Jeff Faraudo with a great article on prep schools

A tip o' the hat to Jeff Faraudo for this piece:

Prep schools aren't slam dunk for everyone
Jeff Faraudo
Oakland Tribune
3/29/2010

For Saint Mary's College guard Wayne Hunter, the prep school experience was cold, distant and lonely.

"I went to the other side of the country. I was in the middle of nowhere. And I'd never been in the snow, so I was wearing big coats and three sweaters," Hunter said of his year at Bridgton Prep in Maine. "But I wouldn't trade it for the world."

By the time Cal's Jorge Gutierrez made his way to Findlay Prep outside Las Vegas, he already had survived the much bigger move from his hometown of Chihuahua, Mexico, to high school in Colorado.

"It was faster, bigger players ... almost like college," Gutierrez said. "It was great."

The experience was more complicated — and much briefer — for Jabari Brown, who is now at Oakland High...

Go here for the remainder.

Tyler Goslinga receives an honor

Ripon Christian 'big' Tyler Goslinga has received an award:

Center of attention
RC rode post presence to deep playoff run
Jagada Chambers
Manteca Bulletin
March 29, 2010

Four years ago, Tyler Goslinga knew that he wanted to become a better basketball player.
Sure Ripon Christian has always been a fixture for having a dominant big-man, but Goslinga wanted to be more. He wanted the titles, the points, the rebounds, the awards and of course a Sac-Joaquin Section championship. After years of putting in the work to substantiate being the best, the fruition was evident during his season-long brilliance for the section runner-up Knights.

Goslinga, The Bulletin’s All-Area Boys Basketball MVP, led Ripon Christian to a 22-8 record and a berth into the California Interscholastic Federation State boys Championships. The towering Ripon Christian post-presence averaged a double-double, scoring 20.4 points per game and pulling down 11 rebounds...

Go here for the remainder.

Your Saturday state championship games links

Here is Mitch Stephens on the Newark falling to Westchester matchup.

Stephens also offers game writeups on the BOD and Branson losses.

Jimmy Durkins provides a lengthy game report on the Newark Memorial loss.

Ben Enos is ditto with the Bishop O'Dowd - Serra contest.

Eric Sondheimer/Los Angeles Times got the workout yesterday with articles on Westchester - Newark Memorial, Serra over BOD and LaVerne Luteran vs. Branson.

A couple more state championship links

CalHiSports has some good writeups on yesterday's state championship games. Go here.

Here is the Price - St. Mary's game report from the Los Angeles Times.

St. Francis falls to Lincoln

St. Francis can't stop fast Lincoln, falls in state final
Dennis Knight
Mercury News
3/26/2010

BAKERSFIELD — The St. Francis basketball team made a name for itself this year playing a game defined by speed and skill, but its season ended Friday night against a Lincoln-San Diego team with athleticism and quickness that the Lancers couldn't match.

Lincoln rolled to a 74-59 win in the Division II state championship game at Rabobank Arena after jumping out to an early lead and never looking back...

Go here for the remainder.

St. Mary's falls to Price

St. Mary's High boys fall to Los Angeles' Price in Division IV state final
Ben Enos
Oakland Tribune
3/26/2010

St. Mary's High boys basaketball coach Manny Nodar couldn't help but crack a small smile when asked about the impact Price-Los Angeles forward Richard Solomon had in Friday's California Interscholastic Federation Division IV state title game.

"I chuckle because people told me he didn't like to play in the post," Nodar said.

The Cal-bound post player scored 22 points and dominated the interior, helping the Knights pick up a 69-51 win over the Panthers in the first game of the day at Bakersfield's Rabobank Arena...

Go here for the remainder.

Newark Memorial faces its biggest challenge

Will Westchester know where Newark is after the game?

Defense and effort keys for Newark Memorial
Mitch Stephens, Special to The Chronicle
March 26, 2010

Folks around Los Angeles - where Westchester High School boys basketball players call home - aren't exactly familiar with the city of Newark, where their state finals Division I opponent Newark Memorial is located.

"We know it's in the Bay Area somewhere," said Westchester senior guard Jordin Mayes.

The Cougars, who take on Westchester at Robobank Arena on Saturday, play as if they're from Newark, N.J...

Go here for the remainder.

St. Mary's has become more than the Lees

Coach Manny Nodar has always been able to count on Dominique and Demetrius Lee and now Justin Pollard plus Glenn Baral have also stepped up. Let's hope the norcal bunch can bring the trophy home.

St. Mary's boys basketball team in state final today against Price
Ben Enos
Oakland Tribune
3/25/2010

For St. Mary's High boys basketball coach Manny Nodar, the defining moment came in the fourth quarter of a win against Cloverdale on Feb. 27. Trailing by two with just over two minutes to play, the Panthers rallied for a 64-60 win in front of a partisan Eagles crowd.

"Up to that game, as a coach our biggest concern was we wouldn't be able to hold our composure offensively. We'd take quick shots and panic," Nodar said. "In those last two minutes, it was perfection from a coach's perspective. There were certain signs where this team was coming together."

Nobody's questioning St. Mary's (26-9) now, as it gets set to play Price-Los Angeles for the California Interscholastic Federation Division IV state title today at 1:30 p.m. at Bakersfield's Rabobank Arena. Two wins over rival Salesian have given the Panthers both the North Coast Section and CIF Northern regional crowns, and now they'll try their luck at securing the state's biggest prize.

One big reason for St. Mary's postseason prowess is the emergence of Glenn Baral and Justin Pollard...

Go here for the remainder.

Kendall Andrews, Newark Memorial get some love

State-final trips are old hat to Newark Memorial's Kendall Andrews
Carl Steward
Oakland Tribune
3/24/2010

Kendall Andrews has a knack for being in the right place at the right time. That was apparent a year ago when his close-range bank shot with two-tenths of a second left gave Salesian High its first state basketball title.

But now, Andrews qualifies as a certified good-luck charm. Even though he is just a junior, the 6-foot-4 forward is making his second consecutive trip to a state championship game. If that isn't rare enough, this time he's doing it at a different school — Newark Memorial, which plays Westchester-Los Angeles on Saturday night for the Division I boys title in Bakersfield.

Andrews grew up in the Fremont area, and after two years of making the tough daily commute to Salesian in Richmond, he decided it was time to stay close to home to go to school. In the fall, just before the start of the school year, he enrolled at Newark to play football and basketball...

Go here for the remainder.

A local feature on the St. Francis win over Woodcreek

St. Francis reaches Division II state final in dramatic style
Dennis Knight
Mercury News
3/20/2010

SACRAMENTO — St. Francis senior Patrick Crowley watched the ball carom off the rim with time running out. Seeing the Lancers' season flash before his eyes, he grabbed the rebound, but Woodcreek's 6-foot-11 Mike Kurtz stood in his way.

Crowley's pump fake earned an open look, and he swished a 7-footer at the buzzer to give the Lancers a heart-stopping 48-47 victory in the Northern California Division II final at Arco Arena on Saturday.

St. Francis (30-3) will play in its first state final since 2002 when the Lancers face Lincoln-San Diego at 8 p.m. Friday at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield...

Go here for the remainder.

A feature on the Sac Dragons program

Bright future casts light on dreary day for Sac High coach
Ailene Voisin
Sacramento Bee
March 21, 2010

Derek Swafford is sleep deprived as it is. As the dean of students at Sacramento High School, a counselor and teacher at Sacramento City College, and coach of the Dragons' boys basketball team that came within two minutes of reaching the CIF Division III state championship, he doesn't have time to count sheep.

He counts layups, rebounds, free throws.

He tracks grades and attendance.

He even maintains a list of colleges pursuing highly regarded junior Josiah Turner, the latest in an expanding list of talented past and present prospects from Sac High, including San Diego State's Chase Tapley...

Go here for the remainder.

St. Mary's over Salesian

Was this an upset? We think so even though it makes two in a row for the Panthers but, of course, that doesn't matter because this was for the NorCal marbles:

St. Mary's now holds upper hand over Salesian
Jimmy Durkin
Oakland Tribune
3/20/2010

FOLSOM — The first win wasn't a fluke.

St. Mary's High proved that Saturday by beating Salesian 54-50 in overtime to capture the California Interscholastic Federation Division IV Northern regional boys basketball title at Folsom High. The victory was the second for the Panthers over their chief rival after nearly two years of playing second fiddle to the defending state champions.

St. Mary's beat Salesian 52-49 to win the North Coast Section championship game March 6...

Go here for the remainder.

It's Newark Memorial over DLS

Newark Memorial just grinds up opponents, despite not having a D-1 talent on the roster:

Newark Memorial is NorCal Division I king
Ben Enos
Oakland Tribune
3/20/2010

SACRAMENTO — Once the California Interscholastic Federation Northern regional Division I playoffs started, the Newark Memorial High boys basketball team recommitted itself to playing the kind of defense that wins titles.

Saturday, it brought the Cougars that crown they've been looking for all season.

A prolific third quarter of defensive play gave the Cougars enough of a cushion to withstand a furious late charge by De La Salle and send Newark Memorial to the CIF state title game with a 58-49 win at Arco Arena in Sacramento...

Go here for the remainder.

St. Francis over Woodcreek 48-47

A last second shot did the trick:

St. Francis buzzer-beater beats Woodcreek in NorCal D-II title game
Bill Paterson
Sacramento Bee
March 20, 2010

The magical run of Woodcreek's "Cardiac Kids" came to an end today at Arco Arena.

Patrick Crowley's 7-footer at the buzzer lifted second-seeded St. Francis of Mountain View (30-3) to a 48-47 win over the fourth-seeded Timberwolves (28-6) in the CIF Northern Regional Division II boys championship game...

Go here for the remainder.

Here are a series of Sac Bee game photos, including one just after the conclusion.

BOD over Sacramento 57-50

It was the Dragons versus the Dragons and the Bay Area firebreathers finished ahead at the end:

Bishop O'Dowd overcomes turnovers, shooting woes to beat Sacramento, win NorCal Division III boys title
Jimmy Durkin
Oakland Tribune
3/20/2010

SACRAMENTO — Early foul trouble for Brandon Ashley, poor free throw shooting and 25 turnovers isn't typically a good sign for the Bishop O'Dowd High boys basketball team.

A dominant effort on the glass was the great equalizer though as O'Dowd beat Sacramento 57-50 Saturday in the California Interscholastic Federation Division III Northern regional championship game.

"You try not to take it for granted because it's a hard thing to do," O'Dowd coach Doug Vierra said of his team's 57-28 rebounding advantage. "For us to win that battle, it's huge. It's the difference in the game..."

Go here for the remainder.

Here's Bill Paterson/Sacramento Bee with his early game report.

Here are a number of game photos from the Sacramento Bee.