CIF North Coast Section Boys Division III championship
Prep2Prep Northern California No. 1 Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland 23-4 versus No. 2 Moreau Catholic (Hayward) 23-5, Saturday 4:00 p.m. at St. Mary’s College
Despite this being the game everyone in Northern California and the Bay Area in particular has been waiting for since defending Northern Regional Division IV champion Moreau moved up to Division III this season, not a lot of boys hoops fans really give Moreau a chance against O’Dowd and 6-foot-11, 220-pound Mr. Basketball USA hot candidate and Cal-Hi Sports Mr. Basketball State Player of the Year leading candidate Ivan Rabb and Boise State-bound guard Paris Austin.
Both played sparingly early in the playoffs for ailments and resting purposes but in a 70-48 semifinal win over Campolindo-Moraga Rabb had 20 points and Austin scored 19 with both playing three quarters.
Moreau has some solid young talent led by junior 6-foot-6 Cal-committed forward Oscar Frayer and sophomore guard Damari Milstead.
On the season Cal-Hi Sports No. 10 Moreau has only one in-state loss to Cal-Hi No. 2 Mater Dei-Santa Ana, and since the last of its tournament losses to out of state teams is on a 19-game winning streak.
State top-ranked O’Dowd has no in-state losses with all its setbacks to nationally-ranked teams with the last coming on Feb. 7 to Oak Hill Academy of Virginia.
Moreau should give O’Dowd a good game but the Dragons have the size advantage and Austin, who garnered MVP honors at the NorCal Clash last summer (with Rabb out due to injury) is one of the best point guards in the state.
This is also another one of the games where regardless of the outcome both teams are ticketed for the Northern Regional Open Division.
Prediction: Bishop O’Dowd 68, Moreau Catholic 59