Bay Area boys basketball preview: Rankings, players to watch, more
Who’s No. 1?
When the pandemic hit 13 months ago, Bishop O’Dowd was getting ready to play Sheldon (Sacramento) for the Northern California Open Division championship and Campolindo had just won the NorCal Division I title over De La Salle to advance to a state championship game. O’Dowd stars Marsalis Roberson and Jalen Lewis are back, as are Campolindo standouts Aidan Mahaney and Emmanuel Callas. Campolindo has already beaten Salesian this season, without Mahaney (ankle). But O’Dowd was the Bay Area’s best team at the end of last season, winning the inaugural North Coast Section Open Division title and a road game against Archbishop Mitty in the regionals. So the Dragons will start in our top spot this spring. That said, get the red Sharpie out and circle May 8 on the calendar: O’Dowd at Campolindo, 6 p.m.
Others in mix
Campolindo could be No. 1 before the end of the spring. The Cougars are that good, a lethal blend of talent and coaching that got even stronger last season after winning a Division II state championship in 2018. They’ve already toppled Bay Area power Salesian, which until last March had been a hurdle for Campo. The victory Saturday was Campo’s second straight over the Richmond private school. … Archbishop Mitty, the reigning Central Coast Section Open Division champion, returns first-team All-WCAL selection Michael Mitchell, as well as 6-7 Nigel Burris. … Archibishop Riordan’s season was called off in the regionals last season because of COVID issues. The Crusaders graduated Jelani Clark and Bryce Monroe but bring back 7-1 Mor Seck and are loaded with talent. … Dublin lost the senior core that led the Gaels to a runner-up finish in the NCS Open Division and semifinals of the NorCal Open regionals last season, including star Anthony Roy. But Tom Costello’s program has reloaded. The JV team went 49-2 the past two seasons and Caleb Oden and T.J. Meagher are back from last season’s varsity, to go with sophomore Courtney Anderson Jr, a transfer from Salesian. … Bellarmine, the CCS Open runner-up in 2020, has possibly the best post player in school history, 6-9 Cornell-bound Ryan Kiachian, to go with senior power forwards Josh Wolf-Bloom and Zach Turner and guard Cole Despie. … De La Salle won the NCS Division I title in 2020 and reached the NorCal D1 final. Miles Daniels, Chris Bunch and Alonzo Washington are back from that team. … Moreau Catholic, which shared the Mission Valley Athletic League title with Washington-Fremont in 2020, brings back a veteran group that includes Trey Knight, Mahda Fallay, Donovan Tynes and Miles Griffin. DJ Johnson has transferred from Moreau to San Leandro.
How’s it going to work?
Good question. Some teams started practice Monday (Dublin, Moreau and James Logan, for instance) while others have already played games. “Everybody’s been in the gym except us,” Logan coach Melvin Easley said Monday night. “They wouldn’t let us in the gym at all. But it’s going to be a fun year. To me, it’s training and learning. It’s going to be like you go to Dougherty Valley for the summertime and hang out outside. They’re not letting us use the locker room, so you’ve got to come dressed. It’s going to be a weird high school season, that’s for sure.” And in the MVAL, home to Logan, Moreau, Newark Memorial and Washington, teams are playing only league games. “The first team we play in 400-and-some days is James Logan at James Logan,” Moreau coach Frank Knight said of the April 28 matchup. “Welcome back. If that doesn’t make you feel good, Friday (April 30) we go to Newark.” Knight knows what those games will be like. “It will start off with it’s a throwaway year, it’s a COVID year, spring, whatever,” Knight said. “The coaches are extremely competitive in this league. Once the games start, I think we’re going to be trying to win. The league is too competitive for that.”
READ MORE: Look here for FAQ about playing basketball amid COVID-19.
What about playoffs?
The Central Coast Section has had spring playoffs on its calendar for months. Given that it’s now OK for teams to travel beyond adjacent counties to play, the section isn’t likely to change course. The CCS playoff dates are June 4 through June 12, with the seeding meeting on June 2. Furthermore, the state CIF office has left open the possibility that there could be regional games for sections that hold playoffs, so there’s a chance the season could stretch beyond June 12. The North Coast Section, which includes O’Dowd, Campolindo, Dublin and De La Salle, has said it will not have playoffs this academic year, so its schools will finish in late May and early June.
Players to watch
Alphabetical order
Jaden Alexander, St. Patrick-St. Vincent, senior
Led the Bruins to the NCS Division III championship last season.
Chris Bunch, De La Salle, junior
Four-star prospect, according to 247Sports, with offers from Florida State and Iowa State.
Nigel Burris, Archbishop Mitty, senior
Three-star prospect (247Sports) with offers from Cal Poly, Montana, UC Santa Barbara and SJSU.
Emmanuel Callas, Campolindo, senior
Had five double-doubles in his junior season while helping Campo win NorCal D1 crown.
Miles Daniels, De La Salle, senior
Chico State commit was an all-Bay Area News Group selection in 2020.
Demarshay Johnson, Jr., Salesian, senior
San Diego State commit is among the standouts at powerhouse Salesian.
Ryan Kiachian, Bellarmine, senior
Gifted talent near the basket, Cornell-bound standout will keep the Bells among the Bay’s best.
Trey Knight, Moreau Catholic, junior
Should have Moreau contending for another MVAL title.
Jalen Lewis, Bishop O’Dowd, sophomore
First-team All-Bay Area News Group as a freshman last season
Aidan Mahaney, Campolindo, junior
So far in high school, he won a state title and was in a position to claim another when COVID hit
Michael Mitchell, Archbishop Mitty, senior
Three-star prospect committed to Pepperdine led Mitty to CCS Open title in 2020.
Caleb Oden, Dublin, senior
Came on strong at end of last season, will have a much larger role this spring.
Marsalis Roberson, Bishop O’Dowd, senior
Reigning Bay Area News Group player of the year is headed to Cal
Mor Seck, Archbishop Riordan, junior
At 7-foot-1, he’s a towering force for a Riordan team that’ll challenge anyone.
Aidan Sevilla, Dougherty Valley, senior
Averaged 14.4 points per game last season, tops among the team’s returners.
Bay Area News Group Top 15
No. 1 Bishop O’Dowd
No. 2 Campolindo
No. 3 Archbishop Mitty
No. 4 Archbishop Riordan
No. 5 Bellarmine
No. 6 Dublin
No. 7 Salesian
No. 8 De La Salle
No. 9 Moreau Catholic
No. 10 Dougherty Valley
No. 11 St. Francis
No. 12 San Leandro
No. 13 St. Patrick-St. Vincent
No. 14 Monte Vista
No. 15 Newark Memorial