Dougherty Valley, fueled by doubters, champs again
Dougherty Valley had its section championship fun last season, the thinking went. This season wasn't supposed to be like that one, not after the team graduated four starters, including its dynamic backcourt of Ryan Beasley and Connor Sevilla.
But coach Mike Hansen and his players didn't take the outside noise to heart. It fueled them to show that Dougherty Valley was not a flash in the pan, that this team could be good once the pieces fell into place.
Hansen knew it would take time. But he told anyone who would listen that come late in the season, the Wildcats would be dangerous. How dangerous? Well, they answered that question on Saturday night when they staged a late rally to stun host Dublin 64-61 to capture the North Coast Section Division I championship.
One year after winning the Open crown, Dougherty made it back-to-back titles, the only two section championships the program has won.
The journey was nothing like last season, when the Wildcats won 27 games and were No. 1 in the Bay Area. The victory Saturday was Dougherty Valley's 21st in 31 games.
“Man, it was hard,” said senior Chris Fallgren, who along with Aadi Malali were the only returning players who were in the rotation last season. “We started the season and we didn't know who was who for us. But like Coach has been saying all year, come February, come January, you don't want to see us. We just stuck with it all season. That's been the mantra of the team. Stick around right at the end.
“This season is special. Not only because me and Aadi went back-to-back but because nobody believed in us. That's why I get emotional over these kinds of things. Nobody believed in us, but we stayed together and we were able to do it.”
Malali was clutch down the stretch Saturday.
After Jayden Doty's 3-pointer pulled fourthseeded Dougherty Valley to within 55-53 with 2:35 left, Malali evened the score on a drive to the hoop. He then gave the Wildcats a 58-55 lead on a deep 3-pointer from the top while falling down after bumping into teammate Kenny Cloud, who was running behind Malali.
At that point, nothing was going to stop Malali.
“We're not losing,” he said. “We came so far. There is no way I am losing.”
Malali and Cloud each finished with 21 points.
Open Division girls No. 2Cardinal Newman 61, No. 1 San Ramon Valley 55:
San Ramon Valley forward Avery Knapp was exhausted, bruised and bitterly disappointed after Cardinal Newman outlasted the Wolves 61-55 in a thrilling North Coast Section Open Division championship game at Dublin High.
But she also left the locker room proud of her team, who pushed the Cardinals to the limit over 32 minutes of gritty defense and tough shotmaking.
“We were up to the challenge and matched their physicality,” Knapp said.
The Wolves led 50-46 with four minutes left in the game, and appeared to have everything going for them.
Cardinals forward Taissa Queiroz, who the Wolves had held in check by sending double and triple-teams at every time she touched the ball, was on the bench holding a towel to her lip after hard contact drew blood.
She returned a few possessions later, and instead of being tentative, the Brazilian sensation broke a 50-50 tie by drawing contact to earn two free throws and then powering through SRV defenders for another layup and a 5450 lead.
“When I got hit in the lip, it was like `Now, I need to go hard,'” said Queiroz, who scored 13 points. “I can't take it easy.”
Sofia Bowes answered by going right at Cardinal Newman's superstar junior, playing through an injured ankle to make a layup and draw a foul against Queiroz. Bowes led the team with 16 points.
“We knew it would be a one- or two-possession game, and that's what it was,” SRV coach John Cristiano said. “We were hoping we'd be the ones on top at the end, but that was a good team. I'm very proud of our girls.”
Division I girls No. 3 Salesian 56, No. 1 California 48:
The Sawyers, Janiya and Jamia, combined for 28 points as Salesian repeated as NCS champions. A year after winning the Open title against San Ramon Valley, the Pride took down another East Bay Athletic team to claim the Division I crown at Dublin High.
“At the beginning of the season, we weren't really playing as a team,” guard Madalyn Kanazawa said about the team's 2-7 start against tough competition. “We improved. Once we started picking up our attitude and communicating on defense and playing together as a team on offense, that's when we realized we got this.”
Aside from the two Sawyers, Oriannah Birden scored 13 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, and Ayla Rege had 10 for Salesian, now 21-10 and winners of six straight.
Taylor Lim led California with 15 points and four steals, and Sofie Addiego had 11 points and four rebounds for the Grizzlies (25-5).
Division IV boys No. 1 Justin-Siena 76, No. 2 Ygnacio Valley 69:
Ygnacio Valley came up just short in its quest for its first section title since 1988. Guard Loyal Morris scored a team-high 20 points, and backcourt mate Antonio Kellogg put in 10 for the Concord school.
Scoring the ball was not Ygnacio's problem. Rather, it was getting stops against the No. 1 seed's potent duo that was difficult for the Wolves.
Nick Jeramaz put in a game-high 35 points for the North Bay program, and Jaden Washington wasn't too shabby either with a 20-point night.
Division IV girls No. 1 St. Patrick-St. Vincent 60, No. 2 University 40:
After falling behind by two points late in the first half, St. Patrick-St. Vincent took over and outscored University 3412 en route to its first NCS crown in five years.
University led 28-26 before the Bruins went on a 7-0 run to end the first half. SPSV (23-8) continued to pour it on after intermission, outscoring University 27-12. The San Francisco school is 24-7 overall this season.
Marissa Elizalde had 18 first-half points for SPSV, almost equalling her teamleading scoring average of 18.6 points per game.