OAKLAND, CA – The second day of Bishop O’Dowd’s first MLK Classic produced five winning teams and also spread a message to all the players and fans privileged to participate.
Bishop O’Dowd triumphs over Edison
Bishop O’Dowd staked an early lead and held off Edison, 58-47. Jada Holland led the Dragons (7-9) with 12 points and five assists, while Zakiya Mahoney had a monster game in the post – despite only scoring seven points she grabbed 16 rebounds and had four steals and four assists. Edison’s standout point guard Celeste Almendarez tallied 11 points, eight steals, six rebounds, three assists, and a block. Sydney Buckley provided additional offense with 12 points for the Vikings (12-4).
“An Open team would have put them away,” Bishop O’Dowd coach Malik McCord said. “We have to learn how to put teams away. As soon as we got up by about 22 we relaxed, and you can never relax in a game.”
A fast-paced game saw Bishop O’Dowd get out to a 27-17 halftime lead and in the third quarter the Dragons had the contest in hand as they started the fourth up 45-27. Edison battled back, closing to within six with 1:50 remaining. The Vikings failed to score again, however, and Lexi Love hit a key three-pointer to put the game out of reach.
“We just turned it on and picked it up a little too late,” Edison coach Diondre Hawthorne commented. “We want to play the best of the best. Bishop O’Dowd despite their record is one of the best teams in California.”
Nine different Dragons earned a mark in the scoring column. Kennedy Johnson, a 5’11” freshman, added six points, seven rebounds, and two blocks. For Edison, Jailah Williams had seven points and nine rebounds.
Woodside Priory too much for Brookside Christian
Tatiana Reese registered 17 points and eight rebounds, and Ila Lane and Gabby Ruiz also had key performances as Woodside Priory defeated Brookside Christian, 51-36. The Panthers held a modest six-point halftime lead, but outscored the Knights by seven in the third and held it the rest of the way.
“Now we’re on a nice little win streak, our confidence is back,” Priory coach Buck Matthews said. “December was chaotic [mentioning injuries, a flu bug, and two deaths within the Priory community]. My group is resilient.”
Lane gobbled up 17 rebounds to go with four points and two assists, and Ruiz tallied nine points, three rebounds, and three assists. Dominique Robson tacked on 10 points for Woodside Priory (6-9).
“Just being a complete team has brought us together and we’re starting to get chemistry,” Reese said. “Our motto is ‘Whatever it takes’ and recently we’ve been looking at passing a good shot for a great shot.”
Chanel Stuart, Akaylah Jones, and Ashlyn Lockard had nine points apiece for Brookside Christian (7-10). A scary moment occurred near the end of the third when Stuart hit her head on the floor, tried to get up, and fell back down. O’Dowd and Brookside Christian personnel attended to the senior guard, and she returned later in the fourth.
Heritage wins low-scoring affair
It wasn’t pretty, but Heritage came away with a 37-27 victory against Sacramento. Mikaila Wegenke’s three-pointer with 4:25 to go in the first quarter was the first score for either side; with a minute to go until halftime she was the Patriots’ leading scorer with seven. In the third, the teams scored just six points total. Heritage (9-5) outscored Sacramento (9-8) by seven in the second and eight in the fourth.
Other results
Eastside Prep (12-4) defeated Mt. Eden (11-7), 58-32. Zion Gabriel led her team in scoring for the second straight game (the Panthers also picked up a win in the Classic on Saturday) with 17, including 12 off three-pointers, and Kayla Tahaafe and freshman Amira Brown chipped in nine points apiece.
In the day’s first game, St. Mary’s-Berkeley (6-13) fell to Modesto Christian (9-5), 43-40.
MLK honored in unique ways
As they did on Saturday, Bishop O’Dowd invited players from all teams to step up to the mic and share a reading with the crowd. Before their game with Edison, Zakiya Mahoney read the Maya Angelou poem “Equality” and Skylar McGlockton recited a Barack Obama speech. A student then sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing” (commonly known as the “Black American National Anthem”). Players from Heritage and Sacramento also chose readings before their game.
A multitude of pictures of Martin Luther King Jr., often accompanied by quotes, were hung around the gym. In between games, typical warm-up music was eschewed in favor of classic feel-good tunes from the 1960’s and 70’s. Fans could purchase commemorative T-shirts at a nominal cost. At the end of each game, players wore these shirts and came together for a photo. Coaches, players, and refs were treated to a delicious buffet each day. All in all, it was a fine production by the folks at Bishop O’Dowd and a fitting tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. Players and coaches agreed.
“It’s an honor to be here,” Reese stated. “Martin Luther King is someone I look up to as a role model. In middle school I remember memorizing the “I Have a Dream” speech. And I’m just thankful to be able to show our talent and represent a guy that represents African-American rights.”
“I felt unity being together with people from all different races, all different locations,” Mahoney said. “I feel connected, to be able to bond with people with the game that we love.”
“I think (Malik) honored MLK very well,” Matthews added. “The hospitality was great. It’s bigger than basketball.”
“I thought it’d be great to support another African-American coach, to stay together and unify and come to this event,” Hawthorne stated.
“We’ve gotten nothing but positive feedback,” McCord reflected. “I wanted to make sure we planted that seed so hopefully others can grow and do it for the right reasons, not just basketball. Basketball’s just entertainment, but let’s remember why we’re here today. They’re going to compete but the energy feels so much different.”
