DUBLIN, Calif. – There were four marquee games at the 14th Annual NorCal Tip-Off Classic involving preseason state ranked teams and four other solid matchups last Saturday at Dublin High. Two of each was covered in the first feature on Northern California’s premiere boys’ basketball showcase produced by former college coach and current scout Gerry Freitas. In the second feature we have recaps of the other four games
Modesto Christian looks very solid in battle of top teams
Many of the assembled media and college coaches thought Cal-Hi Sports No. 6 ranked Modesto Christian would get a bigger tussle from No. 15 ranked San Joaquin Memorial-Fresno, but it was not the case.
Modesto Christian (1-0) and its two high profile DI college recruits, Jamari Phillips and BJ Davis, were in control from the start in an impressive 87-71 victory.
Phillips, a 6-3 sophomore that is a 4-Star ESPN recruit, led the way with a game-high 29 points (4-of-7 on 3-pointers), but Davis had the better all-around game, a criterion for Player of the Game honors. The mid-level DI recruit snagged the award after finishing with 27 points (3-of-6 on 3-pointers), six rebounds, six assists, and four steals.
The two Modesto Christian stars had help from three mid-level DI prospects. Manasse Itete (12 points, six rebounds), a 6-6 sophomore, gave the Crusaders some rugged inside play. The other two were 6-4 sophomore Ty Virgil (nine points, six rebounds) and 6-10 junior Price Oseya (eight points, six rebounds, two blocks). Their combined efforts pretty much nullified the 32-point performance of 6-6 Fresno State committed senior Joseph Hunter and the 20 points of mid-level junior prospect Michael Davis.
Modesto Christian jumped out to a 22-15 first quarter lead that stretched to 66-47 at the end of three quarters, and got to 22 points at one point in the fourth before head coach Brice Fantazia brought in some players off the bench.
San Joaquin Memorial (1-1) was the better team at the foul line going 16-of-19, but were outrebounded by NorCal’s No. 2 ranked team behind Campolindo, 41-27.
New look Clayton Valley wins handily
With the pandemic wreaking havoc on a shortened spring basketball season during the 2020-21 school year, and with no playoffs, the hiring of Frank Allocco Jr. as the head coach at Clayton Valley-Concord went a little under the radar despite the Ugly Eagles compiling a respectable 12-3 record.
His star Jeremiah Dargan, a 6-5 senior wing that transferred to De La Salle last year and helped Clayton Valley to the record by averaging 18.7 points and 8.9 rebounds a game, was not getting much attention either.
That all changed at the NorCal Tip-Off Classic after Dargan’s performance in front of coaches, scouts and analysts when he was named the Player of the Game in the Ugly Eagles impressive 72-53 victory over Lincoln-Stockton and its 6-7 San Diego State-committed senior guard Myles Byrd. Dargan had a game high 26 points (3-of-5 on 3-pointers) with eight rebounds, three blocks and three steals. Byrd’s nine points wasn’t even team high.
“Nothing Jeremiah did on Saturday surprised me,” said Allocco in a Monday morning interview. “It was a normal day at the office for him.”
As for interest picking up, according to Allocco Jr. he doesn’t have any offers but “he will soon.”
“I knew once the season started, and even in the last couple of days interest has picked up,” continued Allocco Jr., the son of legendary former Northgate-Walnut Creek and De La Salle head coach Frank Allocco.
Clayton Valley took it to Lincoln (1-1) right from the start and led 30-20 after one quarter, 45-27 at the half, and 63-38 after three quarters before Allocco junior got some bench players into the game.
Jake King, a 6-5 junior wing that wasn’t on the list of college prospects supplied by Freitas, finished with 16 points and seven rebounds.
“Coming off the Covid problems in the spring where we had limited games and lack of practice makes it hard to gauge where we are and what to expect this season,” Allocco said. But we’ve got a ton of talent and the potential to do some damage.”
Oakland Tech holds on to beat Vanden
In what can be considered a mild upset Oakland Tech (2-0) was a 71-67 winner over Cal-Hi Sports preseason No. 33 Vanden-Fairfield, but it turned out to be a nail-biter after looking like Tech might win easily.
Oakland Tech (2-0) led 43-24 at halftime and 61-41 after three quarters but Vanden turned it up a notch and had it down to a four point deficit with 26.1 seconds remaining, but Ahmaree Muhammad iced the game for the Bulldogs with two free throws with 22.6 seconds remaining.
Muhammad, a 5-9 junior with some mid-level interest, was named Player of the Game after finishing with 20 points. Mahlik Smith, a 6-0 junior with D2 level interest, added 18 points.
Takai Emerson-Hardy, a 6-7 senior with mid-level interest, led Vanden ((0-1) with 19 points.
Dougherty Valley blows past Woodside Priory
The opening game of the NorCal Tip-Off Classic was over early after Dougherty Valley-San Ramon ran away and his from Woodside Priory-Portola Valley in a 92-59 victory that wasn’t even that close
Dougherty Valley (2-0) led 24-14 after one quarter, 49-27 at the half and 76-43 after three quarters in a game that briefly went to a running clock in the final period.
Ryan Beasley, a 5-9 junior with some D1 interest, was named Player of the Game. Beasley, the little brother of for Dougherty Valley star and current Montana guard Robby Beasley, couldn’t quite set the Tip-Off scoring record but he certainly filled the stat sheet with 44 points, eight rebounds, six assists and six steals. The 44 points did not surpass the 52 points of Kendall Smith of Deer Valley in 2012, but that that was in a game that went to double overtime.
Conner Sevilla, a 6-0 junior with D2 interest, added 20 points for Dougherty Valley.
Steve Emeneke, a 6-9 sophomore center/forward with D1 interest, led Woodside Priory with 14 points.
