News Bits
CCCMBCA:: "A lot of movement in this week's CCCMBCA Top 30 poll, led by Fullerton Leap Frogging San Francisco City; Just Four Teams Maintained Their Previous Ranking"
........................................
"Aaron Hunkin-Claytor: Why Evaluators Are Tracking Hawai‘i’s Sophomore Guard"
Out of Salesian Prep, Hunkin-Claytor is currently sidelined with a foot injury.
U1Hoops is a new site to me and offer some very interesting articles - check it out.
........................................
Archbishop Riordan's Jaroslasv Pihtovs has committed to play for USF on The Hilltop. The 6-foot-9, 220 frontcourter is out of Latvia. Per 24/7 Sports, he also had official offers from UC Santa Barbara and Nevada.
.......................................
Verbal Commits: "2026 MacDuffie (MA) G Brayden Harris has committed to UC Riverside."
The 6-foot-6 Harris is out of San Jose (Valley Christian High) and will be playing for Head Coach Gus Argenal.
........................................
Verbal Commits: "2026 South Georgia Tech (GA) C Matt Mbole has received an offer from Sacramento State."
The sophomore out of Cameroon stands 6-foot-11, weighs 250 and is a very strong rebounder (11.3 per game). He averages 9.9 points and is shooting 65%, 17% and 57% with 36 blocked shots this far this season. Mbole was recently ranked as the #11 national recruit this season by JUCO Recruiting.
........................................
Verbal Commits: "2026 Northwest Florida State (FL) G Damarion Vann-Kelly has received an offer from Southern Indiana."
The 6-foot-5 Vann-Kelly is out of Monterey Trail High and now has 10 offers including Pacific and San Jose State University.
........................................
A bounceback from Pepperdine, 6-foot-4 Jayden (Windsor High/Golden State Prep) Russotti is playing at Napa Valley College this season. Thus far in 19 games, he is averaging 16.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists an outing while shooting 39%, 32% and 70%. He recently scored 28 points against College of Marin and has battled an ankle injury most of the season.
........................................
5-foot-10 freshman Elijah (Pleasant Grove High/Rose City Ballers) Sykes is attending Alma College located in Michigan. In 20 games, six starts and 21.8 minutes an outing, Sykes is averaging a second on the team 11.2 points per contest, shooting 38%, 33% and 88%, grabbing 2.6 rebounds and with 37 assists to 40 turnovers. On January 24, Sykes totaled 32 points, shooting 12-14 overall and 7-8 from three-point range and added four rebounds plus three steals—all in 23 minutes during a win over Kalamazoo.
........................................
Lakeshow Hoops: "Welcome Siincere Hudson to the SHOW! TRUE PG BACK"
The 6-foot-2 Hudson attends Modesto Christian High.
........................................
........................................
"Big Sky Conference Co-Men's Basketball Player of the Week 2-10-2026: Quinn Denker, Northern Colorado (G, Sr., San Jose, Calif.)
After leading the Bears to a pair of road victories, Northern Colorado’s Quinn Denker has been named Co-Men’s Basketball Player of the Week. Denker averaged 22.5 points per game against both Idaho State and Weber State, along with racking up 13 total assists to further his lead in the Big Sky stat report for that category. Northern Colorado is on a four-game winning streak. He is currently fifth on the Northern Colorado single season all-time list for assists with 161. This is the fourth weekly honor for Denker this season, and the first since Big Sky Conference play started in January."
........................................
Weston Ranch High School Boys Basketball: "Mr. 3,000!! Congratulations to 2026 Romello Bruhn on reaching such an impressive milestone! He becomes just the 16th player in California history to surpass the 3,000 career point mark, joining a short list and cementing himself as one of the best scorers in CIF history!"
........................................
"Herb Sendek finds another diamond in Allen Graves" Tuck Clarry
"If finding NBA-level talent outside of the top 100 of high school rankings was oil prospecting, Herb Sendek might just be Daniel Plainview. In his 32nd year as a head coach, Sendek has done it again with the meteoric rise of redshirt freshman big man Allen Graves this season. The 6-9 Louisianan wasn’t even ranked or evaluated on 247 his senior year of high school, despite being Mr. Louisiana and Mr. Basketball for his home state and a sibling to two other high major basketball players.
Graves’ redshirt development shows the honing of the skillsets he should in EYBL and high school ball, a stretch forward that has an ability to use his size and displays handles and body control that gets him past similarly sized defenders. Over the course of the season, he’s supplanted senior and preseason all-conference player Elijah Mahi as the second scorer on the team.
In league play, Graves leads the WCC in offensive rating with a score of 150.1. Graham Ike is second in the category, trailing Graves by 11.4 rating points. He’s shooting 63.6% in the paint and 39.3% from three in conference play. But what may be most impressive is that 63% of the two-point field goals he made in WCC play have come unassisted.
Per Synergy, Graves is averaging an absurd 1.28 points per possession. He's equally efficient as a catch-and-shoot scorer from the outside as he is a post-up scorer on the low block. He's averaging 1.83 points per possession as a cutter. It doesn't get any more "pick your poison" than how you end up deciding to defend the forward.
The freshman is far more than a scorer, too. He’s well beyond his years in decision-making on ball at multiple levels of the offense. He holds an assist rate of 14.2% in conference play while leading the league in turnover percentage at just 5.2%. He leads the conference in steal rate at 5.2% and has a block rate of 5.4% on the season. He has the second-highest offensive rebounding rate in the conference despite being listed at 6-foot-9.
Graves posted 18 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals and 1 block when the Broncos played Gonzaga in Spokane. If he can replicate his production and the shooters trend towards their season averages, we could be looking at the Broncos punching their ticket to the tournament on Saturday."
........................................
"Dave Smart flips Pacific into a top 4 team in the WCC" Tuck Clarry
"The Pacific Tigers closed out the 2024-2025 season as the 284th team in KenPom and 297th in the NET. They lost their last 5 games and won just 4 of their final 24. It was a hellish season for a luminary Canadian head coach who was making due with random pieces in his first year as a head coach in the United States.
Pacific finished 10th in the WCC last season with two squeaker one-possession games saving them from the basement of the league standings. Smart was at his wits' end with how last season went when talking to him in the preseason. Due to his start date in Stockton, he and his staff were well behind in the process of recruiting and hitting the portal and had to make do.
“We were so far behind in the process last year,” Smart said. “We were begging guys to come. We recruited in a way that I refuse to.”
Just 16.1% of the minutes from last year’s team remain on the 2025-2026 roster, with the lone returner being preseason all-conference selectee Elias Ralph, who returned for a graduate season. The 6-foot-7 forward has developed into a confident and crafty scorer, averaging 15.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.
Ralph is third in the conference for 2nd chance points this season, a direct effect of Pacific’s dominance on the glass throughout league play. The Tigers lead the league in offensive rebounding rate this season at 36.6% and are the first team to finish ahead of Saint Mary’s in three seasons. They also lead the conference in limiting opponent offensive rebounding rate at 22%.
Center Isaac Jack has been a perfect pairing to Ralph as a rebounder and interior piece. He’s averaging 8.6 paint points in WCC action and 2.8 offensive rebounds. But perhaps the secret sauce is gadget guard Justin Rochelin, who provides solid two-way basketball and grinds out 13 points and 7.1 rebounds as a 6-foot-5 wing.
Pacific currently sits at 103rd in KenPom and the NET and fourth in the WCC standings after being picked to finish 10th in the preseason coaches’ poll."
........................................
There is ABSOLUTELY no way this 'takedown' should ever be allowed in any form of basketball.
"Providence's Duncan Powell suspended for fight vs. St. John's"
........................................
Former St. Mary's power forward Joshua Jefferson is featured in this NBA draft preview. Gonzaga would be eating Gael dust this season had Jefferson finished his college Ccareer in Moraga.
........................................
D1 Scores
Behind 22 points from freshman guard phenom, Stanford downed Boston College 70-64 back in Massachusetts. Teammate Benny Gealer was right behind with 21 points, a tied-for-team-high eight rebounds and best-on-the-night three steals. The teams were tied at 34 after 20 minutes. The Cardinal earned 13 assists on 26 baskets. game report
In Winston-Salem (is that where those two cigarette brands came from?), Wake Forest bested Stanford 68-63 despite the latter holding a 39-30 halftime lead. Ebuka Okorie tallyed 26 points in 38 minutes, shooting 10-21, 3-6, 3-4. Teammate Aidan Cammann finished with a 10 point, 11 rebound double-double and Benny Gealer contributed 11 points and a team best three steals.The biggest difference maker was WF shooting 28-32 at the foul line to the visitors going 9-14. game report
........................................
When is the last time two D1 college teams totaled 51 points in an overtime period? Has it ever happened? California and host Syracuse just just that (29 and 22 points) as the 'Cuse eked out a 107-100 victory. All five starters for the Bears scored in double figures with Dai Dai Ames leading via 23 points (putting up 25 shots) and John Camden tallied 21. In the middle for Cal, MIlos Ilic provided 16 rounds and 14 points (7-8 shooting). The Orange shot 54% versus the Berkeley-ites and attempted 42 foul shots, 21 in overtime. game report
Led by Chris Bell's 22 points, California grounded the host Eagles of Boston College 86-75. Bell shot 8-13 overall, 6-10 from long distance. Teammate John Camden added 15 points (4-7 on three-pointer) and just missed earning a double-double with nine rebounds. In 20 minutes, freshman guard Semetri (The Branson School/Redwood High) Carr posted a six point, four assist (tied for the team high) combo. The Bears led 43-28 after 20 minutes. game report
........................................
Santa Clara took on visiting Seattle and came away with an 84-72 success as freshman guard Sash Gavalyugov led with 21 points in 25 minutes and teammate Christian Hammond enjoyed 17. The Broncos produced 20 assists on 29 baskets, plus were penalized for just three turnovers and pilfered 11 steals. The win boosted SC to 22-5 overall, 13-1 in the West Coast Conference. game report
In the matchup of the season and at home for Santa Clara, the Broncos went up against powerhouse Gonzaga and fell 94-86. Coach Herb Sendek's squad got out-shot 46% to 56%, out-rebounded 32-41 and minus the 16-point production of Christian Hammond, none of the SC talents enjoyed efficient, productive games. So thern falling by eight points give hope, right, as the league tourney is approaching? 6-foot-9 senior Graham Ike again proved to be a thorn in the side as he totaled 21 points plus 15 boards with teammate 6-foot-3 senior guard Adam Miller, averaging seven points per game, finished with 21. game report
........................................
Over in Moraga, St. Mary's handled Pepperdine 88-60 for its 24th win in a row at home as four starters scored in double figures led by Paulius Murauskas' 18 points in 24 minutes plus 12 points and a team best-by-far 11 assists from sophomore point Jeremy Dent. The Gaels shot 50% overall, 52% on 25 trey attempts. Mikey (Prolific Prep) Lewis' shooting continued funky as, although he scored 13 points, he concluded at 4-12 overall, 0-4 on treys. 31 buckets produced 24 assists for the victors. game report
St. Mary's matched up with a revived Pacific program in Stockton and came away with a 72-61 Paulius Marauskas-led success. The 6-foot-8 junior frontcourter scored 32 points and pulled down 14 boards, shooting 11-15, 3-5, 7-8. Although teammate Joshua Dent shot 6-17 overall, he scored 15 points alongside eight assists and five steals. For the Tigers, 6-foot-7 senior Ralph Elias was 'on' with 17 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots although he shot 5-15 overall. game report
........................................
In Stockton, now 17-10 Pacific bested Loyola Marymount 65-59 powered by 22 points from stalwart frontcourter Ralph Elias who also contributed a tied-for-team-high seven boards. The Tigers used a 40-28 second half to overcome a six point halftime deficit. Owning a 36-25 lead in rebounding for the game aided the comeback. For LMU, senior guard Myron (Vacaville High/San Jose State University) Amey Jr. scored 17 points and pulled down five rebounds. game report
........................................
Northern Colorado hosted Sacramento State and once again proved there's no place like home in defeating the Golden Staters 95-79. A 51-37 first 20 minutes provided UNC the margin needed to maintain their grip throughout the game. For the Bears, Quinn (Bellarmine College Prep/Golden State Prep/ West Valley College) Denker totaled 22 points on 9-14, 2-6, 2-2 shooting and dished out 16 assists while grabbing seven rebounds. NC shot 56% as a team to 36% for Sacto. Prophet Johnson didn't shoot all that well for the Hornets overall (7-20, 1-5) but did post six rebounds, three assists plus three steals. game report
In Flagstaff, Sacramento State dropped a 79-74 loss to Northern Arizona University. For the Hornets, Jahni Summers scored 18 points, Prophet Johnson (off the bench) provided 15 points (he tallied 29 points in an earlier mid-January victory versus NAU) and Shaqir O'Neal (Shaq's son) also contributed 15 points. Sacto was credited with six assists on 25 baskets while NAU earned 15 assists on 25 buckets. Hornet starting guard Mikey Williams did not play due to injury. game report
........................................
Down at the border, UC San Diego handled UC Davis 68-51, winning both 20 minute sessions. Marcus Wilson's 13 points led the Aggies who were out-shot 54% to 35%. Plus, for a team that shoots 75% at the charity stripe, Davis finished 1-7 here. Burn this tape, erase it from shooting memory. game report
Then, UC Davis hosted Long Beach State and had no trouble in winning 71-54. The Aggies jumped out to a 14-point halftime lead and added three points to the margin in the second 20 minutes. Marcus Cooper with both 18 points and six assists, led his squad to victory. With 18 points of his own, freshman guard Gavin (Modesto Christian High) Sykes paced the 49ers in scoring. now at 16-10, 9-6, UCD out-shot Da Beach 47% to 36% and won the battle of the boards 34-26. All is back well in the Bicycle Capital of the World. game report
........................................
In San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly notched a very solid 79-73 victory versus a UC Irvine team that always seems to finish at or near the top of the Big West Conference. Even though leading scorer Hamad Mousa scored but five points, the four other Mustang starters finished in double figures scoring led by Guzman Vasalic 's 18 points and teammate Austin Goode produced a 17 point, 10 rebound double-double. Sophomore guard Cayden (St. Mary's High-Stockton) Ward came close to the latter's numbers with his own 15 point, 10 rebound double-double. CP won the boards battle 51-40. game report
In spite of Zion (Archbishop Riordan) Sensley and Aidan (Campolindo High/St. Mary's) Mahaney scoring 21 points apiece for UC Santa Barbara (Sensley also enjoyed a team best nine boards), Cal Poly won by 10 points, 89-79, in San Luis Obispo. For the victorious, Peter Bandelj was tops with 18 points, Hamad Mousa tallied 17 and Cayden (St. Mary's High-Stockton) Ward scored 14 points plus a tops-on-the-team eight boards. The Mustangs shot 53% overall, holding the Gauchos to 44%. game report
........................................
USF is in a three game skid and a 90-63 loss to Oregon State makes such a direction even more worrisome. A 50-28 initial 20 minutes put the outcome away. OSU is a .500 team in the WCC but more was expected of the Dons who shot 36% to 58% for the visitors. Ryan (Dougherty Valley High Beasley led the Dons with 17 points (8-8 at the foul line) but shot 4-12 overall. Forward David Fuchs led in rebounding with 11. San Francisco received just two points from its players coming off the bench. game report
The Dons then faced off down on the border with 11-16, 5-9 San Diego and the Toreros owned a five-point lead at the half, 41-36. USF came back and went up big 77-61 at the 5:40 mark. The final score: 92-79. Vukasin Makic paced the victors with 22 points, David Fuchs scored 21 points while adding 12 boards, Guillermo Diaz Graham enjoyed an extremely efficient 17 points (4-4, 1-1. 8-9 shooting) and Ryan (Dougherty Valley High) Beasley just missed a double figure total in assists with nine. As a team, the Dons earned 17 assists on 28 baskets. USF shot 58% overall, 9-21 on three-point attempts and 27-35 at the foul line.
........................................
San Jose State University rolled the dice with host UNLV and the Runnin'Rebels led 45-41 after 20 minutes. It finished 82-75 in favor of the desert dwellers. For the Spartans, Colby Garland led with 23 points (10-25 overall shooting) and backcourt teammate Pasha (Valley Christian High) Goodarzi contributed 21 points (8-8 at the foul line). Both played the full 40 minutes. Adrian Myers scored but two points for San Jose yet still provided eight assists, six rebounds, two steals and a pair of blocked shots. game report
Back in Spartaville, San Jose State University met Grand Canyon University and fell 94-79. With just six players receiving minutes (seven inactive due to injury), the Spartans were led in both categories by guard Colby Garland and his 23 points plus seven assists in 40 minutes. Shooting 4-8 from three-point range, Pasha (Valley Christian High) Goodarzi contributed 15 points. The starting Spartan big, Sadraque NgaNga played 29 minutes, did tally 14 points but grabbed just one board as the home team was walloped on the boards 36-17. San Jose did shoot 49% overall but the Lopes finished at 62%. game report
........................................
Powered by team high 20 points from Aidan (Campolindo High/St. Mary's) Mahaney plus 13 points and a team best eight boards via Zion (Archbishop Riordan) Sensley (4-6, 3-4, 2-4 shooting), UC Santa Barbara topped UC Riverside 76-68.
........................................
In Greeley, Quinn (Bellarmine College Prep/Golden State Prep/Denker did it again via 23 points, eight boards, seven assists and a pair of steals as Northern Colorado took care of Portland State 77-65. NC is now 7-7 in the Big Sky Conference and PS fell to 11-2. A big win.
........................................
LMU senior guard Myron (Vacaville High/San Jose State University) Amey Jr. exploded for 25 points (9-16, 3-6, 4-7 shooting) but Pepperdine still prevailed 90-89 on the coast in Malibu .
........................................
Shooting 11-15 at the foul line, 6-foot-7 forward AK (Clovis North High) Okereke buried a season high 23 points for Vanderbilt in an 82-69 homecourt success versus Texas A&M.
Other Scores
Cal State East Bay headed north to face Cal Poly Humboldt and grabbed an 88-84 overtime victory to go to 23-0 on the season. Six Pioneers concluded in double figures scoring, led by Ramsey Huff and Tyree Campbell, both with 17 points. For Humboldt, 6-foot-11 Shakir (West Valley College) Odunewu notched a 17 point, 12 rebound double-double but his nine turnovers almost had him posting a triple double. game report
Make that 24-0 as led by Ramsey Huff's 16 points, Cal State East Bay continued unbeaten by defeating Chico State 76-50. The Pioneers shot 51% overall and held Chico to 37%. game report
........................................
Shakir (West Valley College) Odunewu was again big in the stats sheet with 25 points and 13 boards (just one turnover) in the Cal Poly Humboldt 72-60 success against visiting San Francisco State.
........................................
Host Dominican University out-scored Azuza Pacific 104-91 behind five players reaching double figures in scoring led by Darius (Cabrillo College) Best's 22 point and 20 from Nick (St. Patrick-St. Vincent High/Sonoma State) Medeiros. Best shot a solid 7-11, 2-5, 6-6 and Medeiros went an extremely efficient 4-6, 1-2, 11-14 while also contributing six rebounds and three assists.
........................................
With 27 points (10-17, 3-3, 4-6 shooting) plus five assists, Cam (Bishop O'Dowd/UC Merced) Brown carried Biola to an 80-76 victory versus Menlo College.
........................................
With 6-foot-9 Cahal (Bishop O'Dowd) Connolly sporting a line consisting of 20 points, nine boards and a pair of shot rejections, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps ousted visiting Pomona-Pitzer 76-62.
........................................
6-foot-2 junior Jonathan (Del Oro High/Menlo College) Duley scored 21 points including five three-pointers and dished out five assists in Whittier College's 98-84 defeat of Pomona-Pitzer. 6-foot-8 teammate Tochi (Los Medanos College) Onyeador scored 17 points (8-10 shooting), brought down 12 rebounds and swatted away three P-P shot attempts.
Then, Tochi (Los Medanos College) Onyeador enjoyed a 20 point, 10 board, four shot rejection night in Whittier College's 106-76 beat down of CalTech. The Poets rolled over the brainiacs!
........................................
Chico State played rude hosts in downing visiting San Francisco State 85-70. Five Wildcat starters plus two players off the bench scored in double figures led by Chris (Jesuit High/Sac State/Santa Rosa JC/Sonoma State) Holley's 16 points, six assists and six rebounds. Teammate Isaiah Brewington shot 7-8 on his way to 16 points also. For the Gators, forward Diego (Valley Christian High) Martinez poured in 26 points. game report
........................................
Joe (Pleasant Grove High) Espy, strong double-double consisting of 24 point and 15 boards plus three blocked shots in 26 minutes, carried host UC Santa Cruz to an 81-68 defeat of Cal Maritime.
........................................
Jaden (Kennedy High-Sacto) Tengan led with 22 points and teammate Michael (Palo Alto High) Mora posted a 21 point, 11 rebound double-double but Cal State Monterey Bay was edged by host Cal State Dominguez Hills 89-88.
........................................
6-foot-3 guard Jaden (Sheldon High) Woodard tallied 26 points (11-15 overall shooting) plus seven assists in the Las Positas College 97-58 triumph versus Skyline College. LPC is now 23-3 overall.
........................................
Santa Rosa Junior College had zero trouble taking down Sacramento City College to the tune of 98-68 with 6-foot-3 freshman guard Gavin (San Dominico High) Early scoring 16 points on a very efficient 7-10, 1-2, 1-1 shooting and he added nine boards, three assists and a pair of steals to his line.
........................................
Leo (De La Salle High) Ricketts scored 23 points, pulled down eight boards, nabbed five steals but also was guilty of seven turnovers in the Citrus College 82-69 defeat of Bakersfield College.
........................................
