OAKLAND — Everything about Saturday’s Tri-County Athletic League Rock Division championship game felt special.
The game took place at the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts in Oakland on a Nike-branded court that had all the bells and whistles. The 2,000-seat venue had a Halo video board that illuminated the dark court like a spotlight. A DJ and an emcee kept the packed crowd alive while the storied East Bay league held its championship game.
In the end, there couldn’t have been a more special team to hoist the league banner.
Salesian dominated from start to finish as the Pride defeated St. Mary’s-Berkeley 71-38 to capture the TCAL Rock Division crown.
Salesian junior Elias Obenyah had a game-high 16 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out six assists. Junior forward Carlton Perrilliat added 10 points, five rebounds and two steals.
“I think we just kind of started to wear them down a little bit,” Salesian coach Bill Mellis said. “They had to play three games this week. We knew that. So, we wanted to get the game up tempo, and if we could get some steals, which we did.”
Salesian’s championship win capped off Nike’s All-Star Weekend Future Game showcase that showcased the likes of basketball powerhouses Montverde Academy and Utah Prep as well as local high schools such as Bishop O’Dowd, Oakland Tech and Alameda. NBA superstars Kyrie Irving and Victor Wembanyama made cameos on Friday.
Saturday’s game was the third time the two teams matched up this season. St. Mary’s gave Salesian two competitive league games this season even in losses – something Salesian hasn’t seen from a league opponent in years. But Salesian was motivated to not make this game close.
“In this game, we came out with more physicality and intensity,” Obenyah said. “We took it upon ourselves to not let them beat us and we had to fight back.”
After taking a four-point lead into the second quarter, Salesian put its foot on the gas to put the game away.
The Pride opened the second quarter with a quick 11-0 run that ended with a 3-pointer from junior Leon Powe. Salesian ended the quarter outscoring St. Mary’s 22-6 to take a 37-17 lead at halftime.
The Panthers used a 7-0 run out of halftime to cut the Salesian lead to 12, but that’s as close as the Berkeley school would get.
Salesian responded with a 19-4 scoring burst to end the quarter and essentially end the game before the fourth period started.
While winning the league title was exciting, Mellis said his team enjoyed the ambiance of Saturday’s game.
State of the art NBA cameras were used to broadcast the game on the Halo board. A Nike pop-up store was located at the back of the court that sold limited merchandise. And the court itself had a unique feel to it with the venue’s lighting situated solely on the game.
“It was cool, it was a lot and it was a production,” Mellis said. “Nike gave all the participants some gear and stuff like that, so that was really cool. They did a really nice job.”
Salesian will await its seeding placement for the North Coast Section playoffs that are set to begin next week. The Pride believe they should be the top team in the Open Division, but as of Saturday night, the MaxPreps computer rankings have De La Salle slotted as the No. 1 team with Salesian right behind them.
“We hope we’re No. 1 because the common opponent factor where we beat Doughty Valley and Doughty Valley beat De La Salle,” Mellis said. “Obviously, you can only control what you can control. You got to play the games. It is what it is.”
Boys basketball
Clayton Valley 67, Las Lomas 49
Just a week after returning from a foot injury that kept him sidelined for two months, Elijah Perryman has led Clayton Valley (18-11, 6-4) to its second consecutive Diablo Athletic League title. The Utah State commit scored 28 points to lead the Ugly Eagles over Las Lomas to capture the league crown. Sophomore Zion Grissom had 11 points and Cannon Simpson added 10. Senior point guard Colin Pangilinan totaled 24 points for Las Lomas, which dropped to 15-13, 10-2.
Girls basketball
No. 2 Acalanes 73, No. 13 Clayton Valley 39
Acalanes had no trouble in its DAL championship matchup as the Dons smoked Clayton Valley at home. Acalanes’ senior Dulci Vail had a game-high 17 points. Karyss Lacanlale added 16 and Lexi Le and Ariana Hallstrom each had 11. Acalanes (27-1, 10-0) will likely receive the No. 1 seed in the NCS Open Division.
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No. 4 San Ramon Valley 63, No. 5 Carondelet 54
SRV won its third consecutive EBAL title behind stellar performances from Carly Stern and Ella Gunderson. Stern finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists while Gunderson scored an efficient 18 points. Alyssa Rudd had a double-double with 12 points and 18 rebounds, Maya Knapp added nine points and five boards and Hania Bowes was the team’s unsung hero as she was key on the defensive end. SRV improved to 25-3, 9-0. Carondelet dropped to 23-5, 8-1.
No. 16 Salesian 46, Pinole Valley 28
It was a complete sweep for Salesian at the Kaiser Center as the girls team pulled away in the second half to beat Pinole Valley in the TCAL Rock Division final. Senior captain Janiya Sawyer scored 15 points and freshman Emma Bryant added 10. Pinole Valley sophomore Henriana Hudson had a game-high 16 points. Salesian moved to 20-8, 10-0. Pinole Valley is now 18-10, 8-2.
