Tip-Off Classic features nationally ranked O’Dowd, Gorman Talk about hitting the ground running. The Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland boys basketball team ended last season with a loss in the state Open Division finals to the nation’s No. 1 team (Mater Dei-Santa Ana) and No. 1 player (Stanley Johnson). The Dragons are starting right where they left off, opening the 2014-15 season against nationally-ranked Bishop Gorman-Las Vegas, which features two of the country’s top 10 seniors, according to ESPN, in 7-footer Stephen Zimmerman and 6-9 Chase Jeter, a recent Duke signee. The matchup of national heavyweights headlines the Prep2Prep Tip-Off Classic at Newark Memorial on Saturday. The last of seven games is scheduled to tip-off at 8:30 p.m. “There’s no time like the present,” O’Dowd coach Lou Richie said. “We’ve been playing all spring and summer for this moment. We’re ready.” Certainly, the Dragons, ranked 12th nationally by MaxPreps (Gorman is No. 7), don’t feel over-matched. They feature one of the nation’s top players in 6-10 senior post Ivan Rabb, Boise State-bound point guard Paris Austin and an influx of other top talent, including 7-footer Mike Hauser, 6-9 transfer Isaiah Thomas and two of the most highly touted freshman in the state in 6-foot guards Naseem Gaskins and Elijah Hardy. With other key returners Franklin Longrus (6-4), Austin Walker (5-10) and Arinze Chidom (6-8), Richie has plenty of options small and large. Last year, Rabb was his only rotational player with height. Now there is plenty of that. However, Saturday he might be facing the nation’s tallest team. Coming off the Gorman bench is 6-9 Zach Collins, who has nine offers from major-conference schools. “Dare to say, he has to be the best non-starter in the nation,” said event organizer Gerry Freitas, a former college assistant and current West Coast scout. Freitas said the Gorman front line is one high-level colleges would clamor for. “This is a dream matchup indeed, but Rabb must have an A-plus performance,” Freitas said. As of two weeks ago, Rabb’s left ankle, injured the week of the state championships and then re-sprained during the summer, was still only 80 percent. Six Metro ranked teams will play Saturday. The schedule: No. 10 Berkeley vs. No. 11 St. Joseph-Notre Dame, 11 a.m.; No. 16 San Ramon Valley vs. Cordova-Rancho Cordova, 12:30 p.m.; No. 2 Moreau Catholic-Hayward vs. No. 8 Drake-San Anselmo, 2:15 p.m.; College Park-Pleasant Hill vs. St. Mary’s-Stockton, 3:45 p.m.; Modesto Christian vs. Bullard-Fresno, 5:30 p.m. and No. 14 Newark Memorial vs. Folsom, 7 p.m. St. Joseph, Folsom, Moreau Catholic and Drake were all 2014 state finalists. Only St. Joseph prevailed. Among the participating players who have already committed to colleges are: Drake’s Jesse Hunt (Eastern Washington), Modesto Christian’s Anthony Townes (Pacific) and Jeff Wu (Sacramento State), and Folsom’s Colin Russell (Portland) and Moreau Catholic junior Oscar Frayer (Cal).Mitch Stephens is a national columnist for MaxPreps. E-mail: mstephens@maxpreps Twitter: @MitchMashMax
Posted on: Fri, 28 Nov 2014 01:28:31 +0000
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