Salesian wears down Campolindo
Among many reasons, Oakland native James Akinjo said, he loves playing basketball at Salesian-Richmond because “every team you face plays their best.”
Such was the case Saturday at St. Mary’s College, where Campolindo-Moraga played one of Northern California’s top programs tough for 3½ quarters before Salesian pulled away for a 55-40 North Coast Section Division 3 championship win.
Akinjo, a junior guard, scored seven of his game-high 17 points down the stretch and Salesian locked down defensively to win its second straight and seventh overall NCS title.
Salesian (27-4) allowed just seven points in the fourth quarter and 16 in the second half. Second-seeded Campolindo (19-10) — led by 13 points from Will Cummins — tied the game four times but never led.
“We gave it all I could have asked,” Campolindo first-year coach Steven Dyer said. “But we just ran out of gas. Salesian will do that to you. They’re an elite program for a reason.”
Without a ton of offensive firepower or height, Salesian relies largely on defense and execution — two traits Campolindo thrives on as well.
The Cougars hung close early thanks in part to five threepointers — two each by Cummins and freshman Carter Mahaney — and tough interior defense.
Eight second-half points from Lev Garcia helped Campolindo close to 44-37 midway through the fourth, but Akinjo drilled a three-pointer, then a jumper and Jamario Bibb (10 points) connected on two free throws.
Salesian will be a high seed in the NorCal Open Division. Campolindo will likely be on the road for a first-round NorCal Division 3 game next week. Seedings will be announced Sunday.
“I liked how we finished,” said Salesian coach Bill Mellis. “I liked how we got stops and knocked down shots late. We’re ready for the Open. Last year we were seeded eighth and almost won. We won’t be seeded eighth this year.”
Moreau Catholic-Hayward 77,
Tamalpais-Mill Valley 71: In the NCS Division 2 final at St. Mary’s, Damari Milstead had 32 points and Tyree Walker 18 as the fourth-seed Mariners (21-9) held off the sixth-seeded Redtailed Hawks (21-11), who got 21 points from Josh Love, 19 from Jack Duboff and 16 from Jordan Jackson. Moreau’s second straight NCS title was its third in four years.
St. Joseph Notre Dame-Alameda
63, Lick-Wilmerding 33: Cameron Ba had 30 points and the top-seeded Pilots (30-1) cruised past the sixthseed Tigers (24-8) at Albany High for the NCS Division 4 title. St. Joseph will likely receive a high seed in the NorCal Open Division.
CENTRAL COAST SECTION
Palo Alto 66, Los Gatos 63: At Santa Clara University, Spencer Rojahn drilled a three-pointer at the buzzer, giving the top-seeded Vikings (23-4) the Division 1 championship. Max Dorward had 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Miles Tention and Rojahn added 11 points apiece for Palo Alto, which won its sixth CCS title in six tries. Alex Braken-Guelke had 18 points for Los Gatos (20-7). There were eight lead changes in the fourth quarter.
Mountain View 70, Valley Christian
58: Sam Tobin had 21 points and Eugene Liao 16 as the Spartans (22-5) won their first CCS crown in the Division 2 final against third-seed Valley Christian (14-13) at SCU. The two combined to make 14 of 18 shots, and Mountain View made 55 percent of its shotValley Christian got 15 points from Alexander Sokol and 14 from Robert Santos. Mountain View had never reached a CCS final.
Monterey 72, Saratoga 66: Kobe Ordonio scored 34 points and converted 16 of 18 free throws to lead the second-seeded Toreadores (24-3) past the fifth-seeded Falcons (18-10) at Santa Clara High or the Division 3 title. Saratoga’s Joel Schneidmiller had 23 points and 14 rebounds.
Menlo School-Atherton 42, Half
Moon Bay 40: JH Tevis drove baseline and made a bucket with five seconds left, lifting the third-seed Knights (19-7) to a Division 4 title win in overtime over the top-seeded Cougars (21-8) at Santa Clara High. Half Moon Bay got 13 points from Andrew Saffold. Joe Foley had a game-high 16 points for Menlo.