NorCal boys semifinal preview
By Kyle Bonagura
Thursday, March 6th, 2008 at 10:43 am in General.
Division-I
Just as expected it was a solid showing for the East Bay on Tuesday, as teams from the area swept the four games they played. The only argument I’ve ever agreed with to keep Oakland as its own section is just because of this. In theory its kind of a joke that two teams from a six-team section/league automatically get to play in NorCals, but the Oakland Section/League will always send two, top-tier teams in boys basketball. Same can’t be said for the other sports, but we’ll let it slide for now.
Newark Memorial (26-6) vs McClymonds (28-0) at CSU-EB – A month ago I thought Mack would beat Newark by 20, but this should be a competitive game. At this point, everyone knows about Fresno State-bound Chris Jones (NM) and Southern Methodist-bound Frank Otis (read more about Otis), but this game will come down to who else can step up. Mack’s Damon Powell will be the most athletic player on the court at all times, but 6-foot-6 Ifeany Ezeofor is solid around the basketball and a more physical player than Powell. E.J. Farris could be the best point guard in the East Bay right now and if he gets hot early, instead of waiting until the fourth quarter, Newark has a chance. McClymonds by 4.
Oakland (23-8) vs De La Salle (27-3) at Saint Mary’s College – As soon as the Mack-DLS game was over the first time, Durkin, Bower, Waterhouse and myself were already talking about DLS vs Mack in the NorCal finals. We’re two days from that being a possibility, but I have to admit I had a much stronger feeling it was going to happen then, than I do now. No one in the Spartans camp likely would admit as much, but they’ve got to be a little scared. Oakland took it to Bellarmine (until late in the game) on the road a couple days after the Bells handled Oak Grove by 14. DLS didn’t have the same success against OG in winning by 5. I still like DLS to win, but an upset by Oakland wouldn’t be all the surprising. De La Salle by 1.
Division II
Hayward (23-7) at Archbishop Mitty (30-1) – It was a good bounce-back win for the Farmers, but an expensive one. Congratulations on a great season, Hayward, but it’s going to end tonight. Mitty was 15 points better before Drew Gordon took miracle bone healer, and now that there is a 6-foot-9 All-American added to the Monarch lineup … goodnight. Mitty by 20.
Rocklin (30-2) over Fairfield (26-5) by 3.
Division-III
El Camino (26-5) over Sacred Heart Cathedral (20-12) – The winner of this game will lose to whoever wins between ….
Sacramento (28-3) at Archbishop Riordan (21-10) – I believe these are the best two teams in the division (yes, I realize El Cam just beat Sacramento) so they might as well play it at Arco. Riordan by 3.
Division-IV
Colfax (28-3) at St. Mary’s-Berkeley (31-1) – You don’t go 28-3 without a solid team, but the Panthers are coming off a near 50-point win in the first round and a near 40-point win against Kennedy in the NCS final. They are playing too well right now to lose to Colfax and have all but punched their ticket for Arco. St. Mary’s by 20.
Kennedy-Richmond (27-5) at Modesto Christian (27-4) – Like Hayward, Kennedy had a good bounce-back win, but its season looks to be over. Reeves Nelson is a top-5 player in NorCal and he’ll go off tonight, again. Modesto by 10.
Division-V
Branson (29-3) over Woodside Priory (25-5) by 12; Liberty Christian (25-6) over Lick Wilmerding (25-8) by 5.
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March 6th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
My predictions on the games of local interest:
Boys
Division I: Mack by 10; Oakland by 2 (the O-High is not a homer pick, I really believe it)
Division II: Mitty by 15
Division IV: St. Mary’s by 20; Modesto by 4
Girls
Division I: Berkeley by 20 over San Benito, Castlemont by 1 over Kennedy-Sac
Division III: St. Mary’s-Stockton by 30 over Miramonte
Division IV: St. Patrick-St. Vincent by 1 over Valley Christian-San Jose
One note on the Berkeley-San Benito girls Div. 1 game. While I believe their run will end tonight, I’d like to throw big props out to San Benito of Hollister. I worked in Hollister last season and covered about half of their games during an 8-15 season. Often times, I’d shake my head at how much talent they had and how it resulted in just an 8-win season. When the school announced that David Kaplansky (the school’s former boys coach who led them to great success and an alum who formerly played at San Diego State), I knew this would be a much better team. But to win the CCS title and reach the NorCal semis was WAY more than I expected. Congrats to Kaplansky and the Haybalers for a remarkable turnaround.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
How much did O-high lose to Mack by in the section finals? Didn’t DLS play Mack better? What makes you think O-high will beat DLS? Not saying it can’t happen, just wondering what the thinking is.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
O-High lost to Mack by 17 in the section finals. When they had Mack at home, a layup with 7 seconds left rimmed out and Mack hit a trey at the buzzer to win. You could say DLS played Mack tougher than O-High did in two of its three games (the other Mack win was by 30), but watching that Mack-DLS game, it never seemed Mack was really in all that much danger (and yes, I know DLS had that shot inside of 10 seconds with a chance to win). Mack probably played a C+ game against DLS and despite some bad calls against Mack, still beat a very good DLS team. With O-High, they are playing VERY well right now. Three of their eight losses were against Mack. To go down and beat Bellarmine was impressive and they have a lot of confidence coming into this game. I know DLS has been preparing to play Oakland (Alloco and Co. were sitting behind me at the Oakland-Fremont first round OAL playoff game) and sure, they can win. But they come in having been pushed hard in two straight games and I don’t know that they can pull it off again. Another thing is, O-High star guard Damian Lillard is very motivated to play Mack again. When they lost at the buzzer, he guaranteed that they would see Mack again. They did and of course lost. But I’m sure he’ll do everything in his power to get another rematch and when he takes over a game, watch out.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
The way I see it. DLS plays all of the tough teams close because of its style, but knows how to win it at the end. Obviously DLS didn’t win it at the end against McClymonds, but every other team the Spartans did. Should be a good game.
March 6th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
I’ll give you that. That slow-down, make-you-yawn style of play does lead to close games. The thing that helps Oakland is they’ve got a bunch of shooters. Lillard and the Taylor Bros. can both get hot. It’ll be a good one for sure. Too bad it’s got that ridiculous 8 p.m. start. Come on DLS! It’s not worth having it at St. Mary’s if you have to start at 8 p.m. I’ll be at the Mack game and have to wait another hour before I find out who the winner will be playing? At least hook me up with a radio broadcast so I can tune in.
March 6th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Alloco went to the Dick Bennett school of coaching.
(Yes, that was an attempt to make Washington State Univ. basketball relevant in a high school bball discussion)
March 6th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
One final comment on Mack-DLS, and this is basically commenting on Kyle’s comments. Mack is nowhere even remotely close to being all about Frank Otis. Against Lincoln on Tuesday, Mook only had six points. Did he have a bad game? No. He just did what the team needed. Frank’s only scored more than 20 points twice this season (his season high is 21). Damon Powell has scored 20-plus five times (season high is 33 against Estrella Foothills from Arizona). Damario Sims has done it twice (high is 24) and Cherry just once (27 vs. Valley Christian). That’s only 10 games with 20 or more points from a single player all season. Yet, all of these guys average double figures. Quincy Hill is right up there too, averaging 8.3 with a high of 18. And heck, Chris Jackson off the bench has had games of 19 and 16. I think a lot of people don’t realize how balanced this team is and now that Jackson and Emmanuel Johnson are back from injuries, they, along with Salomon Wiseman, provide a formidable bench. They key is still keeping Mook and Dame (dropping nicknames time) out of foul trouble, but I’ve seem Memo (Sims), Cherry and Q (Hill) take over too many games to believe that this isn’t the deepest starting lineup I’ve seen at the prep level maybe since the Jason Kidd-St. Joe’s days.
March 6th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
I was waiting on you to fill that stuff in.
March 6th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Yeah I know. There’s no way you would (or should) have all the lowdown that I have, with me having see them play 10 times. I meant to include in that post that this was no slam on Kyle’s comments, just throwing in my Mack stuff to add to his Newark knowledge.
March 6th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
What’s happenening guys? It’s that time again already and I couldn’t be more jacked.
Mack vs. NM- I think the general feeling is that NM is playing its best ball right now, and I agree. With that said, I think Mack is on a mission right now to get back to that state game where they looked pitiful last year. Mack by 12.
DLS v. Oakland- I actually think these teams match up well. DLS’s bigs don’t play that way offensively and this advantage goes to OHS. Still, Frank will have this team prepared. DLS by 5.
Riordan vs. Sac Hi- 3 straight years they have matched up with each other. Last year Rob Jones and Co. traveled up I-80 to get sent back empty handed. I think they suffer the same fate at home unless Daniel Cannon can lock up Chase Tapley which could be done. In the end, I like Sac by 7.
Mitty vs. anyone else until state- Mitty by 15+
March 7th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
I have every confidence that the MACK WARRIORS will win it all!
March 7th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
2002 Oakland Tech:
C - Leon Powe
PF - Theo White (played two years at San Diego)
SF - Kenneth Smith (played at Eastern Washington)
SG - Quentin Thomas
PG - Armondo Surratt
Too bad they ran into Westchester’s “Magnificent Seven” of Hassan Adams, Brandon Bowman, Ashanti Cook, Trevor Ariza, Keith Everage, Brandon Heath and Scott Cutley.
Yow, SoCal hoops recruiting at its finest.