REGIONAL PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
SAN FRANCISCO: Spencer Spivy (University): The 6-foot-5 senior point guard led the Red Devils to the greatest season in school history, with a 31-4 record and a spot in the Division 3 NorCal title game.
Spivy was voted the Bay Counties League Player of the Year for the second consecutive year after averaging 20.3 points, 9.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game.
When not driving to the basket or excelling on mid-range jumpers — he made 60 percent of his two-point shots — Spivy shot 40.5 percent on three-pointers and 83.4 percent from the foul line.
Spivy, who will play for perennial Division 3 power Williams College (Mass.), scored a schoolrecord 45 points in a NorCal Division 3 tripleovertime win over Patterson, including 18 of his team’s final 20 points.
“During the last four years with Spencer on the court, we won 109 games and lost 27,” coach Randy Bessolo said. “That’s not a coincidence. On top of everything else, Spencer is also a great student and a great young man.”
PENINSULA/SOUTH BAY: Dylan Belquist
(Los Gatos): The 6-6 senior forward and USF signee had one goal all season: Win the school’s first Central Coast Section championship after losing on a buzzer-beater in the final to Palo Alto in his junior season.
With Belquist scoring 29 points and grabbing 18 rebounds, the Wildcats accomplished their goal with a 75-58 Division 1 title win over Piedmont Hills-San Jose.
In guiding his team to a 22-7 record, Belquist averaged 26.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists. He shot a shade under 50 percent from the field (264 of 532), hitting 47 of 130 on three-point attempts.
“That loss (to Palo Alto) ate at us every single day until we finally got that win” over Piedmont Hills, Belquist said. “It was such a long climb to get back to that point. But we got there and we did it. It was an amazing year.”
NORTH BAY: Viktor Rajkovic (BransonRoss): Despite facing double- and sometimes triple-teams, the 6-5 swingman averaged 18 points for the North Coast Section Division 5 champion Bulls (30-4).
Rajkovic, a junior, was especially tough in the biggest games and biggest moments. He scored a team-high 22 points and had a hand in the final 10 points of his team’s 59-56 NCS Division 5 championship win over University at Kezar Pavilion.
“In my opinion, he’s the clear choice as top player from that region,” Bessolo said. “He’s very skilled, very strong. He’s at his best late in games, too.”
CONTRA COSTA/TRI VALLEY: Nathan Robinson (Las LomasWalnut Creek): After three seasons at Sacred Heart Cathedral, the 6-4 senior returned to his neighborhood school and led the Knights to a 31-4 season.
The team’s top scorer (21 ppg), Robinson also averaged five rebounds and four assists and was the team’s defensive stopper.
After losing in the NCS Division 2 final to Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland, the Knights won NorCal Division 1 games over the region’s elite — Franklin-Elk Grove (6559), Dublin (69-66), Mitty (84-70) and Palo Alto (44-41) — to reach the state title game for the first time.
“We would have been really good had Nathan not transferred back to the area,” coach Brian Dietschy said. “But clearly, we don’t win a NorCal title without him.”