From upsets to buzzer-beaters, from 30-point games to huge comebacks, Saturday’s high school basketball action across the Bay Area had a little bit of everything.
Here are some of the highlights:
– In an MLK Classic at Berkeley, the home team pulled off the boys basketball stunner of the day, beating seventh-ranked California 52-34. One night earlier, California knocked off second-ranked San Ramon Valley 62-58 and Berkeley lost at home to No. 20 Alameda 60-58.
– Berkeley coach Mike Hudson said his players were motivated by what he described as a “very disappointing” loss on Friday, one he thought his team “let get away.”
– “We were just locked in,” Hudson added in an email. “California is an explosive team, one of best teams in the Bay Area, so we knew we had to mix things up defensively to try to keep them off balance. All in all, it was a great showing from our guys— been coaching for a long time and that is one of the better defensive efforts I have seen.”
— Hudson gave a shout-out to his defensive coordinator, Toby Merchant.
– Samir O’Brien (14 points), AJ Loustau (13 points) and Ollie Miller (11 points) led the Yellowjackets in scoring. Berkeley improved to 12-5. California is 14-5.
– San Ramon Valley, without starters Seamus Deely and Will Ambidge, rallied from a 13-point deficit to beat Menlo-Atherton 60-57 at Miramonte’s MLK-John Lewis Memorial showcase. SRV entered the game on a two-game skid after entering the week with a 15-1 record.
– McKenna Woliczko, Archbishop Mitty’s freshman sensation, had another spectacular game. She scored 30 points to lead the second-ranked Monarchs over sixth-ranked Oakland Tech 68-60 at Bishop O’Dowd’s MLK showcase. Friday, Woliczko had 26 points in a 79-30 league victory at St. Francis.
– Elijah Perryman buried a 3-point from the top of the arc as time expired, giving sixth-ranked Clayton Valley a 60-57 win over No. 15 Monte Vista in the nightcap at Miramonte’s showcase. Clayton Valley trailed 41-28 at halftime.
– The Salesian girls pulled away in the second half to turn back Moreau Catholic 57-43 at O’Dowd’s MLK showcase. Makiah Asidanya (15 points), Sofia Fidelus (14 points) and N’yana Asiasi (11 points) led the third-ranked Pride, who return to O’Dowd on Monday to play top-ranked Piedmont on Day 2 of the Oakland school’s MLK event.
– Jorell Clark had 14 points and Riley Yuen finished with 13 points to lead Palo Alto to a 55-47 win over Mountain View in Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division play. It was a nice bounce-back win for the Vikings after they lost to Los Gatos 60-41 on Wednesday.
– Sam Norris scored 21 points and TJ O’Brien had 20 as Sacred Heart Prep cruised past Stuart Hall 82-47 at Miramonte’s showcase. The duo shot a combined 16 of 20 from the field.
– The Piedmont boys scored five points in the first quarter against St. Mary’s-Berkeley at Berkeley’s showcase. They then exploded for 28 in the second quarter on their way to a 65-38 win. AJ Harris (17 points), Theo Evans (10 points) and Ravi Silverberg (nine points) led the way.
– There are more MLK games Monday. Here is the schedule:
BOYS BASKETBALL
At De La Salle
No. 10 Campolindo vs. Oakland Tech, 9:30 a.m.
No. 9 Salesian vs. Capital Christian-Sacramento, 11 a.m.
No. 12 Moreau Catholic vs. San Joaquin Memorial-Fresno, 12:30 p.m.
Bishop O’Dowd vs. Taft-Woodland Hills, 2 p.m.
No. 3 De La Salle vs. West Linn (Oregon), 4:30 p.m.
No. 5 Archbishop Riordan vs. Jesuit-Carmichael, 6 p.m.
Modesto Christian vs. St. Joseph-Santa Maria, 7:30 p.m.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
At Bishop O’Dowd
Weston Ranch vs. Mt. Eden, 9 a.m.
Francis Parker-San Diego vs. No. 20 San Leandro, 10:30 a.m.
No. 8 Bishop O’Dowd vs. No. 2 Archbishop Mitty, noon
No. 3 Salesian vs. No. 1 Piedmont, 2 p.m.
No. 14 Priory vs. Valley Christian, 3:30 p.m.
Castro Valley vs. St. Mary’s-Berkeley, 5 p.m.
Source: www.mercurynews.com