Exclamation point: Dougherty Valley takes EBAL tourney title, too
They won't forget this game, this scene, this championship at Dougherty Valley.
The moment was so electric, the victory so sweet Saturday night that one of the boys basketball team's senior stars called it bittersweet because, well, he wouldn't mind doing it again next year.
Who could blame him?
In another epic matchup for the Bay Area News Group's top-ranked team, this time against an opponent that features a 7-footer in the paint and two explosive wings, Dougherty Valley pulled away in the final minutes behind its closer, senior Ryan Beasley.
The USF-bound guard scored his team's final 13 points to finish off a 7770 victory over Granada in the East Bay Athletic League tournament championship game.
Dougherty Valley clinched the league title on Thursday but wanted to end any debate about which team was the EBAL's best this season.
Had Granada (21-8) won Saturday, it planned to hang a banner, too.
“We definitely wanted this game,” Dougherty Valley senior Blake Hudson said. “We wanted to prove that we really are the champs of EBAL.”
Two days after it rallied from 27 points behind in the third quarter to stun San Ramon Valley in the semifinals, Doughtery Valley (25-3) kept the score tight the entire way against Granada.
Connor Sevilla, who scored 25 points to lead Dougherty Valley, was asked what the moment was like for him.
“Bittersweet,” he said. “Obviously, it's our first league title and it means a lot to cut down the nets. But it sucks that this is my last year. I wish I could do it again.”
Beasley finished with 24 points. Hudson
added 20, 10 in each half, and 15 rebounds.
SALESIAN TRIUMPHS >> The game to decide the Tri-County Athletic League Rock Division championship was close in the third quarter Saturday night.
Pinole Valley's John Chapple had made back-to-back 3-pointers, giving the upsetminded visitors hope that they might return home with the title.
But then Amani Johnson, Salesian's junior guard, made a shot that ignited a 12-point run that blew open what became a 67-53 victory for the Pride, the Richmond school's ninth consecutive win over Pinole Valley.
“My teammates were just able to get into the paint, drew the defense in and then the defense didn't know I'm a shooter,” Johnson said. “So when they hit me, I got wideopen shots.”
Salesian, winner of the TCAL Rock tournament every year since 2015, had four players score in double-figures: Deundrae Perteete (13) and Johnson, Evin Goodwin and Aaron Claytor (each with 12).
Girls SAN RAMON VALLEY 63, MONTE VISTA 52 >>
San Ramon Valley captured the EBAL tournament championship Saturday, rallying in the second half to defeat rival Monte Vista.
Sofia Bowes scored 17 points and Anneka
Lupinek finished with 15 to lead SRV.
The Wolves also got 11 points apiece from Sierra Chambers and Amanda Kerner as they improved to 25-3.
Monte Vista, which lost to SRV 66-64 on Feb. 3, threatened to deny SRV its fourth EBAL title since 2018.
The Mustangs (21-6) scored 21 points in the second quarter to take a 34-30 advantage into the locker room. San Ramon Valley erased the deficit in the third quarter when it outscored the Mustangs 16-7.
Sarina Nagra led Monte Vista with 20 points. Nia Coleman and Rachel Brans each scored 11.
SALESIAN 63, PINOLE VALLEY 30 >> Salesian dominated from start to finish as it locked up the Tri-County Athletic League Rock Division championship. The Pride led 15-6 after one quarter, 31-10 at halftime, and 4623 after three quarters.
Forward Nyana Asiasi led Salesian in scoring with 19 points. She hit four threepointers, including three in a row near the end of the third quarter. The senior had been in a slump over the last few games and credited her teammates for helping her break out of it.
“The rim hasn't been looking very big lately,” Asiasi said. “So it was really good to see my shots go in, and my teammates were getting me the ball so it was really easy.”