SALESIAN ON TOP
With a team that had just two seniors last season, Salesian went 27-4 and made an appearance in the NorCal semifinals.
The Pride enter this season with far more experience, given that they have one of the Bay Area’s most dynamic backcourts led by Stanford-bound senior shooting guard Elias Obenyah.
Two-sport star Carlton Perrilliat is a matchup nightmare on the wing and was a two-way force last season, earning all-Bay Area News Group second-team honors.
Steady floor general Isaiah Davis will steer Salesian’s offense as a pass-first point guard with a consistent shot from beyond the arc.
The Pride will also have 6-foot-6, senior forward Leon Powe Jr. as a lethal scoring option in transition and on the perimeter.
Salesian will have plenty of depth behind its starting five with young guards Ronnie Selleaze and Asante Johnson as well as Liberty transfer Tayshaun Bozeman.
Coach Bill Mellis, one of the Bay Area’s most respected leaders, will once again have the Richmond school as the favorites to represent NorCal in the Open Division state championship.
WHAT ABOUT RIORDAN?
Riordan lost some key players such as Jasir Rencher and Nes Emeneke from last season’s team that reached the Open Division state championship game, but will still have a strong roster led by University of San Francisco commit Andrew Hilman and versatile big man JP Pihtovs.
The Crusaders also brought two international transfers in 6-9 forward Emmanuel Ahamefule (Great Britain) and 6-3 guard Gabrielius Kerys (Lithuania) as well as former Santa Cruz High forward Demarco Hunter.
Guard Cole White, who recently received an offer from Montana, played well as a sophomore last season and will likely step into a bigger role.
Coach Joey Curtain has turned San Francisco into a juggernaut and has his team as a top contender for its second straight NorCal Open Division title.
Riordan will challenge itself early with games against strong SoCal programs La Mirada and Crean Lutheran and NorCal heavyweights San Joaquin Memorial and Modesto Christian
IS THE KING’S ACADEMY’S THE SOUTH BAY’S BEST?
Behind the play of freshman sensation Boss Mhoon, The King’s Academy made an incredible run to the Division III state title game last season, falling by just one point to uber athletic SoCal program San Gabriel Academy.
The two-way, polished forward earned all-Bay Area News Group second-team honors after averaging 13 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block per game last season.
Mhoon, who is ESPN’s 22nd-ranked high school player in the country, will return for his highly-anticipated sophomore season as he tries to turn the Sunnyvale private school into a Bay Area powerhouse.
He will be joined by shifty senior point guard Xavier Barnett, who was instrumental in leading the Knights through last year’s postseason run.
Sharpshooter Claxton Ladine is a threat on the wing and can score in bunches. Willow Glen sophomore transfer Hezekiah Sires will add more size and depth to the Knights as a 6-5 guard.
After winning the Central Coast Section Division IV title last season, the Knights are expected to compete for the section’s Open Division title along with the West Catholic Athletic League heavyweights.
AMADOR VALLEY? CALIFORNIA? WHO’S TOP TEAM IN EBAL?
After years of dominance from De La Salle and San Ramon Valley, are Pleasanton’s Amador Valley and San Ramon’s California High the East Bay Athletic League’s favorite’s going into the 2025-26 season?
Amador Valley revamped its already solid roster with a host of high-level transfers. EBAL player of the year favorite Cam Anderson will don the Amador purple and yellow after being one of the league’s top players for Dublin last season.
The Dons also brought in speedy Salesian guard Elijah Stanley and American High sharpshooter Arman Mahavni to shore up a backcourt that already had all-league guard Jaylen Smith and crafty ball handler Cade Krueger.
California also added onto its established duo of Santa Clara-bound guard Brayde Kuykendall and polished forward Emeka Ifediora by adding the league’s best two-way swingman in Jaiden Jones from Dublin.
The Grizzlies were a North Coast Section Open Division team last season and are expected to have one of the better defensive lineups in the EBAL this season.
The rest of the league will still be very competitive with De La Salle bolstering a strong squad led by senior point guard Ibrahim Monawar and coach Marcus Schroeder.
Don’t count out teams like Granada, Livermore, Dublin and Monte Vista – all of which boast postseason-level personnel.
BUZZER BEATERS
St. Ignatius will boast an experienced lineup that includes all-league guard Raymond Whitley and point guard Shawn Boquiren. Center Ty Landers returns as well as last year’s freshman standout Alex Moore, who played heavy minutes for the Wildcats during their postseason run. … Oakland Tech will have to figure out how to play without last year’s BANG player of the year Ardarius Grayson, but the Bulldogs have plenty of firepower to contend in the Oakland Athletic League and beyond. Guard Saddiq Alarbesh made big strides as a three-level scorer in the offseason and could be coach Karega Hart’s go-to option this season. Fellow starter Jasen Davis returns, and the North Oakland school has also has a number of transfers, including Ibrahim Sylla (Dream Charter, New York), Kesyn Haggins (James Logan) and Camden McKinney (St. Mary’s-Berkeley). … Clayton Valley will seek to build off a solid season as the Ugly Eagles graduated just three seniors. Look for junior Zion Grissom to be one of the top scorers in the East Bay.
SEASON-OPENING SHOWCASES
The Bishop O’Dowd Thanksgiving Showcase is scheduled for this weekend at O’Dowd. Friday’s lineup: Davis vs. Benicia, 12 p.m.; Sheldon vs. Providence-Burbank, 1:30 p.m.; Cardinal Newman vs. Moreau Catholic, 3 p.m.; Sacramento vs. Oakland Tech; 4:30 p.m.; Branson vs. O’Dowd, 6 p.m.; Clovis North vs. Clayton Valley, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday’s lineup: Granada vs. Alameda, 12 p.m; Providence vs. Archbishop Mitty, 1:30 p.m.; Campolindo vs. Archie Williams, 3 p.m.; Dougherty Valley vs. Clovis North, 4:30 p.m.; Oakland Tech vs. Salesian, 6 p.m.; Fairfax vs. O’Dowd 7:30 p.m. The NorCal Tip-Off Classic will take place on Saturday at Dublin. Here’s the full schedule: The King’s Academy vs. Branson, 8 a.m.; Bellarmine vs. Lincoln-Stockton, 9:30 a.m.; Dublin vs. Modesto Christian, 11 a.m.; Cornerstone Christian vs. Folsom, 12:30 p.m.; St. Ignatius vs. Clayton Valley, 2 p.m.; Amador Valley vs. Sunnyslope-Arizona, 3:30 p.m.; Moreau Catholic vs. Vanden, 5:15 p.m.; Destiny Christian-Sacramento vs. San Gabriel Academy, 7 p.m.; Riordan vs. La Mirada, 8:30 p.m.
TOP PLAYERS: PRESEASON ALL-BAY AREA NEWS GROUP
Cam Anderson, Amador Valley, 6-8, senior
Earned all-BANG second-team honors last season after averaging 13 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. Was one of the best defensive big men in the state as an athletic shot blocker with quick instincts.
Will Corbett, Bellarmine, 6-3, senior
Chico State commit was an All-WCAL and all-BANG first-team selection in 2024-25. Led the league in scoring at 17.7 points per game.
Zion Grissom, Clayton Valley, 6-3, junior
Earned all-Diablo Athletic League first-team honors after averaging 11.4 points per game. A two-way standout, Grissom also shot the three-ball at a 35% clip.
Andrew Hilman, Archbishop Riordan, 6-4, senior
University of San Francisco commit averaged 12 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals per game for Riordan, and helped the Crusaders win a WCAL, CCS Open Division and NorCal Open Division titles.
Jaiden Jones, California, 6-2, senior
Dublin transfer averaged 12.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game last season. One of the best two-way players in the Bay Area, Jones earned all-BANG honors.
Boss Mhoon, The King’s Academy, 6-5, sophomore
The 22nd-ranked player in ESPN’s 2028 rankings averaged 13 points, five rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and a block for TKA. Helped the Knights win a league, CCS Division IV and NorCal title as a freshman.
Jaiden Miller, Liberty, 5-11, junior
Became the first sophomore to win the Bay Valley Athletic League player of the year last season. Averaged 17.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.2 steals per game.
Donovan Mikel, St. Mary’s-Berkeley, 6-6, junior
Mikel earned Tri-County Athletic League Rock Division first-team honors last season. Helped lead St. Mary’s to a league title game berth and an NCS Division Division II playoff appearance.
Elias Obenyah, Salesian, 6-3, senior
Stanford commit is the reigning TCAL Rock Division MVP. Earned all-Bay Area News Group first-team honors after leading Salesian to a 27-4 record and a spot in the NorCal Open Division playoffs.
Carlton Perrilliat, Salesian, 6-5, senior
TCAL Rock Division first-team honoree is a two-way force as Salesian’s big man. A talented wide receiver on the football field, Perrilliat fields Division I offers in both sports.
JP Pihtovs, Archbishop Riordan, 6-9, senior
Three-star stretch forward showed his ability to run the floor and hit open shots on a star-studded Riordan team that went all the way to the Open Division state title game. Currently holds offers from Nevada, San Francisco and UC Santa Barbara.
Raymond Whitley, St. Ignatius, 6-2, senior
All-WCAL first-team selection averaged 14 points, four rebounds and four assists per game for the Wildcats. Led the San Francisco school to the CCS Open Division finals.
Others to watch
Saddiq Alarbesh, Oakland Tech, senior; Shawn Boquiren, St. Ignatius, senior; Amari Chandler, Livermore, sophomore; Bryant Clark, Valley Christian, senior; Ben Lukacs, Cornerstone Christian, junior; Lucca Maher, Burlingame, sophomore; Gavin McMillan, Monte Vista, junior; Ibrahim Monawar, De La Salle, junior; Alex Moore, St. Ignatius, sophomore; Rylan Sevilla, Dougherty Valley, junior; Jaylen Smith, Amador Valley, junior; Dante Vigil, Liberty, senior; Teddy Xanthopoulos, Priory, junior; Brendan Williams, Moreau Catholic, sophomore
Bay Area News Group preseason Top 20
(Mercury News & East Bay Times)
No. 1 SALESIAN (27-4 last season)
Final ranking last season: 3
How it finished: Defeated St. Mary’s-Albany 71-38 to capture TCAL-Rock Division title. Lost to Riordan 64-57 in the NorCal Open Division semifinals.
Season opener: Saturday vs. Oakland Tech at Bishop O’Dowd, 6 p.m.
No. 2 ARCHBISHOP RIORDAN (29-2 last season)
Final ranking last season: 1
How it finished: Beat St. Ignatius 64-38 to capture CCS Open Division title. Lost to Roosevelt-Eastvale 80-60 in the state Open Division championship game.
Season opener: Saturday vs. La Mirada at Dublin, 8:30 p.m.
No. 3 ST. IGNATIUS (22-9 last season)
Final ranking last season: 6
How it finished: Lost to Lincoln-Stockton 61-37 in NorCal semifinals.
Season opener: Saturday vs. Clayton Valley at Dublin, 2 p.m.
No. 4 THE KING’S ACADEMY (27-5 last season)
Final ranking last season: 8
How it finished: Beat Carmel to 66-63 in CCS Division IV finals. Lost to San Gabriel Academy in the Division III state championship game.
Season opener: Saturday vs. Branson at Dublin, 8 a.m.
No. 5 AMADOR VALLEY (21-11 last season)
Final ranking last season: Not ranked
How it finished: Lost to Clayton Valley 59-47 in NCS Division I third-place game.
Season opener: Beat James Logan 70-44
No. 6 CALIFORNIA (23-8 last season)
Final ranking last season: 17
How it finished: Lost to Inderkum 69-43 in the first round of the NorCal playoffs.
Season opener: Beat Alameda 65-61
No. 7 OAKLAND TECH (25-6 last season)
Final ranking last season: 5
How it finished: Beat Oakland 66-60 in the Oakland Section finals. Lost to San Ramon Valley 77-74 in the NorCal semifinals.
Season opener: Tuesday at Lincoln-San Francisco, 5:30 p.m.
No. 8 DE LA SALLE (28-5 last season)
Final ranking: 2
How it finished: Defeated Dougherty Valley 74-44 in the EBAL finals. Beat Salesian 59-42 to win the NCS Open Division crown. Lost to Riordan 52-40 in the NorCal Open Division final.
Season opener: Friday TBD at Christian Brothers Classic
No. 9 CLAYTON VALLEY (23-13 last season)
Final ranking last season: 12
How it finished: Won the DAL title by beating Las Lomas 67-49. Lost to Destiny Christian 55-42 in the NorCal semifinals.
Season opener: Friday vs. Clovis North, 7:30 p.m.
No. 10 MOREAU CATHOLIC (29-6 last season)
Final ranking last season: 7
How it finished: Captured the NCS Division II championship by beating Cardinal Newman 58-57. Lost to Lincoln-Stockton 69-45 in NorCal quarterfinals.
Season opener: Friday vs. Cardinal Newman at Bishop O’Dowd, 3 p.m.
No. 11 LIBERTY (26-4 last season)
Final ranking last season: 11
How it finished: Lost to SRV 101-62 in the NorCal quarterfinals 101-62.
Season opener: Tuesday vs. Concord, 7 p.m.
No. 12 DOUGHERTY VALLEY (24-9 last season)
Final ranking last season: 9
How it finished: Beat Redwood 69-37 in the NCS Division I title game. Lost to Moreau Catholic in the first round of the NorCal playoffs.
Season opener: Tuesday vs. American-Fremont, 7 p.m.
No. 13 ST. MARY’S-BERKELEY (21-10 last season)
Final ranking last season: Not ranked
How it finished: Lost to Heritage 48-43 in first round of NCS Division II playoffs.
Season opener: Tuesday vs. Ygnacio Valley, 8 p.m.
No. 14 BELLARMINE (17-11 last season)
Final ranking last season: Not ranked
How it finished: Lost to Jesuit-Carmichael 64-50 in first round of NorCal Division II playoffs.
Season opener: Saturday vs. Lincoln-Stockton, 9:30 a.m.
No. 15 DUBLIN (24-8 last season)
Final ranking last season: 10
How it finished: Lost to St. Ignatius 65-62 in the first round of the NorCal playoffs.
Season opener: Beat Galt 88-19
No. 16 VALLEY CHRISTIAN (18-10 last season)
Final ranking last season: 15
How it finished: Lost to Oakland 59-45 in the first round of the NorCal Division II playoffs.
Season opener: Beat Menlo-Atherton 46-44
No. 17 MONTE VISTA (17-12 last season)
Final ranking last season: Not ranked
How it finished: Lost to Ygnacio Valley 57-54 in first round of NCS Division I playoffs.
Season opener: Tuesday at Acalanes, 7 p.m.
No. 18 ACALANES (22-7 last season)
Final ranking last season: Not ranked
How it finished: Lost to Redwood 62-52 in NCS Division I quarterfinals.
Season opener: Tuesday vs. Monte Vista, 7 p.m.
No. 19 PRIORY (26-6 last season)
Final ranking last season: 19
How it finished: Beat Palma 61-52 in the CCS Division V title game. Defeated Fresno Christian 83-66 to capture the Division IV state title.
Season opener: Dec. 4 vs. South Fork at Redwood Classic at Anderson Valley, 5:30 p.m.
No. 20 OAKLAND (22-9 last season)
Final ranking last season: 13
How it finished: Lost to Destiny Christian 59-31 in the NorCal quarterfinals.
Season opener: Lost to Weston Ranch 79-78
Editor’s note: Teams eligible for the Bay Area News Group rankings come from leagues based predominantly in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. The news organization’s high school staff chooses the teams.