Tip-Off finale could be state-title preview
The first big boys basketball matchup of the 2015-16 season very well might be a preview of what could be the season’s last game.
Moreau Catholic-Hayward — led by 6-foot-7, 205-pound, Calbound Oscar Frayer, 6-2, fivestar recruit Damari Milstead and a host of third- and fourth-year varsity players — is the topranked team in Northern California.
The Mariners (23-7 last season) play Southern California power Sierra Canyon-Chatsworth (26-4), the preseason No. 1 in the country by prepnation.com, to finish the all-day Prep2Prep Tip-Off Classic on Nov. 28 at Newark Memorial.
The next time the two teams see each other could be in the state Open Division championship.
Sierra Canyon, inexplicably left out of the state Open Division tournament last season, easily won the state Division V title and returns all of its top players, including Nevada-bound senior guard Devearl Ramsey and top 100 national junior recruits Cody Riley (6-7), Ira Lee (6-8) and Remy Martin (5-10).
Tip-Off Classic organizer Gerry Freitas, a former college assistant and current West Coast scout, said Sierra Canyon has as many as nine Division I prospects. “I have not seen a deeper team in years,” he said.
All of it motivates Frayer, whose team also features San Jose State-bound Terrell Brown (6-3), Brandon Lawrence (6-3) and Armond Simmons (6-0).
Frayer has improved each of his four seasons, going from largely a defender, rebounder and shot blocker to a perimeter player. He made only 11 threepointers in his first two seasons, then 40 as a junior. That number could double this season.
“He’s improved steadily every year in all facets,” Moreau Catholic coach Frank Knight said. “That’s impressive, because he was very good when he got here.”
Last season, Frayer averaged 17.1 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks. Healso has averaged 2.5 steals per game in his career. Knight says Frayer has “NBA-type athleticism,” recalling a play he made at Kezar Pavilion as a sophomore.
“He was dribbling through traffic, goes up, gets hit, does a 360 and slams it home,” Knight said. “I just turned to my coaches and said ‘Did that really happen?’ ”
Tip-Off schedule: St. Mary’s-Berkeley vs. Manteca, 11 a.m.; Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland vs. Dublin, 12:30 p.m.; Immanuel-Reedley vs. Weston Ranch-Stockton, 2:15 p.m.; Sheldon-Sacramento vs. Army-Navy-Carlsbad, 3:45 p.m.; Modesto Christian vs. Folsom, 5:30 p.m.; Newark Memorial vs. Woodcreek-Roseville, 7 p.m.; Moreau vs. Sierra Canyon, 8:30 p.m.
Briefly: Miramonte-Orinda girls basketball coach Kelly Sopak confirmed Wednesday that his 5-star senior wing, Sabrina Ionescu, will make her college choice in April. Cal, Oregon and Oregon State are the current leaders. … MaxPreps.com’s preseason top five boys NCS teams (in order): Moreau, De La Salle-Concord, O’Dowd, Salesian-Richmond and St. Mary’s-Berkeley. … Top five NCS girls teams: Miramonte, Salesian, St. Mary’s, O’Dowd, Carondelet-Concord. … Top five Central Coast Section boys teams: Mitty, St. Francis, Serra, Sacred Heart Cathedral, Riordan. … Top five CCS girls: Mitty, Pinewood-Los Altos Hills, SHC, Palo Alto and Valley Christian.