Now what?
- Thread starter colhenrylives
- Start date
He has no one on this year’s team the caliber of Rabb, Austin, Longrus, or Gaskin‘s level. They wouldn’t go far. But if DLS does it, BOD should too with their prior levels of success.
I think one year there was a SRV team that was really good, I mean was an Open team if I ever saw one, but was placed in D1 and ran the table and won state. The coach even I believe said and I’m paraphrasing, “we would like to be D1”
I don’t think he was advocating for anything... this is not one of the best Odowd teams, 4 seniors and best player going to D2 Pomona (Chavarin) . They are good but not great, I think he was just being honest, CIF could care less what Ritchie said on Saturday night. The beat SL by 2 and lost on buzzer beater at SL..certainly a winnable game, then we will see if they are as good as Dublin and Logan. He is probably right
Stealing post from H.E.A.T on another string....
This is the 7th year of the open and there have been 20 teams make it to the open.
Modesto Christian is making its 6th Appearance. Sheldon and Salesian 5th. ODowd is the only 2x winner. ODowd and Sheldon the only 3x finalist.
2019???
2018 Sheldon vs Odowd
2017 Sheldon vs Woodcreek
2016 DLS vs Modesto Christian
2015 Odowd vs Modesto Christian
2014 Odowd vs Capital Christian
2013 Mitty vs Sheldon
The only year that SRV won state was in 2015, and they came in 3rd place in the EBAL that year and had lost in the NCS semifinals. There was no way they were ever going to get an Open invite even if they had applied for it. That was a great team, but they overachieved in the NorCal playoffs. Kiddman posted a great video on that team last week at this thread:
https://norcalpreps.forums.rivals.c...d-this-great-video-re-srvs-state-title.21111/
Now that I think about it, I believe you are referring to the Monte Vista team (also from the EBAL) the year before in 2014. They also had a heck of run in the state playoffs. That year, they were loaded, but didn't qualify under the existing rules to be placed into the Open division without their applying for it. The team had a vote and the players voted to stay in D1 and not apply to the Open. They ran the table and won the D1 state title. The next season, they won the EBAL ahead of DLS and the SRV team that won D1 state, but that year they played in the Open and lost to Modesto Christian.
No matter how sucessful a coach is or his accomplishments come to norcal preps and get blasted.and riducled for a loss in the SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP and get questioned were you coaching to win and god forbid you make a sarcasm statememt after the game that was maybe intended to fire up your own team please people these are high school coaches who maybe getting a $4,000 stipend for a year round basketball program. . Lou ritchie is a damn good coach and even a better person.
The open is for teams who are consistently great or for the particular year, elite. It is for teams that openly recruit and are well-known for having the ability to hand out free rides. I saw Weston Ranch play. They are solid. My mind is blown they are an open team
I don’t understand how Weston goes from a 16 seed in D4 last year to the Open Division this year, yet James Logan is put in D1?
Their top players last year were a freshman and a soph. From 16-11 last year to 33-1 this year. 0-2 vs central catholic last year, 3-0 this year. It's called hard work and player development.
I agree with you that the "coaching to win" thing was too far, but the "sarcasm statement after the game" is baloney. If it was sarcasm, it was so far lost on everybody that even the reporter didn't consider it sarcasm. No, Richie was pleading to go into Division 2 with the thought that BOD would have a legitimate chance at winning a NorCal or even state title in that division. Plain and simple. And when you're the coach at O'Dowd, it comes with some responsibility and benefits that extend far beyond the $4,000 stipend. There's a reason why his name is known and in the paper and why he speaks with coaches like Sean Miller and Dana Altman on the phone - because he's coaching one of the biggest programs in the entire Bay area. You don't get to play the "aw shucks, I'm just a lowly coach" card when that's the case. If that's what you want, go coach at Mission San Jose.
I've never met the man, and he may very well be a "damn good coach and even a better person." But I'll say again what I said before, that stunt of politicking cost him a ton of respect, and I'm not the only one who was puzzled by it. I'm sure he couldn't care less about what I think, but he's ostensibly setting an example for the kids he's coaching, and if that's the example you want him to set (petition to play in a lower division even to chase hollow banners), then you have my pity.
I take back my comment about being surprised they were in the open. Wasn't aware of their full body of work. They looked solid vs Central Catholic who to me isn't good at all.
I dont think weston ranch should be in the open, but the reality is the north only has 3 true open type teams this year. I'm just glad they went with 6 and not 8.
Thats for the verifying! I wasnt sure which school it was but it was recent and it was one of those teams in the San Ramon area. Right, that team was good enough for Open but voted to stay in D1.
Foothill (Bakersfield) wins the Central Section D4 title over Bakersfield Christian.
Foothill is the No. 1 seed in D5 South. Bakersfield Christian is the No. 12 seed in.......get this......D3 South.
Foothill is the No. 1 seed in D5 South. Bakersfield Christian is the No. 12 seed in.......get this......D3 South.
I've seen Weston Ranch a few times this year and definitely think they DO belong in the open... Not a lot of size, but very fast and skilled... They buried my Campo Cougars in the Modesto Christian tourney final... Right after Campo had taken down the hosts in the semifinal. And that host had Sheldon on the ropes in the SJS final before a furious Huskies comeback...
WR will give DLS a huge tussle tomorrow night and could very well pull off the "upset".
I don't think Weston Ranch matches up that well with DLS and they haven't played anybody since beating Grant back in mid Jan. Home game for DLS..... Geez I don't see any upset here. DLS is so much more battle tested. Logan, San Leandro, Dublin, Monte Vista, just to name a few as of late.
To fill a 6 team bracket, yes they belong. I wouldn't put someone else over them. But like I said, there are really only 3 true open teams. I guess it comes down to what's the point of the open? It becomes pointless if we are putting in teams and just hoping that they can pull off an upset.
Yes wr beat campo who beat mc who ALMOST beat sheldon who was down 2 starters. If that's the best arguement for them to be in the open, the standard is low. They're a good team and will be better next year. I hope they can find a way next year for their schedule to reflect their progress.
A competition to determine the best team in the state. The best against the best. I like the Open much better than having the best teams spread out over 5 divisions. It was good that they all got trophies, but you had to wonder who would win if the top teams actually played each other. Now we can watch it all play out on the court.
I do know Lou, have for several years...he was not politicking for lower seed, just stating the fact that this team not as good as some local teams (certainly not as good as some of his recent teams) and he is right. However tonight they beat San Leandro in rubber match, will play a San Juoaquin team they already beat early this season and may face Logan and Moreau if they keep moving forward and keep winning. At this point I say this Odowd has overachieved. Nice bounce back game for Chavarin tonight, 4 critical FT's to close out win.
Last edited:
How many leagues in California can claim 7 teams in state playoffs? I know 1, WCAL any others?
