NEWARK, Ca. – In a game of three big runs, it was the “middle run” that proved decisive Saturday night in the finale of the 10th NorCal Tip-Off Classic at Newark Memorial High.
Oakland Bishop O’Dowd fell behind to Torrance Bishop Montgomery 17-1 just four minutes into the game.
The Dragons answered by outscoring the Knights by 35 points over the next 23 minutes.
Bishop Montgomery then countered by its own 20-5 run in a four-minute stretch.
But sophomore center Raymond Hawkins finally closed the deal for the North California power as the Dragons held off the Knights, 70-63, to wrap up the seven-game affair.
Bishop Montgomery returns five starters from a team that lost only three times last season (two of those to eventual unbeaten state champion Chino Hills.
One of those starters, David Singleton, wasn’t in uniform Saturday as he is still recovering from a foot injury suffered in September.
And then second of those, San Diego State-bound Jordan Schakel, missed all of fall competition while recovering from a knee injury but came off the bench Saturday night in a game-time decision after pre-game warm-ups.
That aside, the Knights were still able to burst to a big early lead, largely due to the scoring of Oregon State-bound Ethan Thompson (who scored 18 of his team-high 29 points in the first half).
But after Coach Lou Richie’s second timeout at the 3:52 mark of the first quarter, the Dragons came out in a 1-3-1 zone, the Knights started missing jumpers and the team from Southern California suddenly couldn’t guard the Dragons out on the perimeter, most notably junior guards Elijah Hardy and Naseem Gaskins.
The duo combined for 50 points, with the slick and left-handed Hardy bagging 29 of them.
The Dragons gained their first lead with about two minutes to go in the first half and were in front, 35-30, at intermission.
Gaskin hit Hardy for a bucket to put O’Dowd up 19 (at 60-41) with 5:22 to go but, even as some of those in the crowd began escaping into the cold and wet East Bay Saturday night, the Knight rapidly starting cutting into that seemingly insurmountable deficit.
But then Schakel (all 11 of his points in the fourth quarter) and Thompson started heating up, and O’Dowd beginning missing free throws and hoisting some ill-advised shots.
And suddenly Schakel, after being fouled by Hardy while missing and attempt from behind the arc, was at the free-throw line with his team trailing by seven points with 1:27 to go.
His swished all three attempts to get the Knights to within 65-61.
But Hawkins (who came off the bench to score10 points and grab seven rebounds) almost single-handily put the brakes to the frantic rally.
He was fouled with 1:16 remaining and hit both free throws and Thompson missed on a driving attempt at the other end.
With the shot clock about to sound, Hawkins then tossed in jump hook for an eight-point edge and that was about that.
In the other six games:
Roseville Woodcreek 80, Newark Memorial 52: The host school’s team ran up against a squad touted as one of the very best squads in NorCal and the Jordan Brown-led Timberwolves looked every bit the part of that tag.
The 6-9 Brown overcame early turnover issues (he finished with five, four of those in the fierst half) to score 25 points while being credited with 25 rebounds, three assists and a couple of blocks.
His fellow four starters also scored in double figures, with junior forward credited Chris Cagle credited with 12 rebounds to go with his 11 points.
Five-seven guard Decaurey Brown scored 28 points for the Cougars, 21 of those in the first half.
Sacramento Capital Christian 82, Mission Hills Alemany 71 (ot): Junior Zachary Chappell helped his team overcome a 14-point deficit in the second half with a 38-point and nine-rebound performance in the first of the two games pitting teams from the northern and southern portions of California.
Chappell’s two free throws with 8.2 seconds to go in the fourth quarter tied the score at 65, the Warriors bobbled a pass exchange near mid-court but Capital Christian couldn’t get off a potential game-winning shot in time, send things in the four-minute OT.
Junior guard D.J. McDonald led Alemany with 31 points, hitting five of 13 attempts from behind the arc..
Hayward Moreau Catholic 72, Reedley Immanuel 63: Grand Canyon University-bound guard Damari Milstead scored 27 points with seven rebounds, five assists and three steals for help one of NorCal’s top teams ease by defending Central Section D-I champion Immanuel.
Kyree Walker, considered by some the No. 1 freshman in California, chipped in with 27 points, nine rebounds and three assists for Moreau Catholic.
Forward Darrin Person, who signed with Cal State Bakersfield earlier this month, led Immanuel with 22 points and 10 rebounds.
Sacramento Christian Brothers 70, Berkeley 59: Six-seven junior Elias King led the winners with 18 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and four blocked shots. Senior forward Sean Spikes had a game-high 22 points with five rebounds, two blocked shots and two steals for Berkeley.
Dublin 75, Los Lomas 64: Senior Steve Houston and junior Jack Nielsen combined for 29 points and 22 rebounds for the winners, who also got 14 points, three rebounds and two assists from highly touted freshman guard Robby Beasley in his high school debut.
Danville Monte Vista 68, Vallejo St. Patricks-St. Vincent 58: Monte Vista got double-figuring scoring from four players, led by Austin Fadal’s 18 points. Fadal also had seven rebounds and three assists.
Decaurey Brown is not 5’7 he is 5’11 why does he keep getting listed as 5’7 and 5’8 please correct it thank you
Maybe it has something to do with the program sold at Decaurey’s school for the Prep to Prep Classic, listed him at 5’8″….maybe you should take your complaints to your own school to get it changed…
After all…they don’t let us measure the players before the game….we have to rely on the program…