De La Salle MLK Jr. Classic: Live scores, updates, highlights from 26th annual event (1/15/2024)

Look for updates throughout the day of one of California's top boys basketball showcases that honors the great Civil Rights leader

CONCORD, CALIFORNIA — Welcome to the 26th Martin Luther King Jr. Classic at De La Salle, presented by SBLive Sports and sponsored by sponsored by Acrisure.

The all-day event — one of California's top one-day boys basketball showcases that honors the great civil right's leader — features eight games starting with the 8:45 a.m. matchup between Moreau Catholic vs. Redwood-Larkspur. TICKETS HERE. All games will be streamed at De La Salle TV. 

“We are proud of this event as it has become a staple in Bay Area basketball over the years,” said De La Salle coach Marcus Schroeder, the former Associate Head Coach at St. Mary’s College. “Of all the great lineups of teams this event has seen in the past quarter-century, the 26th edition of the MLK Classic will not disappoint — the best of the best in Northern California will all participate this year along with great programs from Southern California and Arizona.”

Scroll down for the latest live updates, previews, recaps, matchups and game times. 

Session 2

Capital Christian 66, Bishop O'Dowd 60 (final)

Game recap

In the eighth and final game of the day, three free throws by Jaylen Valdez with 2.4 seconds left in regulation sent the game in overtime, where Capital Christian got a couple big buckets from Danny Panda to score the hard fought win for the Cougars (12-7). 

CJ Willenborg (game MVP) and Myles Wiggins scored 17 points apiece for the winners, while Valdez had 10. Josh Green led Bishop O'Dowd (10-6) with 18 points and Tobias Aisen and Leo Chapman had 11 apiece. 

Play-by-play

- Three free throws by Jaylen Valdez ties the game at 55-55 with 2.4 seconds left. Heading to OT.

- This one coming down to the wire. 

- A fastbreak layup by Myles Wiggins leads a 9-2 run to start the fourth for Capital Christian, which takes a 45-44 lead with 4:38 remaining. 

- Leo Chapman sticks his third 3 of the third quarter to give O'Dowd a 39-36 lead, before Josh Green led a sweet 2-on-1 break with a nice pass for a bucket by Tobias Aisien, who completed an old-fashioned 3-point play, giving Dragons 42-36 lead. 

- Capital Christian winning the war down low, but O'Dowd effective on the break and from 3-point land. Through three quarters, outscored Capital Christian, 27-3 on 3-pointers. 

Pregame

Time: 8 p.m.

Head coaches: Lou Richie (Bishop O’Dowd), Michael Lorente (Capital Christian)

2023-24 records: Bishop O’Dowd (10-5), Capital Christian (11-7)

Points per game (allowed): Bishop O’Dowd 65.9 (64.0), Capital Christian 70.7 (64.5)

Terrific trios: Bishop O’Dowd — Tobias Aisien, Leop Chapman, Samuel Chavarin. Capital Christian — Jaylen Valdez, CJ Willenborg, Myles Wiggins.

Live streak: NFHS Network

Briefly: Two programs with rich history battle in the MLK Classic’s finale feature rapidly improving squads. Capital Christian had some impressive, tenacious nonleague overtime wins over Serra-Gardena (93-83) and Folsom (75-72). The Cougars love to get up-and-down the court. Capital Christian enters with perhaps its best win, 63-50 over Clayton Valley Charter on Saturday at the Sheldon Block Party. ... O’Dowd, the only Northern California team to ever win an Open Division title (2015), had some impressive wins over Redondo Union (67-60), Good Counsel, Olney, Md. (72-50) and Oakland (72-53). They enter on a four-game win streak, all by single-digits over over Alameda (63-62), Piedmont (57-52), Castro Valley (71-63) and Berkeley (60-58).

Salesian 61, Riordan 48 (Final)

Recap

Down 10-0 to a team with upwards of eight Division I players didn't seem to phase Salesian coach Bill Mellis in the least. 

"We've played a lot of good teams and our guys are very resilient," Mellis said. 

They can also shoot the lights out. The Pride, ranked sixth in the state by SBLive, just needed two gents to get hot and that long-range shooting from sophomore Isaiah Davis (five 3s) and Alvin Loving (three straight in the third quarter) plus the Pride's usual stifling defense allowed them to completely turn around the premier game of the day. 

Davis, a 5-foot-11 left-hander, swished a 3 near the end of the first quarter to help close to 16-10, then went off in the second quarter with two more and nine points en route to a a team-high 18 points and a 16-4 run to go up 26-20 at halftime. Davis said his teammates put him in great position to make his 3s (see interview below).

Loving, scoreless the first half, led a 24-16 third-quarter run with his 3-point barrage and the Pride was well in control of their 18th win in 19 games to start the season. 

"We got a lot of guys who can really shoot," Mellis said. "Teams can continue to zone us, but we got guys who make them all day in practice and we usually can find guys who can make them in games. Isaiah's shooting was absolutely key in our comeback." 

Loving finished with 11 points and Elias Obenyah, another sophomore, added eight points, helping offset the big performance of Riordan's Zion Sensley, a 6-8 senior headed to St. Mary's College. He finished with 17 points but no one scored in double figures for the Crusaders (9-4), who came in on a four-game win streak. Sensley had the day's biggest and most emphatic dunk late in the first quarter, but Davis immediately responded with a 3 on Salesian's next possession. 

"We've been able to respond to big runs, dunks, bad spurts all season," Mellis said. "That's a big reason why we don't really panic with this team." 

Riordan plays a big West Catholic Athletic League game at Mitty Tuesday night. 

All photos below by Dennis Lee

Dennis Lee, SBLive Sports

Photo: Dennis Lee

File photo: Dennis Lee

Play-by-play

- Behind stifling defense and lights-out 3-point shooting, the Pride have put this one away with a 40-20 run in the middle two quarters and a Davis' fifth 3 of the game to go up 55-36 with 6:40 left. Three straight 3s in the third quarter by Alvin Loving was also key for Salesian, which stayed patient after a slow start. 

- Zion Sensley with a remarkable first quarter that included two 3s, a fastbreak layup and a slam dunk for the season. Dribbling in heavy traffic, the 6-8 senior wing and St. Mary's signee took off and sent down a monstrous slam that shocked Salesian and the packed crowd. 

- His 12 points in the first quarter led the Crusaders to a 17-10 lead after one quarter. 

- The deficit was quickly erased thanks to the lights out shooting of sophomore guard Isaiah Davis, who drilled three consecutive 3s, the last one giving Salesian its first lead 18-17. 

Pregame

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Head coaches: Bill Mellis (Salesian), Joey Curtin (Riordan)

2023-24 records: Salesian (17-1), Riordan (9-3)

Points per game (allowed): Salesian 69.3 (48.4), Riordan 74.2 (59.3)

Terrific trios: Salesian — Aaron Hunkin-Claytor, De’Undrae Perteete, Amani Johnson; Riordan — Zion Sensley, Andrew Hilman, Jasir Rencher.

Live stream: NFHS Network

Briefly: Both teams are extremely deep, at least 8-10 strong. Each has far more than trios who are terrific. ... These Bay Area super powers have faced off three times since 2013, with Riordan winning in 2021 (58-44) and 2013 (47-32) and losing in 2018 (66-57). Salesian had nearly a perfect nonleague season, losing only an overtime game to then California No. 1 ranked St. John Bosco 68-66 at the Damien Classic. The Pride had huge back-to-back tournament titles at Gridley and the Pro Image Sports Holiday Classic in Meridian (Idaho), defeating 2022 state Open Division champion Corona Centennial in the finals. This could be Mellis’ best squad, which is saying something. He’s won more than 600 games, two state and 10 North Coast Section titles over 26 seasons. Since the loss to Bosco, Salesian has won five straight by an average margin of 30.4. ... Riordan played only seven games before the New Year. But they certainly have the talent to make a state-title run. They have at least eight players with Division I offers and two have already signed, Sensley to St. Mary’s College and Jordy McKenzie, a transfer from Pinole Valley, has signed to Eastern Washington. By MLK Classic day, the on Crusaders should be at full strength, which will be a significant challenge for the Pride or whoever else plays Riordan in the final months of the season. The Crusaders, indeed, have found their footing in the New Year and come in with six straight wins, the most significant an 82-81 overtime win over Las Vegas and national power Bishop Gorman in the Coast Catholic Classic at Crypto.com Arena, home of the Lakers and Clippers, on Jan. 6. Hillman, perhaps the most prosing all of their standouts, showed why with 28 points and the game-winning bucket. The addition of yet two more standouts, 6-4 shooting guard Dorde Curcic and 6-2 point guard Ryder Bush gives Curtin an exaggeration of riches at his disposal. 

St. Joseph-Santa Maria 69, Branson 66 (final)

Recap

A great individual showdown between St. Joseph's Tounde Yessoufou, one of the nation's top juniors, and Illinois-signee Jase Butler ended virtually even, as did the score poetically.  

But Yessoufou was fresher down the stretch, scoring 16 of his team-high total of 30 points to go along with 18 rebounds and four blocks, leading the battle-tested Knights (16-2) to victory. 

Butler, a 6-4 guard, had 26 of his game-high 33 points in the first half and he seemed to wear down under heavy duress in the second. He also missed two of three free throws with 2.7 seconds left with his team down two. Butler was also saddled with four fouls, taking away some of his offensive aggression to the hoop. 

St. Joseph's Ramon Cota made two free throws with 1.6 seconds left to make it 69-66 and Branson (13-6), in control most of the way, never got off another shot. Semetri Carr had 10 points for the Bulls, who were outscored 36-23 in the second half. 

Julius Price was huge in the second half with 11 of his 12 points, and Joaquin Aguillon and Tyler Wells combined for 16 points for the Knights, the defending CIF Northern California Open Division champions.  

Play-by-play

- One free throw by Abdul Bare made it 67-65 St. Joseph with 15.3 seconds remaining. Butler was fouled shooting a 3 and awarded three free throws with 2.7 seconds left. He made only one, Ramon Cota makes two FTs and leads 69-66 with 1.6 seconds left. After a timeout, Branson's long inbound pass is interecepted. St. Joseph wins, 69-66. 

- A driving layup by Butler, closes St. Joe's lead to 66-65 with 28.5 seconds left. Timeout St. Joseph. With the ball. 

- Yessoufou scores eight of game's 10 points, including a steal and dunk to go up 62-60, St. Joe's first lead since it led 9-8 in first quarter. That gave Yessoufou 30 points. 

- Butler answered immediately with tough jumper, his 29th and 30th points, tying the game at 62. 

- Tremendous individual matchup between Branson's Jase Butler and Tounde Yessoufou as the Bulls take a five-point point lead into fourth quarter. Butler has 28 points and Yessoufou 22. 

Pregame

Time: 5 p.m.

Head coaches: Demetrius Roquemore (Branson), Tom Mott (St. Joseph)

2023-24 records: Branson (13-5), St. Joseph (15-2)

Points per game (allowed): Branson 66.0 (61.4), St. Joseph 75.2 (51.6)

Terrific trios: Branson — Jase Butler, Semetri Carr, Finn Keeffe; St. Joseph — Tounde Yessoufou, Julius Price Abdoul Bare.

Live stream: NFHS Network

Briefly: It’s the first time Branson has played in the MLK Classic and with talents like Butler and Carr the Bulls could defeat the defending Northern California Open Division champions. Butler is one of the few if any from the Bay Area who have been offered and accepted an offer from Illinois. Carr, a lightning quick point guard, can take over and control the pace. He’s ranked the No. 12 senior in the state by 247Sports. Branson got off to a 7-1 start — losing only in overtime 63-60 to Salesian in the finals of the Gridley Invitational — before losing three straight, including 68-64 to the then state's top-ranked team Roosevelt-Eastvale. Since then the Bulls have won six of seven with the only loss to California No. 21-ranked Windward (70-61) at Damien. ... St. Joseph’s Yessoufou is worth the price of any admission. He's a high-energy, flying 6-6 scoring and rebounding machine. The Knights lost in the final game of the 2023 MLK Classic to Modesto Christian, 68-67, despite 29 points, seven rebounds, four assists and seven steals by Yessoufou. The Knights avenged the loss in the NorCal Open finals. This season, Mott's squad started 10-0 before a 68-48 loss to Washington D.C. power Gonzaga at the King Cotton Holiday Classic. The Knights also dropped a 62-61 humdinger to Eastvale Roosevelt at Crypto.Com Arena on Jan. 6 in the Coastal Catholic Classic. They enter the MLK Classic on a little roll, with league wins over Mission College Prep (74-35) and Santa Ynez (122-43), when Yessoufou led five players in double figures with 33 points. Julius Price had 21, Godson Eyita and Bare 14 apiece and Malcolm Price added 13. Malcolm Price and Eyita are freshmen. 

De La Salle 68, Crean Lutheran 51 (final) 

Recap

De La Salle coach Marcus Schroeder rarely has to give his star 6-foot-6 junior Alec Blair a push, shove, even a nudge. He did at halftime with De La Salle holding an uninspired 33-26 lead. 

Blair and the Spartans responded, outscoring the Saints 21-5 in the third quarter en route to a 54-31 lead entering the fourth that was soon increased to a high of 25. 

Blair dominated the third and scored just six points doing so. He added four of his game-high 10 rebounds, five of his game-high six assists and two blocks as the Spartans rolled to a lopsided win over Southern Section's Crean Lutheran in the fifth game of the MLK Classic. 

Blair finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and three blocks as the Spartans, No. 20 in the state, improved to 16-3. Leo Rickets added 10 points — all in the first half — while Ibrahim Monawar, Arshawn Salkhi and Braddock Kjellesvig combined to score 23. 

Kaiden Bailey led all scorers with 17 points, 13 in the fourth quarter, for Crean Lutheran, and Milanas Luksas added 14.  

File photo: Dennis Lee

Photo: Dennis Lee

Dennis Lee, SBLive Sports

Play-by-play

Blair with eighth assist on 3-pointer from Anthony Pelosi. 

- Blair finishes off a remarkable quarter with a steal and an assist on a Darrell Cenido breakaway just before the buzzer, giving Spartans 56-31 lead heading to fourth.

- After a super nifty double cross-over fastbreak hoop by Darrell Cenido, Blair rebounds his own miss and dunks over 6-10 Luksas, giving Spartans 50-31 lead. 

- Back-to-back 3s from Arshawn Salkhi, both on feeds from Blair, give DLS a 46-31 lead (2:44 3Q).

- Alec Blair with big block at one end, leads a break that leads to a 3 from Ibrahim Monawar, giving DLS a 38-26 lead (6:31 3Q).

- Leo Ricketts evidently loves MLK Day, drilling a pair of 3-pointers in early going as Spartan take 23-13 lead, before Crean Lutheran rattles off seven straight. 

- De La Salle's Braddock Kjellesvig with a couple pretty inside moves and buckets to extend lead back to 26-21. 

- Crean Lutheran's 6-10 senior Milanas Luksas opens with a slam dunk off an nice ally oop pass from Kaiden Bailey. Luksas drills a 3, showing off good range, up to nine points early in the second quarter. 

Pregame
Time: 3:30 p.m.

Head coaches: Nate Klitzing (CL), Marcus Schroeder (DLS)

2023-24 records: Crean Lutheran (10-8), De La Salle (15-3)

Points per game (allowed): CL 66.4 (57.0); DLS 67.1 (49.5)

Terrific trios: CL — Kaiden Bailey, Jacob Majok, Braeden Davidson; DLS — Alec Blair, Leo Ricketts, Arshawn Salkhi

Live streak: vimeo link, NFHS Network link

Briefly: First-time meeting between Southern California and NorCal rivals. Bailey is averaging nearly 25 points per game and is one of three sophomores in the rotation, giving Klitzing hope for a very bright future. He scheduled a tough preseason but with wins over Curtis (Wash.) and Pacifica Christian, the Saints, out of Irvine (Orange County), already look formidable. Especially after entering the game with an 89-39 route of Valencia, behind 40 points from Bailey. ... After back-to-back 22-win seasons under Schroeder, fthe Spartans flew out of the gate with 10 straight wins to start 2023-24, including 62-51 over 2022 state Open Division champion Corona Centennial. Blair, a long 6-6 wing, along with a pair of 6-6 transfers, David Balogun and Braddock Kjellesvig, give the Spartans a formidable front line. But Ricketts and Monawar supply plenty of guard skills. Plus they’re the only team in showcase that gives up less than 50 points per game. De La Salle lost a couple of tough games at Damien before two more impressive nonleague wins over American Fork (69-68) and Granite Bay (62-34). Then at Crypto.com Arena, home of the Lakers and Clippers, they dropped a tough 74-70 double-OT game to defending state D1 champion and still unbeaten Notre Dame-Sherman Oaks (19-0). The Spartans opened league play with solid wins over Monte Vista (65-54) and Amador Valley (70-39). Blair combined for 42 points in the two league wins. 

SESSION 1

Clovis North 78, Jesuit 66 (Final)

Recap

Connor Amundsen loves coming to the Bay Area. His dad starred in high school (Newark Memorial) and Chabot College here. His family roots are nearby. 

He sure looked at home piling up 26 points while dishing 11 assists in a convincing, wire-to-wire win over a strong Jesuit team from Carmichael. 

Amundsen, whose father Tony is the coach, had the Broncos in in fine form from the get-go, racing to a double-digit lead by early in the second quarter. Jesuit (12-7) stayed competitive behind 14 points by Kevin Haupt, 12 by Cole Epperson and 10 second-half points by Kai Bradford. 

"I'd give us a B-plus, but we can do better," Connor Amundsen said. (See interview below). 

Loukas Jones had 12, Jordan Espinoza 11 and Arman Arisan eight for Clovis North (15-5). 

Connor Admunsen accepts Player of the Game award.  / Photo: Dennis Lee

Connor Amundsen fires in two of his game-high 26 points / Photo: Dennis Lee

Play-by-play

- Clovis North starts fourth quarter on 11-7 run, five from Loukas Jones and four more by Connor Amundsen who is up to 26 points. 

- Clovis North put on a first-half clinic, sharing the ball, making shots, playing fast. 

- Connor Amundsen, the son of head coach Tony Amundsen, and a four-year starter has 18 first-half points, but he's got loads of help as eight different Broncos have scored, including six by Jordan Espinoza. 

- Asher Schroeder, Kevin Haupt and Cole Epperson combined for 24 of his team's 32 points in the first half for Jesuit. 

Time: 1:15 p.m.

Head coaches: Tim Kelly (Jesuit), Tony Amundsen (Clovis North)

2023-24 records: Jesuit (12-6), Clovis North (14-5)

Points per game (allowed): Jesuit 65.5 (56.3), Clovis North 72.1 (63.9)

Terrific trios: Jesuit — Cole Epperson, Kevin Haupt, Jaylen Williams; Clovis North — Connor Amundsen, Jordan Espinoza, Loukas Jones.

Live stream: NFHS link

Briefly: Jesuit graduated one of California’s most highly coveted players in Andrej Stojakovic, son of former NBA standout Peja, but return two formidable players in 6-8 Cole Epperson, the team’s MVP at last year’s MLK Classic event, and hot-shooting Kevin Haupt. The Marauders rebounded from an early three-game losing streak by winning eight of 10 including a 104-74 win at Granite Bay on Dec. 20. With Stojakovic, now a starter at Stanford, nursing a bum ankle last season Epperson had 33 points, seven rebounds and four steals in a 63-52 MLK Classic win over Riordan. This season he had 24 points, 13 rebouns and three blocks in a big 56-55 win over SoCal power Redondo Union in the Classic at Damien. ... Clovis North was the NorCal Division 1 champion in 2021-22 thanks in part to a very talented sophomore Connor Amundsen, who sat out all of last season with a knee injury. With him back and plenty of more weapons, coach Amundsen has another Central Section juggernaut. The Broncos played in the top division at Damien, losing games to Top 20 state teams, St. John Bosco (80-60) and Windward (71-66), but also handled SoCal powers Heritage Christian (69-59) and Campbell Hall (74-70). They opened TRAC play with a 68-54 win over Clovis East on Jan. 9

Notre Dame Prep 64, Modesto Christian 45 (final)

Recap

Anthony Batson exchanged high fives with his Notre Dame Prep teammates after a convincing 19-point win over one of Northern California's best and exclaimed: "Statement win"Statement win fellas. Statement win." 

The Saints, from Scottsdale, the No 2-ranked team in Arizona according to the MaxPreps computer rankings, showed the California folks just how at least Notre Dame Prep plays in a convincing, wire-to-wire victory. 

Anthony Batson Jr with two of his game-high 27 points.  / Photo: Dennis Lee

Anthony Batson Jr., a Rice signee, was every bit as good as advertised with 27 points, including a breakaway tomahawk dunk to close out the win. The high-flying pogo stick showed off all his offensive weapons with a pair of 3-pointers and multiple driving hoops. 

He wasn't nearly a one-man show as 6-3 junior guard Bryce Quinet was dynamic at the point with 18 points and seven assists and Brennan Peterson added 15 points. for SMP (18-3). Gavin Sykes had 11 points for Modesto Christian (13-3), which had 11 different players score. 

See interview with Batson at top of the page. 

Play-by-play

- Modesto Christian throws in towel with 3:33 left and down 22. Clears bench. 

- Bryce Quinet takes over in 3Q for NDP with couple 3s and eight points as the Saints open up a 23-point lead after three quarter. NDP struggles offensively in third, but holds Crusaders to to just 10. 

- Wow. The powers from Arizona making quite an early impression. Anthony Batson Jr., a 6-4 senior headed to New Mexico State, looks as good as advertised with 10 quick points, flying all over the place as ND Prep doubling up Modesto Christian early second quarter. A pogo stick, amazing hops, energy, skills. He had 17 at halftime. 

- Brennan Peterson, a 6-foot junior, really impressive shooter, has drilled three 3s and has 13 points. 

- MC's Gavin Sykes with seven quick points for Modesto Christian. 

Drevon Johnson, a 6-7 senior for Modesto Christian, with three quick 2Q buckets, including a follow dunk. 

Pregame

Time: 11:45 a.m.

Head coaches: Luke DallaRiva (NDP), Brice Fantazia (MC)

2023-24 records: Notre Dame Prep (17-3), Modesto Christian (13-2)

Points per game (allowed): NDP 74.7 (55.5), MC 68.9 (49.7)

Terrific trios: Notre Dame Prep — Anthony Batson, Bryce Quinet, Will Feagles; Modesto Christian — Gavin Sykes, Myles Jones, Rashod Cotton.

Live stream: NFHS Network Link

Briefly: This first-time matchup should be fun and well into the 70s scoring wise. … Notre Dame Prep is averaging almost 20 points per game margin of victory led by high scoring Batson, a Rice commit scoring at nearly 25 points per game. Quinet, a 6-3 junior guard, scores at 19 ppg, but fills the stat sheet. … Modesto Christian is largely re-loading after a couple of banner seasons, including the 2021-22 Northern California Open Division title. Sykes and Jones only started playing games a couple of weeks ago after following transfer sit-out rules. Heading into a Jan. 12 game vs. Lincoln-Stockton, the Crusaders had won 10 of 11. ... In seven games, Sykes, a 6-4 junior, is averaging 22.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. ... Cotton, a 6-1 sophomore, was averaging 14.3 ppg in 12 games and Jones, a 6-2 sophomore, put in 14.2 ppg in his first six outings. 

Folsom 65, Oakwood 50 (final)                          

Recap

Player of the game, Folsom junior Chase Rawlins had 25 points as the Bulldogs used a 17-2 run started midway through the first quarter to improve to 12-8. Rawlins, an impressive 6-5 guard with loads of skills as a scorer and passer, thinks the Bulldogs' best basketball is in front of them. (See video below).

Jovan Dulay and Ethan Bareggi had nine points apiece for Folsom, which never allowed Oakwood inside a double-digit margin despite a game-high 27 points by Peyton Slaughter, who drilled six 3-pointers. 

Oakwood from North Hollywood, played hard to the finish, but dropped to 9-13. 

Play-by-play

- Oakwood closes to 49-36 heading into fourth quarter, but Folsom senior guard Ethan Bareggi with nine second-half points puts Bulldogs back in control. 

- Fastbreak hoop by Rawlins gives Folsom 20-point lead, timeout Oakwood. 

- Chase Rawlins, an impressive 6-5 junior guard with lots of skills, leads Folsom with 15 points at halftime while Jack Shull adds 8. Slaughter leads all scorers with 16 points. Folsom in complete command with a 39-23 lead. 

- After a layup by Bryce Fletcher gives Oakwood an 11-7 lead, Folsom goes on 17-2 run to end the quarter to take complete command. 

- Three quick 3s by Peyton Slaughter gives Oakwood a 9-5 lead. 

Chase Rawlins (4) had a team-high 25 points for the victorious Bulldogs.  / Photo: Dennis Lee

Oakwood's Nakita Kochnev sends down a dunk in the second half.  / Photo: Dennis Lee

Pregame

Time: 10:15 a.m.

Head coaches: Mike Wall (Folsom), Steve Smith (Oakwood)

2023-24 records: Folsom (11-8), Oakwood (9-12)

Points per game (allowed): Folsom 66.7 (56.4), Oakwood 58.5 (63.1)

Terrific trios: Folsom — Chase Rawlins, Joven Dulay, Bradley Bridges. Oakwood — Oliver Ford, Nikita Kochnev, Peyton Slaughter.

Live stream: NFHS Network link

Briefly: Folsom is a young squad finding its footing. After a 74-61 season-opening win over Grant, the Bulldogs lost three of four, dropping a tough 75-72 overtime game to Capital Christian. They closed 2023 winning four of five, then won two straight in 2024 over Granite Bay (65-63) and Bakersfield Christian (77-67) before dropping a tough 59-52 game to a strong team from Del Oro (15-4). ... Wall, in his 13th season, has led one of the Sac-Joaquin Section's top programs to at least 22 wins (besides COVID-shortened season) nine straight campaigns including a 87-13 stretch from 2013-14 to 2015-16. ... With only one senior, this Bulldog squad might struggle to get to 22 wins, but they have plenty of young talented, led by junior 6-5 wing Chase Rawlins (21 points per game) and sophomore Joven Dulay, also 6-5, who averages 15 ppg. ... One of the team's key contributors is 6-3 forward Ryder Lyons, named this week California's Sophomore Football Player of the Year by CalHiSports for leading the Bulldogs to a fifth state championship as team's playmaking quarterback. ... Oakwood hit a couple rough spells, opening on a five-game losing streak, including 69-45 to open the season against Crespi, and then losing five of six to start season 2-10. ... But it closed 2023 winning five of six, including two wins over Yeshiva University of Los Angeles. ... Ford, a 6-6, 200-pound senior, has been a beast of late with 23 points and 15 rebounds in a 66-57 win over Pacifica Christian-Santa Monica on Jan. 4 and with 25 points and 10 rebounds in a 55-38 win over JW North on Dec. 28.

Moreau Catholic 51, Redwood-Larkspur 49 (final)

Recap

A back-and-forth opener ended with a defensive stop. 

In a game that featured 12 ties, Redwood had a chance to tie or win it, but a corner 3 hit the side of the board to close out the win for the Mariners (9-7), who got 13 points from player of the game Andrew Placido. Redwood, resting top player and leading scorer Jake Vasquez, dropped to 11-10. The Giants got a game-high 16 points by Brennan Woodley.

After Redwood opened second quarter with 5-0 run to tie the game for the 12th time, 45-45, Jalen Arnold and Kareem Jackson Jr. made buckets to make it 49-45 Moreau Catholic. Following a tough putback by Simon Leonard, Kingston Gonzalez answered with a layup, making it 51-47. 

A driving layup by Lachlan Kelly made it 51-49 with less than a minute to play and after a shot-clock violation on Moreau Catholic, Redwood had one last try. It had to go length of the court with 6.5 seconds left, but its final shot failed. 

The victory was No. 401 in the coaching career of Moreau Catholic's Frank Knight.

Final try for Redwood trailing 51-49 vs. Moreau Catholic. 6.5 seconds left. Shot fails. Moreau Catholic wins in MLK Classic opener at De La Salle. ⁦@dlsathletics⁩ ⁦@dlshsbasketball⁩ pic.twitter.com/jzXGTnIzc7

— Mitch Stephens (@MitchBookLive) January 15, 2024

Play-by-play

- 7.5 seconds left. Redwood gets one shot off but not really close. Moreau Catholic wins. 

- Of course, Redwood responds with 5-0 run for 12th tie, but Jalen Arnold hits tough jumper to give Moreau Catholic 47-45 lead. Kareem Jackson Jr follows with acrobatic layup, to make it 49-45 (4:03 4Q). 

- A driving fastbreak layup by Cole Loud ends 5-0 run to give Moreau a 45-40 lead after 3. 

Driving layup by Cole Loud gives Moreau Catholic 45-40 lead after 3 over Redwood. pic.twitter.com/gs8AIxLTTt

— Mitch Stephens (@MitchBookLive) January 15, 2024

- A 3-pointer by Tyler Bailey gives Moreau a 40-37 lead (1:38 3Q)

- Woodley responds with personal 5-0 streak, finished off with 3-pointer. MC 37-35, 2:45 3Q. A tough putback by Mason Garbo ties game for ninth time, 37-37. 

- A 7-0 run finished off with layup by Kingston Gonzalez gives Morea biggest lead of game, 37-30. 3:50 3Q. 

Moreau Catholic coach Frank Knight, who last week won his 400th game, is intent in back-and-forth game Monday in MLK Classic opener vs. Redwood.  / Photo: Dennis Lee

- Woodley with driving layup ties the game for the eighth time, 30-30. (5:57 3Q)

- Great back-and-forth half. Seven lead changes, four ties. Andrew Placido (MC) and Brennan Woodley (R) lead each team with eight points. 

- Back-to-back dunks by Cole Loud, the second after a steal, ties the game at 21-21. Loud, a 6-4 junior, has hops and game. 

Cole Loud goes up for the second of back-to-back dunks for Moreau Catholic.  / Photo: Dennis Lee

- Redwood in the middle of 12-2 run, leads 21-15. 5:22 2Q. 

- A driving layup Lachian Kelly and 3-pointer from Bjorn Ryning led the quarter for Redwood on 5-0 run. 

- Redwood is playing without its best player, 6-4 point guard Jake Vasquez (rest). 

Brennan Woodley (1) had a game-high 16 points for Redwood.  / Photo: Dennis Lee

Moreau up 28-26 at halftime. Nobody up by more than 6. Woodley has 8 and Ladetzky with six for Redwood. Andrew Placido with 8 for MC. Redwood playing without top player/leading scorer/rebounder 6-4 point Jake Vasquez. In street clothes. pic.twitter.com/kv34qtYbuW

— Mitch Stephens (@MitchBookLive) January 15, 2024

PREGAME

Time: 8:45 a.m.

Head coaches: Frank Knight (MC), Jay Demaestri (R)

2023-24 records: Moreau Catholic (8-7), Redwood (11-9)

Points per game (allowed): Moreau Catholic 61.2 (61.6), Redwood 56.3 (58.4)

Terrific trios: Moreau Catholic — Cole Loud, Kevin Chapman, Dominic Walker; Redwood — Jake Vasquez, Bjorn Ryning, Brennan Woodley.

Live stream: NFHS Network link

Briefly: Two teams that hovered around .500 mark in the nonleague season are trying to find themselves. Both programs are regular 20-win teams, both with lots of success recently, With Demaestri leading the Giants to 23-7 and 24-6 campaigns the last two seasons, while Knight has led the Mariners to at least 22 wins in each of the last 10 seasons but one, not counting COVID-shortened 2020-21 season. ... Redwood has taken on all comers throughout the Bay Area and scored some monster wins, including 62-52 vs. San Ramon Valley, currently ranked No. 15 in the state, and Bay Area ranked St. Ignatius (55-49) and University (67-64). It was all part of an impressive 6-0 start, but that was followed with losing six of seven. Since then the Giants have tried to find their footing. ... Moreau Catholic had a similar hot start, winning four of five, including impressive wins over Vanden (56-52), Oakland Tech (75-54) and James Logan (79-53). But the Mariners also lost six of seven, before opening MVAL play on Tuesday with an impressive 85-56 victory when six players combined to score 66 points, including Chapman, Jaylen Arnold and Andrew Placido with 12 apiece.

Top 30 Players to Watch at the 26th MLK Classic at De La Salle, presented by SBLive Sports