Boys basketball
The East Bay Athletic League champion won’t be decided until the league tournament, which begins the week after next.
But the race for seeding continues.
With league officials having voted this month to condense the regular-season schedule to a single round-robin as teams struggled to make up games postponed by the COVID surge, each game has taken on a greater significance.
Who will be the tournament’s top seed, which means home games potentially through the championship?
Dublin and De La Salle kept their hopes alive Thursday night.
Dublin, playing at home, turned back San Ramon Valley 59-54 to improve to 12-4 overall and 5-1 in the EBAL.
De La Salle, playing on the road, toppled Monte Vista 49-35 to elevate its record to 15-4, 4-2.
Each team has three games left.
Dougherty Valley, which did not play Thursday, is 5-1 in the league, tied with Dublin atop the standings. The teams are scheduled to meet Tuesday at Dougherty Valley, which is ranked second by the Bay Area News Group.
No. 5 De La Salle opened its league schedule with losses to Dougherty Valley and California. But its four-game league winning streak includes a victory at home over No. 13 Dublin.
DLS closes its league schedule against Foothill, San Ramon Valley and Granada. SRV, ranked 16th, is 4-2 in league play and has a win over Dougherty Valley.
On the court Thursday, Donovan Cooks had 21 points, four rebounds and four assists and Courtney Anderson Jr. added 19 points, five rebounds and five steals as Dublin held off SRV.
The Gaels led 35-27 at halftime and 49-34 through three quarters. But SRV charged back in the final quarter, outscoring Dublin 20-10.
Michael Reeve (16 points), Mason Thomas (14 points) and Seamus Deely (13 points) scored in double figures for SRV, which fell to 10-5 overall.
In De La Salle’s victory, Alec Blair had 18 points and Johnny Semany finished with 14 to lead the Spartans.
MORE HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS
- Basketball: Bay Area News Group boys, girls rankings
- Thursday report: Northgate’s late rally not enough to top No. 1 Campolindo
- Wednesday report: Mitty girls heat up late to beat St. Ignatius in WCAL showdown
- Tuesday report: Wedemeyer football game returns after one-year COVID pause
- Monday report: WCAL won’t have an undefeated boys basketball champ
“We were not good in (the) first half, give them credit, they had us out of sorts on offense,” DLS coach Marcus Schroeder said in a text. “Second half some things broke loose for us offensively. We defended well for the most part the entire night.”
In other EBAL action, No. 15 Granada rolled on the road over Amador Valley 70-40 as the Matadors improved to 12-5, 4-3. Amador is 9-7, 1-3.
Elsewhere
No. 14 Moreau Catholic breezed past Newark Memorial 75-46 to remain unbeaten in Mission Valley Athletic League play. Trey Knight (21 points, 10 assists), Robert Morgan (14 points) and Matthew Villanueva (12 points, 10 rebounds) led the Mariners, who are 16-4, 8-0. Newark is 4-14, 2-6. … No. 20 Los Altos turned back Santa Clara 58-46 to run its record to 15-3 overall and 6-1 in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League’s De Anza Division.
Girls basketball
Forty-point game
California senior Kelly Tumlin had herself a game, finishing with a season-high 40 points on 16-of-25 shooting as the Grizzlies cruised on the road past Foothill 65-32 in EBAL play.
Tumlin is averaging 22.5 points per game.
California improved to 8-9, 2-3. Foothill is 4-13, 1-5.
No. 7 San Ramon Valley 72, Dublin 28
San Ramon Valley set the stage for its showdown Saturday night at home against No. 1 Carondelet, stretching its winning streak to 15 games with a rout of Dublin.
Sadie Carter (11 points, four assists, three steals), Anneka Lupinek (10 points, six rebounds) and Sierra Chambers (10 points, five rebounds) led the Wolves, who improved to 17-2, 7-0. Dublin is 9-8, 2-4.
Elsewhere
No. 9 Moreau Catholic improved to 15-3 overall and 8-0 in the MVAL with a 63-20 victory at Newark Memorial. Moreau visits No. 5 Pinewood on Saturday. … No. 13 Granada bounced back from a loss this week to SRV to beat Amador Valley 61-37. Granada plays host to No. 1 Carondelet tonight. … No. 17 Evergreen Valley continued its dominant run through the Blossom Valley Athletic League’s Mt. Hamilton Division, winning at Leland 41-25. Sophia Williams (21 points) and Ryka Aprameyan (10 points) led Evergreen, which improved to 16-1, 6-0. Leland is 5-12, 0-5. … No. 18 Pinole Valley won at home over St. Patrick-St. Vincent 61-50, improving to 14-4 overall and 4-0 in the Tri-County Athletic League’s Rock Division. SPSV is 7-4, 0-2.
Football
Recruiting update
Most of the Bay Area’s top high school football players made college commitments official in the early December signing period. De La Salle defensive back Zeke Berry signed with Michigan. Menlo-Atherton receiver Jalen Moss signed with Fresno State.
The list went on.
But San Ramon Valley offensive lineman Jackson Brown and Serra athlete Hassan Mahasin did not sign.
That will change next week as both players told the Bay Area News Group on Thursday that they will put pen to paper on Wednesday, the traditional football signing day.
Among seniors, Brown is ranked No. 52 in the state, according to 247Sports.
The first-team all-Bay Area News Group selection has 31 offers, including Cal.
“I do plan to sign on Wednesday with a school. I’ll announce that day,” Brown said in a Twitter message.
Mahasin is ranked 60th in the state by 247 among seniors.
Coming off an ACL tear he suffered in October, the Bay Area News Group’s player of the year last spring has 10 offers but remains committed to San Diego State, according to 247.
