Get to the Classic

Kevin McCarthy
 

There has been a dry period of basketball games but a remedy is on the horizon for those wanting to see offenses actually run and determined defense being played. Anyone in need of such a hoops fix can have their cravings more than filled November 28 with The Third Annual Nor Cal Tip-Off Classic to be held at Newark Memorial High.

Derek Swafford, Sacramento High Coach

The starting times for the games run from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. so even those with work or chores to complete can do so and still make it to all or most of the contests. The team matchups are:

Game 1: 11:00 a.m. - Tennyson (Hayward) vs. Analy (Sebastopol)

Seniors 6-foot-7 Lavonte Calvin and 6-foot-2 Julian Powers, the latter who scored 11 points per game respectively for Tennyson last season, are both back for Coach Damon Jones. Analy finished 27-7 last season and 5-foot-8 junior backcourter Max Fuji returns as does 6-foot-2 senior senior Kevin Aronis for the Tigers. Fuji led Analy in scoring at 14 points per game while Aronis is the best shooter on the squad.

Game 2: 12:30 p.m. - Modesto Christian vs. Castlemont (Oakland)

Modesto Christian went 23-9 in 2008-2009 and, although Reeves Nelson has moved on to UCLA, 6-foot-5 Johnny Hutton is back bringing 17 points per game with the likelihood of that average going much higher. John Green, the frontrunner this season for the most valuable player selection in the Oakland Athletic League, leads Castlemont. Look for him to average a double-double this season. 6-foot-2 junior Deveraux Manley is also a Knight to watch.

Game 3: 2:15 p.m. - Buchanan (Fresno) vs. St. Patrick’s (Vallejo)

6-foot-3 senior Jackson Carbajal, newly verbaled to Sacramento State, is Buchanan’s top performer, aided by 6-foot-2 sophomore Alex Fertig. Both are deluxe shooters who will lead the Bears from the backcourt. St. Patricks/St. Vincent’s Robbie Herndon scored 16 points per game last season as a 6-foot-1 sophomore while the Bruins finished 18-10.

Game 4: 3:45 p.m. - Oakland vs. Miramonte (Orinda)

Oakland High’s best players last year were underclassmen but both Dominique Taplin and T.J. Taylor are juniors now and looking to make some noise in the win-loss department. Each already has an agreement with Santa Clara for a basketball scholarship. Taplin scored 15 points a game and Taylor 17 last go-around-- expect those numbers to climb. Another solid backcourter, David Douglas has moved over from St. Elizabeth. Miramonte finished 24-6 in 2008-2009 and, while Eric Obeysekere has left for Holy Cross, senior Chris Hatfield and his 17 points per game returns along with 6-foot-5 Spenser McDonald and top assist man Davis Louie.

Game 5: 5:30 p.m. - St. Joseph’s (Alameda) vs. University (San Francisco)

Juniors Brendan Keane and Jacari Whitfield, 6-foot-9 and 5-foot-7 respectively, are the big and small leading St. Joseph’s of Alameda, a participant in the state finals in Sacramento last season. They will face Coach Randy Bessolo’s Red Devils who finished 23-7 last go-around. 6-foot-3 Noah Springwater leads for University after participating in the 18th Annual Maccabiah Games in Israel this summer.

Game 6: 7:00 p.m. - Newark Memorial (Newark) vs. Castro Valley

Newark Memorial’s Khion Sankey stands 6-foot-4 but backs down to nobody inside, 5-10 Casey Norris runs the squad from the point and Salesian transfer Kendall Andrews at 6-foot-3 will be a great asset for Craig Ashmore’s Cougars, who went 27-6 last season. Castro Valley may miss the graduated Rashad Parker but still boasts the junior threesome of 6-foot-6 Juan Anderson, 6-foot-3 Chris Read and 6-foot Rodrick Bobbitt. That’s a load of athleticism and firepower for a team that went 23-5 in 2008-2009.

Game 7: 8:30 p.m. - St. Mary’s (Berkeley) vs. Sacramento

This is the heavyweight championship battle of the night.

Derek Swafford’s Sacramento Dragons finished last season at 27-6 and equaling or bettering that record is not far-fetched. 5-foot-8 Travon Abraham leads the attack and has already committed to Rice. 6-foot-8 senior Will Davis and 6-10 junior Robert Garrett provide lofty targets for Abraham. Coach Manny Nodar’s Panthers -- 28-6 in 2008-2009 -- are minus Chris Brew and Aalim Moor but The Brotherhood of Lees, Dominique (a Utah commit) and Demetrius, are back for their senior season as is 6-foot-2 sophomore Glenn Baral and diminutive senior point Justin Pollard.

So get on over to Newark just after Thanksgiving and welcome in the 2009-2010 basketball season.