestonwood program that really came onto the scene this decade, as current Los Angles Laker rookie, Julius Randle, is an alumnus. The current program has two 6-foot-11 players in Djery Baptiste and Schnider Herard who are both athletic back to the basket post players.

Prestonwood jumped out to a 20-10 first quarter lead and extended the advantage to 38-23 at the half. Folsom had connected on three 3-point shots midway in the third quarter but still trailed 61-43.

Folsom lost the battle in the paint on both sides of the ball, as they looked tentative in their interior offensive plays. Jordan Ford hit multiple 3-point shots as the perimeter game had its moments. Folsom drops to 9-1 and will face Damien in the loser's bracket.

Players of Note

Sebastian Much 6-foot-7 F Archbishop Mitty (2017): Much returned to action as he was battling a flu virus previously. The sophomore has good height and length as he hit several perimeter shots with a quick release. Opposing teams will have trouble defending the inside-outside combination of Kone and Much.

Christian Terrell 6-foot-5 SG Sacramento (2016): Terrell has a smooth release from the perimeter as he connected on three 3-point shots. He has good length and a long wingspan to help on rebounding and passing lanes. He was sloppy with the ball as he made careless turnovers in the backcourt.

Sayvon Hines 5-foot-10 G Sacramento (2017): The undersized sophomore was fearless in his perimeter looks as he connected on three 3-point shots including two that was at least a few feet from the arc. Hines is an attacking, scoring point guard as he led his team with 15 points. His development of his point guard skills and of his height will be key to watch in his recruiting the next few years.

Damari Milstead 6-foot-2 PG Moreau Catholic (2017): The sophomore made his season debut and looked rusty early on with several turnovers. But as the game wore on, Milstead settled down and scored in the double digits and was aggressive going to the rim. He had a tendency of gambling on steals in the open court which he got away with against a smaller, slower team.

Jordan Ford 6-foot-0 G Folsom (2016): The wiry guard hit several 3-point shots and looked comfortable creating with the dribble or pulling up. Ford is an attacking, scoring point guard but also guides the offense well.

Remy Martin 5-foot-11 G Sierra Canyon (2017): Martin played in another gear, as he was a step quicker than the opposing Sacramento defenders. He created several fast break opportunities and was also fearless in attacking the rim. Martin and teammate, Ira Lee, played with Oakland Soldiers program this past summer.

Article 400: Winter Classic recap

December 21, 2014

The Third Annual Catholic School's Winter Classic at Chabot College in Hayward featured primarily Bay Area programs and one from Nevada. The schedule had five boys games with the final two games featuring four of the top seven teams in the most recent NCP Boys Basketball Top 20.

Here is a summary on those two games and some of the highlight players.

Game 1: St Francis 59 Clayton Valley 38
Game 2: James Logan 74 Stellar Prep 32
Game 3: St Patrick's St Vincent 59 Bishop Manouge 52

Game 4: Archbishop Mitty 70 El Cerrito 61 OT
Both El Cerrito and Mitty played turnover prone and poor shooting basketball in the first half. The Gauchos had leads of 8-6 and 21-17 after each of the first two quarters. Mitty had improved guard play and the Gauchos had foul trouble in the third quarter as the Monarchs took a 34-28 advantage into the final quarter. Three Gaucho starters fouled out late in the final quarter but a buzzer beater 3-point field goal by junior Nyima Sherab sent the game into overtime at 56-56. But the Monarchs dominated the extra time with their size by winning 70-61.

Archbishop Mitty stays undefeated at 4-0 as they travel to Rancho Mirage for the Maxpreps Holiday Classic. The Monarchs are the clear favorites in the West Catholic Athletic League. El Cerrito drops to 5-1 as they go to the Modesto Christian Tournament next. The challenging preseason schedule should make the Gauchos the favorites in the Tri County Rock League.

Game 5: Moreau Catholic 59 Modesto Christian 51
The finale turned into a battle of the committed players as Cal commit Oscar Frayer led his Mariners to victory over Modesto Christian's duo of Anthony Townes (Pacific) and Jeff Wu (Sacramento State). The game was tightly contested in the first half as the Crusaders had a 26-25 advantage. Moreau Catholic led 43-39 after the third quarter but Modesto Christian scored the first ten points to lead 49-43 midway into the final quarter. The Crusaders got outscored though 16-2 to end the game as they had several turnovers to self-destruct during that scoring drought.

Moreau Catholic had lost their last three games to out of state opponents but now stand at 2-3. They have a matchup with Castro Valley before making the trip to Rancho Mirage for the Maxpreps Holiday Classic. All the teams in the Mission Valley League have at least three losses each but the Mariners are still the prohibitive favorites. Modesto Christian falls to 5-1 as they had many turnovers that cost them this game. The Crusaders will get a chance to rebound at their Modesto Christian Holiday Hoop Tournament next week.

Players of Note

Ben Kone 6-foot-9 Post Archbishop Mitty (2016): Kone was held scoreless in the first half, but ended with 17 points. He was the most physically dominant player on the floor, especially after El Cerrito got into foul trouble. According to Kone, his most recent recruiting activity includes offers from Cal and San Diego State while Oregon State is very interested.

Riley Grigsby 6-foot-4 SF Archbishop Mitty (2018): The lone freshman on the Monarch roster, Grigsby played significant minutes off the bench as he scored eight points and made the only Monarch 3-point field goal. He has a long body and played well from the perimeter. Grigsby will be a key bench player as he played most of the final quarter before fouling out in overtime.

Cameron Korb 6-foot-1 G Archbishop Mitty (2015): Corb also had 17 points as he is deceptively crafty and quick. Korb did not display much of a perimeter game but found his scoring chances on layups in the paint to keep the defense honest. He could be a lower division prospect.

Carlos Johnson 6-foot-4 Wing El Cerrito (2016): Johnson played in foul trouble through the night but still tallied 13 points. The transfer from Arizona played aggressively on both ends but that may have led to his foul trouble. He has plus strength and athleticism but his ball handling, perimeter shooting, and height will be factors in his recruiting ceiling.

Tyrell Alcorn 6-foot-1 PG El Cerrito (2015): The senior floor leader was basically invisible for the first three quarters as 17 of his 19 points came in the fourth quarter and overtime. After three Gauchos started to foul in the fourth quarter, Alcorn basically took over from the offensive side with strong drives to the basket.

Oscar Frayer 6-foot-6 SF Moreau Catholic (2016): The Cal commit had 22 points to help rally the Mariners. As the tallest player for his team, Frayer was often found battling in the paint against more physical opponents. He looked most comfortable with a dribble start and in the perimeter where he had more space to utilize his length and athleticism.

Terrell Brown 6-foot-3 G Moreau Catholic (2016): Brown is a wiry guard who had 15 points on a combination of drives to the basket, floaters in the paint, and a few perimeter shots. The Mariners will often be running three guard sets and Brown is a good addition to that rotation.

Anthony Townes 6-foot-5 F Modesto Christian (2015): The Pacific commit had all 11 of his team's first quarter points and had 25 overall points. Townes was definitely the most physical player in the paint in the game. He plays active and aggressive but will his height and perimeter game be enough at the college level.

Jeff Wu 6-foot-1 G Modesto Christian (2015): The Sacramento State commit had 13 points and three 3-point field goals. The overall Crusader guard play was at times frenetic and sloppy. Wu was the most calming presence and probably should be the primary ball handler for the team.

Tyler Williams 6-foot-0 G Modesto Christian (2018): The lone freshman listed on the Crusader roster, Williams had six points. His athleticism and size make him an interesting prospect to watch. In addition, he played significant minutes for a Crusader team that seems thin as the listed roster only had ten players.

Additional Notes

Cal Head Coach Cuonzo Martin and two of his assistant coaches arrived for the final two games. Frayer is a Cal commit while Kone has a Cal offer.

Former Cal forward Al Grigsby was in attendance. His son, Riley, is a 6-foot-4 freshman on Mitty.

Moreau Catholic's Damari Milstead will make his season debut at the Maxpreps Holiday Classic next week.

Article 396: Classic tips off season

November 7, 2014

Thanksgiving weekend is when the high school basketball seson starts to count in Northern California as the 8th Annual Nor Cal Tip Off Classic features seven games starting at 11:00am on Saturday, November 29th at Newark Memorial High. The previous seven events have included competitive high school programs and have featured over 50 eventual Division I prospects.

The event will culminate with a battle between California power Bishop O'Dowd and Nevada stalwart Bishop Gorman. Three of the nation's top ten players from the 2015 class in this game will include Ivan Rabb of Bishop O'Dowd, Chase Jeter (Duke commit) and Stephen Zimmerman of Bishop Gorman. Five Northern California 2014 state finalist teams are participating in the event: Bishop O'Dowd (Open Division), Folsom (Division II), Drake (Division III), Moreau Catholic (Division IV), and St. Joseph's-Notre Dame (Division V).

Game 1: 11:00 am - College Park (Pleasant Hill) vs. St. Mary's (Stockton)
College Park won the Diablo Valley League as the Falcons went 18-7. 6-foot-6 senior forward Kevin Crosno will be the focal point for the team. The Rams won this same game last year 65-56 as Gabe Vincent (UC Santa Barbara) spearheaded a 27-2 season. Replacing Vincent's productivity will fall on seniors Lance Coleman and Jacob Aruta.

Game 2: 12:30 pm - San Ramon Valley (Danville) vs. Cordova (Rancho Cordova)
The Wolves went 24-6 last season and will have the size advantage with two seniors in 6-foot-7 Kyle Spackman and 6-foot-10 Gregg Polosky. San Ramon Valley tied with De La Salle to finish behind Monte Vista in the East Bay League. Senior guard Jordan Roberson will lead Cordova as the Lancers look to repeat in the Capital Athletic League.

Game 3: 2:15 pm - Moreau Catholic (Hayward) vs. Drake (San Anselmo)
Both Moreau Catholic and Drake reached the state finals but their Southern California opponent also dominated both in their final game. Pirate forward Jesse Hunt (Eastern Washington commit) will do battle with Moreau Catholic's forward Oscar Frayer (Cal commit). But the tone of the game may be determined by the guard play of senior Malik Huff of Drake against sophomore guard Damari Milstead.

Game 4: 3:45 pm - Berkeley vs. St. Joseph's-Notre Dame (Alameda)
Game 4 will be big public school against small private school but the advantage may go to the Pilots. The Pilots won 30 games last year in route to the state title while Berkeley made an early playoff exit despite 22 wins. Sophomore Jade' Smith of St. Joseph's-Notre Dame will be a prospect to watch as the season progresses.

Game 5: 5:30 pm - Modesto Christian vs. Bullard (Fresno)
The 5:30pm game is a battle between Central California opponents separated by 90 minutes on Highway CA-99. Both Modesto Christian and Bullard went undefeated in their respective leagues and are the league favorites going into this new season. The Knights will be a guard-oriented team headlined by senior Austin Armstead while the Crusaders will be led by senior leaders Anthony Townes (Pacific commit) and Jeff Wu (Sacramento State commit).

Game 6: 7:00 pm - Newark Memorial (Newark) vs. Folsom
Host Newark Memorial always plays tough on their home court but the Cougars graduated nine seniors from last year's 25-win team. Conversely, Folsom only lost one senior from last year's team that won 32 games in route to a state final loss. The Bulldogs' season will be led by junior guard Jordan Ford, junior guard Tre Finch (Sacramento High transfer), and senior forward Colin Russell (Portland commit).

Game 7: 8:30 pm - Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland) vs. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
Last season, Bishop O'Dowd defeated Bishop Gorman 68-54 in the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas before Christmas as Rabb easily outplayed the Bishop Gorman frontcourt. Jeter and Zimmerman have shown great improvement during the summer as they look to avenge last year's lost. Coming off the bench for Bishop Gorman is 6-foot-10 Zach Collins who easily would be a starter at any other high school program. The Dragons also feature point guard Paris Austin as they look to maintain their Northern California dominance in the upcoming season.

Article 365: Serra holds serve at home

March 16, 2014

Montgomery built leads of 15-12 after the first quarter and 29-23 at halftime against Serra in the second round of the NorCal Division II playoffs in San Mateo. The Vikings had all the momentum and a game high lead of ten points of 33-23 in the early moments of the third quarter, but Serra made a run to end the quarter with a 40-38 advantage. Turnovers, poor free throw shooting, and stagnant offense by Montgomery allowed the Padres to close out a 59-54 victory.

Montgomery finishes the season at 25-7 after dominating the North Bay League. The Vikings will regret the 14 free throw misses in the game with nine coming in the first half. In addition, untimely backcourt turnovers led to multiple Serra fast break attempts. Senior forward Alec Raven was efficient with both his perimeter shot and post moves as he accounted for 26 points. The Vikings started five seniors as they look to reload for next season.

Serra overcame early foul trouble to key starters and had balanced scoring as five players scored more than seven points. Senior guards Sean Watkins and Danny Mahoney accounted for 16 and 13 points respectively. The Padres were able to throw enough players and fouls at Raven to slow him down.

The Padres essentially play a four guard set that needs good perimeter shooting and ball control to succeed. The interior play is undersized, but was solid in this game as forwards Trevor Brown and Jake Killingsworth combined for 19 points.

Folsom cruised against another West Catholic Athletic League opponent in defeating St. Ignatius 66-40 to setup a Tuesday semifinal matchup with Serra in Folsom. Top seed Folsom averages over 70 points per game and is balanced both inside and outside. If Serra can control the tempo, get enough perimeter scoring, and win the battle for the defensive rebounds in the post, then the Padres will have a solid chance to advance. 

Article 363: Crusaders streak to five

January 30, 2014

The story lines coming into the West Catholic Athletic League showdown between Serra and Archbishop Riordan were that both teams had four game winning streaks and could the Crusaders avenge a 64-63 double overtime loss to the Padres earlier in the season.

The results were positive for Riordan as it pulled away in the fourth quarter to a 52-44 victory after the third quarter ended in a 33-33 tie. The win pushes the Crusaders to 12-6 (5-3 WCAL) while Serra drops to 13-5 (6-2 WCAL).

After losing their first three league games, Riordan has won its last five by outscoring those opponents by 58 points or close to 12 points a game. The win puts the Crusaders in fourth place and in the upper half of the league. A road win against league leader Archbishop Mitty in the next game could tighten the league standings.

Most successful basketball teams have at least three scoring options in order to be successful as Riordan's offense continues to run through their primary two scorers in Chiefy and Jiday Ugbaja as they accounted for 41 points in the victory. The team missed several free throws in the fourth quarter to keep the game interesting. Riordan had not defeated the Padres since they swept the 2008-2009 season series.

Serra had defeated St. Ignatius and Sacred Heart Cathedral in their previous two games but could not pull off the trifecta of San Francisco WCAL teams. The Padres look to bounce back with their next game against St. Francis before taking on Mitty next week.

The Padres are guard oriented as 39 of the points came from that position. Expect Serra to live or die by the perimeter game the rest of the season. Senior guard Danny Mahoney led the team with 15 points.

Players of Note

Jiday Ugbaja 6-foot-0 G Riordan (2014): The senior had 23 points as he was able to score with both his dribbling and his pull up perimeter shooting. Ugbaja goes to the basket hard and displayed good upper body strength when getting off shots in the paint. Defensively, he battled screens and was able to hound the Serra backcourt.

Chiefy Ugbaja 6-foot-5 F Riordan (2014): Ugbaja had 18 points as all his scoring was on drives to the basket or shots in the paint. His length and athleticism will allow him to have an advantage in most man-to-man situations. His perimeter shooting development will keep defenses honest and increase his recruiting stock.

Danny Mahoney 6-foot-0 G Serra (2014): Mahoney played in control and crafty as he had 15 points that was a mix of perimeter shooting and drives to the basket. The senior uses his body well to get positioning in different situations.

Article 361: Monarchs rule over Riordan

January 11, 2014

Both Archbishop Mitty and Archbishop Riordan started the week ranked in the NCP Top 20 rankings. But the week went in opposite directions for each team as Mitty opened West Catholic Athletic League play with two convincing wins while Riordan lost both league games including a 52-31 defeat to the Monarchs on Friday evening in San Francisco. NCP No. 7 Mitty strengthens its top 10 position as they move to 10-2 while NCP No. 14 Riordan drops to 7-5 and has a tenuous stay in the rankings.

The game was close in the first half as the Monarchs had 11-10 and 20-17 leads after each of the first two quarters respectively. But the second half saw Mitty's offense get into gear as they extended the lead to 38-25 after the third quarter before finishing off Riordan 52-31.

Mitty has won their two WCAL games by a combined 48 points. The guard play is consistent with seniors Connor Peterson and Matt McAndrews while sophomore Ben Kone aptly mans the interior. The question mark may be the depth of the bench if the team has foul trouble or injury.

Going into league play, Mitty may have been the de facto favorite due to their dominant play during the past few seasons. But after a week, the Monarchs have earned that standing with its dominant performance. Next week, Mitty will have a home game with Sacred Heart Cathedral.

Riordan lost in double overtime to Serra earlier in the week and then failed to show up in the second half against Mitty. Chiefy and Jiday Ugbaja accounted for 21 of the 31 points in the defeat to Mitty but the athletic cousins will need offensive support from teammates. In addition, Riordan only made one three-point shot as the perimeter shooting was severely deficient.

Going into the season, Riordan looked to have a good balance of playmakers and size. The season is at a critical junction as Riordan battles for San Francisco bragging rights with games against Sacred Heart Cathedral and St Ignatius on Tuesday and Thursday before ending the week against St Francis on Saturday. Losing two or more of next week's games can have a Titanic effect on the rest of the season

Players of Note

Ben Kone 6-foot-8 PF Mitty (2016): Kone led the game with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks. The sophomore runs the floor well, attacks rebounding aggressively, and makes emphatic blocks. Kone can be a college level center with a few more inches or he can be a power forward with some refinement in his ball handling and face up offensive moves.

Connor Peterson 6-foot-3 G Mitty (2014): The Azusa commit had 10 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. Peterson attacked the basket and was aggressive in his perimeter defense. The senior will be a steady floor leader to guide the Monarchs through the season.

Chiefy Ugbaja 6-foot-5 F Riordan (2014): Ugbaja had 13 points and 6 rebounds in the defeat as he was aggressively attacking the basket. His athleticism is noticeable but will need some perimeter shooting to complement his attacking offense. Ugbaja's athleticism and size should tempt at least lower division college programs.

Jiday Ugbaja 6-foot-0 G Riordan (2014): The senior had an off night shooting as he had 8 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. Will Ugbaja be forced to be a scorer during the rest of the season or will he be able to facilitate the offense for his teammates. Ugbaja can be a solid contributor as a guard at the next level with his plus quickness and plus size.

Article 360: Wilcats cruise at Bruce Mahoney

January 8, 2014

Both Sacred Heart Cathedral and St. Ignatius came into the annual Bruce Mahoney matchup with only one loss but the Wildcats looked the part as they easily won 70-39. St. Ignatius took it to NCP's No. 12 ranked Fightin' Irish by storming to a 26-11 first quarter advantage. Senior point guard Trevor Dunbar helped set the pace for the Wildcats as they built their lead to 45-20 at the half.

Sacred Heart Cathedral was able to narrow the deficit to 45-26 to start the third quarter but St Ignatius built the lead back to 60-33 at the end of the quarter. The final quarter was mostly bench play as the Wildcats closed it out to win 70-39 to move to 8-1 while Sacred Heart drops to 8-2.

St. Ignatius was the unranked team going into this game but the Wildcats have the formula to be a solid team in West Catholic Athletic League play. They start five seniors headlined by Division I prospect, Dunbar. Senior forward 6-foot-8 Troy Rike mans the post while senior forward 6-foot-2 Julian Marcu is undersized in height but has 220 pounds to throw around. The bench has sophomore forward 6-foot-8 Arash Poorsina to provide solid defense and rebounding.

The Wildcats run their winning streak to six as their lone loss in the season is against an undefeated Jesuit team. The WCAL is loaded but balanced this season. This win is a good start for the Wildcats but it will be a tall order for them or any WCAL team to go through league play without a blemish.

Before the night, Sacred Heart's lone loss was to a Bishop Montgomery team from Torrance who is considered a national power this season. For the Irish to play this poorly, this loss can be considered an aberration. The team will still be one of the favorites in WCAL play.

The Fightin' Irish has a balanced starting five but the roster lists no one taller than 6-foot-5. But the group is a versatile and athletic bunch that is headlined by starting senior point guard Deondre Otis and senior forward Liam O'Reilly. But the development of the bench with freshmen Alfred Hollins and Ramzi Carter Jr will be key as they are both 6-foot-5, lean, athletic, versatile, and more skilled than their freshmen grade.

Players of Note

Trevor Dunbar 5-foot-10 PG St Ignatius (2014): Dunbar played effectively in the first half to pace the Wildcats to victory as he ended with 17 points. He had a few steals, directed the offense with his dribbling and passing, and was able to connect from the outside. The senior primarily holds several mid-major offers currently but is trying to breakthrough with a high major offer.

Troy Rike 6-foot-8 Post St Ignatius (2014): Rike helped set the early tone with a few scores in the post. The senior is undersized in the post and needs to develop his face up dribbling and scoring. But his frame and athleticism is serviceable at the lower college level as he scored 10 points in the win.

Arash Poorsina 6-foot-8 Post St Ignatius (2016): The sophomore went scoreless but came in when Rike had early foul trouble. Poorsina provided instant rebounding, had a few block shots, and was a defensive presence in the paint. He runs the floor well and looks to have a high ceiling as he still has another few years to develop.

Liam O'Reilly 6-foot-5 F Sacred Heart Cathedral (2014): O'Reilly was the only starter who was in sync early on as he displayed his offensive arsenal both in the post and perimeter. He led the Fightin' Irish with nine points. His ball handling and perimeter skills have potential as his future would have to be a wing or small forward at the next level.

Alfred Hollins 6-foot-5 W Sacred Heart Cathedral (2017): Hollins has the physical frame and potential to develop into one of the better 2017 prospects. He looks comfortable both inside and outside as he was aggressive in his offensive moves. Hollins looks to project to be more of a face up prospect.

Ramzi Carter Jr 6-foot-5 F Sacred Heart Cathedral (2017): The freshman is very similar in his physical frame and potential with classmate Hollins. But Carter Jr is more of a post player and did not handle the ball as much. He projects as more of a power forward prospect.

Article 359: Winter Classic report

December 22, 2013

The Second Annual Catholic School's Winter Classic at Cal State East Bay in Hayward featured Catholic programs from throughout Northern California. Here is a rundown on the games and some of the featured players.

St. Patrick St. Vincent 81, Valley Christian (Dublin) 45
The Bruins cruised to an 81-45 victory as they run their record to 5-1. This game was never in doubt as St. Patrick St. Vincent had a 21-7 advantage after one quarter and then a 46-20 lead at the half. The Bruins had superior size, speed, and athleticism against the Vikings as they drop to 5-3.

St. Patrick St. Vincent will play the rest of the season without Jalen Canty. Canty did play during the football season and also the first five games in the current basketball season. Apparently, he does not have eligibility for the rest of the season as he has already played eight consecutive semesters, which came down in a recent ruling by the California Interscholastic Federation.

Even without Canty, the Bruins have height in the post with junior Ryan Stewart who is 6-foot-8 but lacks the bulk of Canty. In addition, the Bruins have athletic and sizeable perimeter players in Jordan Hickman and Jose Flores. The bench also has some depth in size to offset this loss.

The Tri County League has El Cerrito undefeated currently at 9-0. Salesian and St Joseph Alameda will also battle with the Bruins in league play. St. Patrick St. Vincent has a deep enough roster to make a run for the upper half of the league this season.

St. Francis 52, Central Catholic 38
St. Francis struggled early as the Lancers were trailing 7-0 late in the first quarter before rallying to take a 23-21 halftime advantage. After the intermission, The Lancers played stifling defense to limit Central Catholic in winning 52-38. Both teams look solid for their league as the Lancers move to 5-0 while the Raiders drop to 7-2.

The Lancers have a plethora of interchangeable guards who play scrappy, drive to the rim hard, and are not afraid of launching form deep. Junior guard Matt Tripaldi is undersized at 5-foot-7 but made a few three point shots while his backcourt partner sophomore Curtis Witt was equally effective from outside or going inside. The Lancers also have two forwards in Eric Morgan and Peter Hewitt who are both 6-foot-8 that give them rebounding and post options.

Archbishop Mitty has dominated the West Catholic Athletic League in the past few years. But this season is fairly open for the WCAL as the Lancers have a balanced squad with enough playmakers to compete for the top spot.

Central Catholic never got any offensive rhythm and key forward Jonathan Boddie had early foul trouble. This Raider team is trying to replace last season's post player John Fenton who is at Colgate this year. With that said, the Raiders look to have enough pieces to be the favorites in the Western Athletic Conference League.

St. Mary's 63, Serra 54
Despite a late run from Serra, St. Mary's (Stockton) held on in a 63-54 victory. UC Santa Barbara signee Gabe Vincent was dominant in the win with 23 points (8-13 FG, 4-7 3FG), six rebounds, and three assists. He was the only double-digit scorer for the Rams.

Although it was a strong showing from Vincent, St. Mary's has other key pieces that shouldn't be overlooked. Junior transfer Lance Coleman can also provide scoring, with eight points in the win, while guard Devin Williams was a spark off the bench with nine. The Rams are guard heavy, as the 6-foot-6 Coleman is the tallest player on the roster, but can be scrappy on the defensive end and force turnovers that result in fast break opportunities. With an 8-1 record, St. Mary's should be the favorite in the Tri-City Athletic League.

Serra lived behind the three-point line as the Padres attempted 27 of their 48 field goals from behind the arc; however, only seven of those tries were successful. They're led by senior guards Danny Mahoney and Sean Watkins who both had eight points. Junior posts Seth Barlett and Trevor Brown were solid down low to compliment the guard play. Serra should contend for a WCAL title, but will need to shoot better than it did against St. Mary's.

Moreau Catholic 77, Marin Catholic 61
The host of the Winter Classic, Moreau Catholic, led Marin Catholic 31-14 after the first quarter and never looked back en route to a 77-61 win.

Moreau is a very young squad, as the Mariners started three sophomores and two freshmen, yet extremely talented. Sophomore wing Oscar Frayer dominated in the win with 25 points (10-11 FG) and nine rebounds. He used his athleticism to finish above the rim with multiple dunks but also flashed a mid-range jumper. Fellow sophomores Brandon Lawrence and Armond Simmons were also solid with 10 and eight points respectively. Freshman point guard Damari Milstead showed that he'll be one of the top youngsters to watch with 14 points (4-9 FG, 2-3 3FG) and six assists. The youthful Mariners will compete with a veteran Newark Memorial squad in the Mission Valley Athletic League.

It was a tough day for Marin Catholic which struggled against the Mariners full court press. Seniors Josh Walewander and Keegan Mulcahy led the Wildcats with nine points apiece.

Riordan 53, St. Joseph Notre Dame 46
In the most competitive game of the day, Riordan defeated St. Joe's 53-46. Unsigned senior point guard Jiday Ugbaja led the way with 24 points (7-13 FG, 3-7 3FG), four assists, and three rebounds.

The Crusaders lean heavily on the Ugbaja cousins who combined for 39 of Riordan's 53 points. Chiefy Ugbaja was also key on the boards with 11 rebounds. Junior Karim N'Diaye provides size inside with his
6-foot-8 frame while senior Zach Masoli is a glue guy who chipped in six points. Riordan should be in the WCAL title race this season.

St. Joe's is a much younger team but is led by Long Beach State signee Temidayo Yussuf, who had a team-high 16 points and 15 rebounds. The Pilots have a solid backcourt as well with Marcus Harris to go with freshmen Darne Ducket and Jade Smith. Senior Rafie Herbert provided instant offense off the bench with a trio of threes. The Tri-County League Rock Division will be an interesting league to follow with St. Joe's, El Cerrito, Salesian, and St. Patrick-St. Vincent battling it out.

Players of Note

Jordan Hickman 6-foot-5 G St Patrick St Vincent (2014): Hickman is a long and lanky guard who uses his height advantage well. He can disrupt the passing lanes and also help in interior defense. His ball handling, scoring, and lateral movement as a guard needs improvement for the college level.

Jose Flores 6-foot-3 G St Patrick St Vincent (2014): The senior was active and athletic on the floor. He seems to have another gear as he had a few steals, could elevate, and was hard to stop going to the basket. He has good size and quickness to be a point guard at the college level.

Ryan Stewart 6-foot-8 Post St Patrick St Vincent (2014): The junior displayed a few turnaround post moves to score. He needs bulk for college but has another year to do so as he will be the main rebounder for the Bruins in Jalen Canty's absence. His ball handling and face up scoring will need improvement but his current size as a junior will force some colleges to look at his potential.

Jonathan Boddie 6-foot-6 PF Central Catholic (2014): Boddie is undersized as a power forward but was the main offensive threat in the post for Central Catholic. He has good strength, length, and athleticism. With continued improvement for his ball handling and perimeter game, the senior can transition to the college game.

Curtis Witt 6-foot-0 G St. Francis (2016): Witt displayed good ball handling skills as he took the ball aggressively to the rim and was also comfortable in his perimeter scoring. Witt plays scrappy and smart for the Lancers.

Matt Tripaldi 5-foot-7 G St. Francis (2015): The junior is undersized at the guard position but was fearless in his shooting as he hit a few perimeter shots several feet from the line. Like Witt, Tripaldi plays aggressively and provides good pressure defense. The Lancers have a few other interchangeable guards to complement Tripaldi and Witt.

Eric Morgan 6-foot-8 PF St. Francis (2014): The senior was active on both ends of the court. He was the recipient of a few lob passes that he converted into easy layups. At the high school level, Morgan has enough height and size to dominate most teams but needs to either improve his size or his face up skills when moving to the college level.

Lance Coleman 6-foot-6 W St. Mary's (Stockton) (2015): A transfer from Salesian, Coleman showed potential with his size and skill set. He has a lengthy frame that helps him on the defensive end and has some nice moves to attack the basket. Coleman had eight points and five rebounds, but could develop a three-point jumper as he was 0-of-3 from deep.

Oscar Frayer 6-foot-6 F Moreau Catholic (2016): Frayer is an ultra-athletic sophomore who affects the game on both ends of the floor. Offensively, he can finish above the rim or from mid-range which showed in 25 points (10-11 FG). On the defensive end, he blocks shots or corrals rebounds. He will be a highly coveted wing prospect due to his size, length, and athleticism. If he adds a perimeter game with a deep jumper and handle for the ball, Frayer will be one of the best in the country for his age.

Marcus Harris 6-foot-0 G St. Joseph Notre Dame (2015): Harris had nine points for St. Joe's on Saturday. He's a strong, fearless guard with a decent handle for the ball. He'll be a key piece for St. Joe's this season.

Brandon Lawrence 6-foot-2 SG Moreau Catholic (2016): Lawrence is a threat from three point range with a 3-of-6 showing from behind the arc. He has good length and an advanced jumper for his age. He'll need to add a couple inches to be a true shooting guard prospect, but still has plenty of time to add to his game.

Danny Mahoney 6-foot-0 G Serra (2014): Mahoney is a quick guard with a good handle and jump shot. He's crafty with a good motor.

Damari Milstead 6-foot-1 PG Moreau Catholic (2017): As a freshman point guard with good size and length, Milstead already has a good feel for the game. He can slash to the basket or knock down the open look from behind the arc. Milstead had 14 points (4-9 FG, 2-3 3FG) and six assists in Moreau's win. With an early offer from Cal, Milstead will be on the national radar for the upcoming seasons.

Armond Simmons 6-foot-0 PG Moreau Catholic (2016): Simmons is a strong, bulky floor general with a good handle for the ball. He gets his teammates involved, attacks the rim, and also had a three in the contest. Simmons finished with eight points, including five free throws, in addition to five rebounds and two assists.

Chiefy Ugbaja 6-foot-4 W Riordan (2014): The bouncy wing is a great athlete who can block shots or finish above the rim in transition. He had 15 points and 11 rebounds for Riordan and is a true get-it-done type of player.

Jiday Ugbaja 6-foot-0 PG Riordan (2014): Ugbaja is an explosive point guard with great vision and passing ability. He's an exceptional ball handler who can blow by defenders off the dribble. Ugbaja had 24 points (7-13 FG, 3-7 3FG), four assists, and three rebounds against St. Joe's. With offers from the Citadel, Tulane, and Sacramento State, Ugbaja will be a late steal.

Gabe Vincent 6-foot-3 G St. Mary's (Stockton) (2014): The UC Santa Barbara signee spent most of his time at point guard for St. Mary's which is a good sign due to his size. Vincent has shown improvement as a primary ball handler and distributor. He can create his own shot off the dribble or find his teammates for an open look. Vincent finished with 23 points (8-13 FG, 4-7 3FG), six rebounds, and three assists in the victory on Saturday. He'll be a good fit for the Gauchos as a knock-down shooter who can also get out and run in transition.

Sean Watkins 5-foot-10 SG Serra (2014): Watkins is a heady guard with range on his jump shot. He moves well without the ball and reads screens well. Watkins is signed with Loyola Marymount for baseball.

Devin Williams 5-foot-9 PG St. Mary's (Stockton) (2015): The junior point guard was key off the bench with nine points on 2-of-2 shooting.
He's quick and attacks the basket off the bounce. Williams does a good job getting to the free throw line but should add a jump shot from three-point range to improve.

Temidayo Yussuf 6-foot-7 F St. Joseph Notre Dame (2014): The Long Beach State signee looks much bigger than his listed size due to his bulk and broad shoulders. Yussuf is a terrific rebounder, which showed in his team-high 15 boards, and also has a face-up game. He was most dominant on the block and had the highlight of the day with a dunk over multiple defenders. Yussuf finished with 16 points and showed good hands to go with a soft touch.