Best Teams in the Open Division era

[Streak One]

In an effort to get some new discussion going, I wanted to start kicking around some hypotheical questions we can have fun with.

Who was the best NorCal team in the Open Division era (starting in 2013)?

2013: Bishop O'Dowd
2014: Salesian
2015: St. Mary's, Stockton
2016: Miramonte
2017: Mitty (will also include Clovis West which was the South rep and state champ that year)
2018: Pinewood
2019: Pinewood
2020: Mitty

 

[NinoBrown]

BOD 13' easily

 

[GBBall4L]

2013 BOD and 2015 SMS were the only teams to bring home the Open Division hardware. It has to be between those two teams. But if Clovis West is running with the North that 2017 team was major also but credit that year goes to SoCal. The Mitty 2017 team that lost to CW was a great team also but best Open division team in my eyes has to go to the team that won it. I still believe the 2020 Mitty team had a great chance to bring it home. Punk ass COVID-19.

 

[ClayK]

That BOD team was special ... great size in KC Waters (Cal), Oderah Chidom (Duke, I think) and Breanna Brown (wound up at Oregon State). Superior guard play from Ariell Bostick (San Diego State), Aisia Robertson (Nebraska) and Asha Thomas (Cal). Alexandra Kalmbach, another D-1 player, came off the bench.

Lost three games, two at the Nike TOC to Riverdale Baptist and St. Mary's of Phoenix, both highly ranked nationally, and Windward with Jordin Canada and Kristen Simon in SoCal. And then beat Windward by 15 to win the Open.

 

[OnBall8]

I think BOD for sure.. that team was fun to watch

 

[mkbgdns]

the Three Towers were a load, and as you point out, they had a DI backcourt. weren't they missing some players at Nike?

 

[Streak One]

The two that stand out are 2013 O'Dowd and 2015 St. Mary's. I go with O'Dowd for many of the same reasons already stated. Highly talented, but also played with an edge. St. Mary's had length, shooting and could play at such a fast tempo with limited mistakes. The 2015 final against Mater Dei is one of the best games I have seen.

Girls basketball over the past few years have a few what ifs too. 2016 St. Mary's might have been better than 2015, but got upset by Pinewood. 2018 Mitty if Blakes doesn't get hurt is another good hypotheical.

Pinewood is the only team to repeat as NorCal Open champ and it is also the only NorCal champ to not have a McDonald's All-American.

 

[Norcal_Fan]

That BOD team was special ... great size in KC Waters (Cal), Oderah Chidom (Duke, I think) and Breanna Brown (wound up at Oregon State). Superior guard play from Ariell Bostick (San Diego State), Aisia Robertson (Nebraska) and Asha Thomas (Cal). Alexandra Kalmbach, another D-1 player, came off the bench.

Lost three games, two at the Nike TOC to Riverdale Baptist and St. Mary's of Phoenix, both highly ranked nationally, and Windward with Jordin Canada and Kristen Simon in SoCal. And then beat Windward by 15 to win the Open.

and as I recall, they didn't get to play all their games because of winter formal or prom or something like that..a few key pieces went back to Oakland. or am I thinking of a different team?

 

[ClayK]

You're right ... a couple BOD kids missed TOC games, as I recall. It was a big deal at the time ...

 

[Norcal_Fan]

You're right ... a couple BOD kids missed TOC games, as I recall. It was a big deal at the time ...

yah I remember thinking if those 203 kids hadn't missed, they could have gone on to be undefeated that year. what a team!

 

[OnBall8]

Pinewood is the only team to repeat as NorCal Open champ and it is also the only NorCal champ to not have a McDonald's All-American.

Streak.. I think you forgot about 2020.. Mitty repeated and did it without a MDAA..

 

[Streak One]

Streak.. I think you forgot about 2020.. Mitty repeated and did it without a MDAA..

Yes, I forgot them. Thanks.

 

[AtomicDawg1911]

BOD easily. Those kids could just hoop.