DUBLIN – The top-two ranked (by Cal-Hi Sports) boys’ basketball teams in Northern California looked the part Saturday night during their season openers in the eight-game, 14th NorCal Tip-Off Classic at Dublin High.
Moraga Campolindo, which hasn’t lost since the CIF Sectional playoffs in February of 2020, used a 15-zip spurt in the first quarter to take command and then held off the host Gaels in the event’s finale, 50-42.
In the day’s seventh game, Modesto Christian got 29 points from sophomore Jamari Phillips and 27 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals from junior B.J. Davis (pictured) to overpower Fresno powerhouse San Joaquin Memorial, 87-71.
Fresno State-bound JoJo Hunter scored 32 points for the Panthers, who also got 20 points and nine rebounds from junior post Michael Davis.
Campolindo’s mostly superb offensive execution – driven by a terrific collection of screeners, ball-handlers, jump shooters and crafty drivers – and a half-court defense nearly impossible to break down, proved just too much for Dublin to overcome, even after it had trimmed its deficit to four points a couple of times late.
Junior Shane O’Reilly had a game-high 18 points for the Cougars while guard Cade Bennett – son of Saint Mary’s University Coach Randy Bennett – had 10 points and four assists and also played quality defense against Dublin’s best offensive player, 6-foot-4 junior Courtney Anderson.
Anderson scored 17 tediously earned points, nine of those via free throws, six more via high-elevation jump shots an emphatic two more by way of a two-handed dunk from about 13 feet away after a jump stop.
Dublin (which, along with San Joaquin Memorial, is part of the Dec. 27 Classic at Damien field in Southern California) could hook up again with Campolindo in the title game of the Dec. 9-11 Gridley Invitational.
In the other six games:
Oakland Tech 71, Fairfield Vanden 67: The Bulldogs led by 20 points going into the final quarter before holding off a frantic late rush and knock off the Vikings.
Juniors Ahmaree Muhammad (22), Mahlik Smith (16) and Omar Staples (14) combined for all but of the winners’ points while senior forward Takai Emerson-Hardy led Vanden with 19 points and a game-high nine rebounds.
Sacramento Grant 61, San Francisco Riordan 50: Senior guard Jayson Mathews, with 14 points, was one of four Pacers to score in double figures in the wire-to-wire victory.
Sacramento Inderkum 80, Oakland Bishop O’Dowd 54: Juniors Derrick Claxton and Isaiah Chandavong combined for 34 points, eight assists and seven steals as the Tigers cruised after taking a 15-point advantage at intermission.
Concord De La Salle 58, Elk Grove 47: Six-five Alec Blair, among the very best Class of 2025 prospects in all of the west, made his “official” high school debut an impressive one in the third game of the day.
Blair, a standout on the Sacramento Magic 15s club team last spring and summer, scored 16 points to go with 12 rebounds, four assists and three steals as the Spartans made their debut under first-year Head Coach Marcus Schroeder a successful one.
Concord Clayton Valley 72, Stockton Lincoln 53: Six-four Jeremiah Dargan – of the better non-signed/non-committed college prospects in the NorCal Class of 2022 – scored 28 points, including 12 in the first quarter, as the Eagles cruised from Jump Street.
Six-six Miles Byrd (who signed with San Diego State earlier this month) got into quick foul problems and struggled to establish any offensive rhythm while missing 11 of his 14 shots from the field while finishing with nine points.
Dougherty Valley 92, Woodside Priory 59: Junior guard Ryan Beasley scored 44 points – 26 of those after intermission – to lead the Wildcats in the first game of the morning.
Beasley’s brother, Robby, is a sophomore guard at the University of Montana.
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