NEWARK, Ca. — Last December, during the Tarkanian Classic semifinals in Las Vegas, Oakland Bishop O’Dowd toppled Las Vegas Bishop Gorman by 14 points.
It seems as if the pecking order of the “Bishops”, basketball-wise, hasn’t changed much in 11 months or so.
That appeared to be the case on Nov. 29, when the Dragons scored the first 14 points of the third quarter and went on to knock off the Gaels, 63-55, in front of a packed Newark Memorial High gymnasium during the 8th Prep2Prep NorCal Tip-Off Classic.
And, as was also the case last December in Las Vegas, Ivan Rabb dominated the game while playing against a front court with two other locks for the 2015 McDonald’s All-American team in Stephen Zimmerman and Chase Jeter.
Rabb’s play throughout the contest proved to be a pretty nice working definition for “high energy.”
Zimmerman and Jeter came out active and bouncy and combined for 10 points and four rebounds in a first quarter that ended with the Gaels up, 15-14.
And Rabb was the only reason the deficit was just a point as he scored 12 points of his own (hitting his final five shots), grabbed four rebounds and blocked a couple of shots.
He scored seven more points and grabbed three rebounds in the second quarter and the score was deadlocked (at 30) as the Gaels begin to struggle to get the ball into the hands of Zimmerman or Jeter in advantageous position.
Gorman’s inexperience guards (in terms of varsity play) were pressured from the get-go by their O’Dowd counterparts as the Gaels committed 10 turnovers in the first half and coughed the ball up 11 more times after intermission.
Rabb finished with 28 points (10 of 17 from the field and eight of 12 from the free-throw line), 12 rebounds, four blocked shots and three steals.
His numbers weren’t as gaudy but senior point guard Paris Austin (who signed with Boise State earlier in the month) played an integral role in the Dragons’ dominant performance — as he did the last time the teams hooked up.
Austin scored 15 points (despite missing five of his nine free throws in the second half) to go with five assists and three steals.
More importantly, he got the ball where it needed to — when it needed to be there — pretty much anytime he wanted to, although it wasn’t often rewarded with an “assist”, per se.
Zimmerman (who, like Rabb, has yet to reach a college decision) finished with 14 points — just one over the second and third quarters — and a team-high eight rebounds.
Jeter, who signed with Duke, had 10 points and four rebounds.
A look at the other six games played at the event:
Folsom 72, Newark Memorial 46: In a game during which the host team had more turnovers (18) than field goals (13), junior point guard Jordan Ford went for 29 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals for a program that lost to Bellflower St. John Bosco in the California State DII Championship game last March in Sacramento.
Modesto Christian 89, Fresno Bullard 65: The team many expect to challenge Bishop O’Dowd as the top “Open Division” team in Northern California had no problems while breezing in this one, with Pacific-bound Anthony Townes grabbing 21rebounds and scoring 25 points and junior point guard Christian Ellis adding 24 points, 13 rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Senior guard Marquis Macumba led Bullard with 22 points.
Hayward Moreau Catholic 65, San Anselmo Drake 64: Drake led most of the way, including by six points with a little more than two minutes to play.
But Eastern Washington-bound Jesse Hunt (19 points and 11 rebounds) missed the front end of two 1-and-1 free-throw opportunities down the stretch and junior Brandon Lawrence hit his fifth 3 from the contest, from the left wing with 18.5 seconds to go.
Oscar Frayer, a 6-6 junior who is committed to the University of California, made a spectacular block on a layup try by Hunt but Drake recovered the rebound and called timeout with 2.1 seconds to go.
Hunt took the inbounds pass and, despite being surrounded by three defenders, just missed on a 12-footer at the buzzer that would have won the game for his team.
Both programs played in state championship games in Sacramento last March.
Frayer missed 12 of his 17 shots but finished with 16 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots.
Six-three junior Terrell Brown added 20 points for Moreau Catholic, which will be in Palm Desert after Christmas for the Max Preps Holiday Classic.
San Ramon Valley 55, Rancho Cordova Cordova 50: Seniors Drew Kunde (20), Keith Smith (11) and Kyle Spakman (10) combined for 41 points as the winners overcome a four-point deficit at intermission.
Smith added seven assists while Jordan Robertson led RC with a game-high 27 points (including 10 of 12 from the free-throw line).
Berkeley 67, Alameda St. Joseph-Notre Dame 66: Senior guard Casey Roquemore, with 17 points, was one of four Yellowjackets to score in double figures.
Berkeley prevailed despite struggling at the free-throw line down the stretch (they were 16 of 26 for the game).
Senior forward Lamont Banks led SJ-ND with 21 points and seven rebounds.
Pleasant Hills College Park 64, Stockton St. Mary’s 58: Senior guard Steve Dailey led the Falcons with 21 points, eight rebounds and three assists.
Six-five senior Lance Coleman had 13 points and as many rebounds for St. Mary’s.
