NEWARK, CA – Bishop O’Dowd may have won the marquee game of the Eleventh Annual NorCal Tip Off Classic at Newark Memorial High but some other NorCal teams shined as well. Plus, fans at the seven-game event were treated by the performances by stars from the CIF Southern Section and Central Section in what as usual was a gear showcase to open the boys basketball season in Northern California.
GAME SIX
Rancho Christian-Temecula (Riverside County) 84 Capital Christian-Sacramento 63
The bottom line in second-best matchup of the NorCal Tip Off Classic is Cal-Hi Sports preseason No. 40 Capital Christian was able to stay with No. 12 Rancho Christian for a good portion of the game, but after leading 36-32 at the half the Rancho Christian twin towers brothers of 6-9 junior Isaiah Mobley and his little big brother Evan Mobley, a 6-10 sophomore, was just too much for the Sacramento boys to overcome.
Isaiah, who had UCLA there to watch him and is one No. 41 in the nation in the ESPN top 60 players, totally dominated in the second half. Of his 28 points, 18 rebounds and seven blocks, 17 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks came in the final two quarters. He was one of the easiest choices of the day for Player of the Game.
Evan, who is coming into his own after dealing with injury as a freshman, ended up with 23 points, and nine rebounds. Rancho Christian out-rebounded the smaller Cougars, 20-7, in the second half and 48-33 for the game. The two brothers combined for seven assists, all to each other, and the team had 17 assists to eight for Capital Christian.
The good news was the play of senior 6-3 guard Zach Chappell, 6-5 senior guard Rick Barros, and 5-10 junior guard Trey Jones. Chappell was unafraid to go at the Mobley brothers and finished with 24 points. Barros had 14 points and a team-high six rebounds but he did blank from outside the arc on six shots. Jones was 4-of-6 on 3-pointers and finished with 14 points.
GAME FIVE
Folsom 75 St. Joseph Notre Dame 49
Folsom came into the game as the Cal-Hi Sports preseason No. 9 ranked team and totally dominated from the opening tip-off with a wire-to-wire victory over a traditional NCS power and former small school multiple state championship winner. With the way they played Coach Mike Wall and his Bulldogs served notice that they are a major NorCal Open Division contender
Despite Folsom having a couple of early moments where they went through the motions of playing a less-talented team, their teamwork and defense was in mid-season form as they bolted to a 13-0 lead to put the game away early.
Five players were in double-figure scoring for Folsom (1-0) but despite not being the leading scorer, although he probably could have gone for a lot more points if he wanted to, Harvard-bound 6-9 senior center Mason Forbes was clearly the Player of the Game after finishing with 10 points, 11 rebounds, six blocks and four assists.
The leading scorer was the smallest player on the court as 5-7 senior guard Eljay Gallegos had 17 points with four assists and three steals, and even got a vote for Player of the Game. Senior 6-3 forward Martis Johnson added 16 points, four steals and two assists. Senior guard Jayce McCain chipped in with 13 points and senior wing Isaiah Jones had 10 points and four rebounds.
Senior Cameron Ba led St. Joseph Notre Dame with 17 points including two long rainbow 3-pointers, but he was 3-of-9 from the free-throw line and had six of the 21 turnovers Folsom forced. The only double-digit scorer for the Pilots was junior guard Kobe Keiner with 10 points.
St. Joseph Notre Dame Coach Don Lippi came into the game at No. 5 on the all-time winning coaches list in the Cal-Hi Sports Record Book with 830 wins but will have to wait until this Friday’s game with Alameda to try and climb the ladder a little higher.
GAME FOUR
San Joaquin Memorial-Fresno 78 Moreau Catholic 67
After falling behind by 17 points in the second quarter defending CIF Northern Regional Division II champion Moreau Catholic gave Cal-Hi Sports preseason No. 19 San Joaquin Memorial (1-0) everything it could handle for a good portion of the game. However, the Fresno boys just had too much star power and went on a 21-6 run to win handily.
Loyola Marymount-bound 6-6 senior forward Demeane Douglas had the biggest game of any player in the seven-game NorCal Tip Off Classic, and he rightfully earned the Player of the Game plaque, but it was his sophomore teammate Jalen Green that drew the most attention of the fans and college coaches and analysts in attendance.
Douglas went for a monster double-double 36 points and 12 rebounds but Green had the monster dunks and moves to the basket. The long and athletic 6-6 Green can glide to the basket or go up high for lobs an hammer it down. Many analysts, including Ronnie Flores who was present at the event and who does the Ballislife FAB 50 national rankings and the Cal-Hi Sports rankings, as well as ESPN, feel Green is the top sophomore shooting guard in the nation and No. 2 player overall. He had 26 points and nine rebounds and besides going 9-of-10 from the free-throw line he made the Panthers only 3-pointer.
Moreau Coach Frank Knight started five underclass players and the pesky Mariners took a long time to finally get put away. That bodes well for the coming season since they are playing in some tough upcoming tournaments and seeing a team like San Joaquin Memorial and being able to play with them should jumpstart boosting the young team’s confidence.
Armil Field, a 6-5 junior wing, led Moreau (0-1) with 16 points, 6-5 junior forward Leonard Turner had 14 points and eight rebounds, and junior guard Max Anderson added 13 points.
GAME THREE
Lincoln-Stockton 77 Newark Memorial 57
The host school was overmatched but never quit against a Lincoln team that boasts one of Northern California’s top big men in Cal-bound Andre Kelly. The 6-8 Kelly was like a man amongst boys and finished with 17 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks. He was an easy choice as Player of the Game.
Lincoln (1-0) also got solid efforts from Ezekiel Holman and Josh Bratcher. Holman, a 6-5 senior wing, finished with 13 points, five rebounds, five blocks and four assists. Senior guard Bratcher chipped in with 12 points on 4-of-7 on 3-point shooting.
Jamal Frenchwood, a 6-3 senior forward, played 27 minutes for Newark Memorial and had a game-high 20 points with six rebounds. Junior Caleb Beltz added 11 points.
GAME TWO
Berkeley 71 Dublin 68
In an upset if you go by some of the local preseason rankings the Yellowjackets rode the shoulders of their two top senior prospects, an upcoming sophomore, and clutch free-throw shooting a by a junior, to pull out the win in a back and forth game that was tied 58-58 after three quarters.
Left-handed 6-3 senior guard Ben Baker made a difficult right-handed floater, and junior Jordan Ashworth (nine points) who made both of his shots from the field and all five free-throws, made four from the charity stripe down the stretch to seal the deal.
Baker led all scorers with 23 points and was named Player of the Game. Senior guard Kyree Brown added 13 points and eight rebounds, and sophomore guard Jamir Thomas chipped in with 10 points. Avery Burt had 10 rebounds.
Highly regarded Gaels 6-2 guard Robbie Beasley was a bit erratic but made 13-of-14 free-throws and finished with 23 points and eight rebounds. Grant Manning, a 6-6 junior that came off the bench and created a spark when Dublin (0-1) was flat, had 17 points and 17 rebounds.
GAME ONE
Las Lomas 60 St. Ignatius 43
Las Lomas Coach Brian Dietschy took exception when his team’s somewhat easy win was called an upset, but most local analysts had St. Ignatius as the top team in the West Catholic Athletic League and No. 2 in the Bay Area, and the Chronicle even had them ahead of Bishop O’Dowd.
Las Lomas (1-0) only led 16-14 after the first quarter but they clamped down on defense and the Wildcats went cold as ice and by halftime the lead was 40-21 and it was apparent at that point St. Ignatius would need a miracle comeback and it didn’t happen.
The bottom line in this game is the Knights duo of 6-4 senior wing Nathan Robinson and 5-10 senior guard Jason Holman outplayed the top players on the Wildcats. Robinson earned Player of the Game honors after finishing with 23 points and seven rebounds. Holman has 20 points with six 3-pointers.
St. Ignatius (0-1) got a good game from their top players Darrion Trammell (17 points, six rebounds) but the 5-10 senior guard just didn’t get any help. The next leading scorer was Neal Begovich with seven points and no one else had more than four.
