After long delay, it’s hurryup time for hoops season
The Bishop O’DowdOakland boys basketball team typically has enjoyed the process. In fact, taking early losses has had a humbling effect on the Dragons over the years, no better exemplified than in 201920.
Lou Richie’s squad opened the season 47 before ripping off 19 straight wins to close the season — one derailed by the pandemic, which caused cancellation of the Northern California Open Division title game against SheldonSacramento.
There’s no easing into the short 2021 spring season that gets under way this week for most Bay Area teams. With testing required twice a week in many regions, schedules are a work in progress as most teams hope to play between 10 and 20 games over the next six weeks.
The Central Coast Section was scheduled to vote Monday on a oneweek postseason. The North Coast Section will not have playoffs, and teams have until June 12 to finish. The San Francisco and Oakland sections are evaluating whether they will have seasons.
Richie, whose team opens the season ranked No. 1 by The Chronicle, said his 18game schedule is a “working document.” The Dragons open Tuesday at San Leandro, then play a home game Wednesday against No. 4 Mitty.
“We had tryouts and started practice last week and now hit the ground running,” Richie said. “We’ve got 46 days from the start to the finish. There’s no easing into this season. The kids are champing at the bit.”
The Dragons have Northern California’s best 12 punch in senior Marsalis Roberson ,a 6foot6 doeverything guard headed to Cal, and 69 Jalen Lewis, regarded as one of the nation’s top 10 sophomores with offers from Stanford, Cal, USC and Kansas.
⏩ Secondranked CampolindoMoraga is already 40, including wins over No. 10 SalesianRichmond (6650) and No. 11 Dougherty ValleySan Ramon (7052). The Cougars have been without reigning Chronicle Player of the Year Aidan Mahaney (ankle), the nation’s 15thrated junior point guard, and second starter Logan Robeson (hip). AllMetro forward Emmanuel Callas (17.3 points per game), sophomore Shane O’Reilly (12.8) and brothers junior Cade (11.3, junior.) and Chase (8.5, senior) Bennett — sons of St. Mary’s head coach Randy Bennett — have picked up the slack. Mahaney should be back by Saturday’s game at Riordan.
⏩ With the addition of St.
Ignatius transfer sophomore guard KingJhsanni Wilhite — AllMetro as a freshman — and 67 freshman Zion Sensley, No. 3 Riordan has one of the best squads in the Bay Area. Wilhite scored 27 in the Central Coast Section Division III title game last season, and Sensley is considered a national top20 recruit for his class. With 71 junior post Mor Seck (offers from Kansas and Oklahoma State), versatile 67 Robert Vaihola and 62 point guard Lee Hubbard in place, head coach Joey Curtin’s job will be to create cohesion.
⏩ Mitty, the defending CCS Open champ, features Pepperdinebound point guard Mike Mitchell and 66 forward Nigel Burris, with offers from UC Santa Barbara and Mon
tana.
⏩ Jaden Alexander, of St. PatrickSt. VincentVallejo, is the only other returning AllMetro player. He are notable honorable mentions: Jeremyah Aquino (Lincoln), GianCarlo Toledo Rivera (St. Ignatius), Isaiah Kerr (St. Francis), Ryan Kiachian (Bellarmine), Skyler Thomas (MenloAtherton), Tyson Geraci (San MarinNovato), Giancarlo Woods (Cardinal NewmanSanta Rosa), Trey Knight (Moreau CatholicHayward), Jaylen Thompson (St. Joseph Notre DameAlameda), Nay’Veon Reed (Newark Memorial), Chris Bunch (De La SalleConcord), Jeremiah Dargan (Clayton ValleyConcord) and Aidan Sevilla (Dougherty Valley).
⏩ With at least five collegebound players on the roster, Mitty is the class of the Bay Area girls. Firstteam AllMetro performer Olivia Williams, Hunter Hernandez and Amelia Scharpf, are all headed to UC Irvine. Another AllMetro player, UC San Diegobound Katie Spriggs, has been nursing a knee injury. Watch out for 6foot freshman guard Morgan Cheli.
⏩ Look for a Contra Costa County power shift as former MiramonteOrinda coach Kelly Sopak is at CarondeletConcord. Miramonte, under new coach Vince Wirthman, is 20 behind AllMetro guard Jordan Allred (27.5 ppg). Twotime AllMetro player Mia Mastrov graduated early from Miramonte and is now at Cal.
⏩ Former WNBA, Cal and Oakland Tech player Alexis GrayLawson is the new coach at St. Joseph, and former St. Joe’s coach Shawn Hipol is at Berkeley.
⏩ More returning AllMetro players: Kennedy Johnson and Amaya Bonner (Bishop O’Dowd), Makena Mastora and Talana Lepolo (St. Joseph), Silvia Fonogaloa (Salesian), Annika Decker (PinewoodLos Altos Hills), Avery Lee (Menlo SchoolAtherton) and Annabel Schneiberg (LickWilmerding).