Prep spotlight: What’s ahead for battle-tested Salesian basketball team?

SALESIAN: NO DROP OFF FOR PRIDE IN LEAGUE PLAY

Through 14 games this season, Salesian has played by far the toughest schedule of any team in the Bay Area.

The Pride are coming off an eight-day trip in which they competed in the top division of the Damien Classic in Southern California and played some of the best teams in the country at the Hoophall West Invitational in Mesa, Arizona. Not to mention, the Richmond school opened the season winning games against some of the best programs in NorCal, including Oakland Tech, Folsom and Modesto Christian.

But after playing such a tough schedule, the expectation for the Pride is to breeze through Tri-County Athletic League Rock Division play. Salesian has lost just one league game in the last eight seasons.

Still, coach Bill Mellis and his players know the Pride can’t play down to their competition, even when they will be favored in every league game going forward.

“There might be some league games that are not as good as the opponents we saw down south,” Mellis said. “It’s just really about playing the right way and continuing to grow as a team. Share the ball, be in the right spots defensively, take charges, you know, things like that. So it’s really just more about playing the right way and not regressing.”

Salesian opened TCAL play with a blowout win over Albany, which boasted a 13-1 record heading into Wednesday’s game. The Pride believe playing a national schedule to open the season will only help them going forward.

“The schedule we played keeps us in mind of what our bigger goal is,” forward Carlton Perilliat Jr. said. “We’re not just here to play whoever we’re playing. We’re here to play in the biggest games. So to play that in the non league schedule, play some of the best teams in the country – that really does help us to see where other teams are at.”

MORE SALESIAN: FRESHMAN BIG MAN FLASHES POTENTIAL

One thing that can’t be taught in basketball is height.

A 6-foot-10 and still growing, freshman center Famien Yao is certainly the most eye-popping player on Salesian’s roster. However, playing behind a group of talented upperclassmen, Yao has had to wait his turn this season.

Yao didn’t play during Salesian’s recent trip, but found valuable minutes in the fourth quarter of Salesian’s win over Albany. Mellis believes Yao, who just started playing basketball recently, has potential to be a key piece to Salesian’s future.

“He just needs game minutes and it’s hard to find them when we’re on the road in those tournaments,” Mellis said. “We’re trying to find him some time. Even in practice, we pull him aside and work on his post work and footwork separately and stuff like that. He just needs a lot of repetition. He needs a lot of game minutes. It’ll be a minute before he’s really a significant piece, but he’s so young and a great kid.”

LIVERMORE POISED TO BREAK LEAGUE LOSING STREAK

Could this be the season Livermore finally breaks its 12-year, 121-game East Bay Athletic League losing streak?

The Cowboys not only believe that could happen, but that they could be a serious contender in the section this season.

“We’re no longer the doorknob of the EBAL,” coach Mike Tripp said. “I think teams are going to have to be prepared to play us.”

Livermore will take a 13-3 record into its league opener at home against Amador Valley on Friday. The Cowboys impressed at the Bay Area Challenge showcase at Bellarmine on Saturday by beating Sacred Heart Cathedral of the West Catholic Athletic League 65-40.

Sophomore sensation Amare Chandler had led the way as a prolific three-level scorer.

“I think he’s just more mature this year,” Tripp said of Chandler. “I think he’s having a fun year and I’m excited for him.”

BISHOP O’DOWD: COACH EXPECTS MORE

O’Dowd has all the talent to be a North Coast Section Open Division team by the time the regular season ends.

After taking a step back last season with a young team, O’Dowd has seemingly returned to its elite form when the Dragons defeated Bishop Gorman earlier this season.

The East Oakland school was competitive with last year’s Open Division state champions Roosevelt-Eastvale and lost by just three points to Texas’ DeSoto.

But after falling to Dougherty Valley in heartbreaking fashion on Tuesday, coach Lou Richie believes his team still has some growing to do.

“We’re as talented as anybody, but we’ve got to execute better,” Richie said. “We’re still trying to see their ability and yearning and intense desire to get better. What becomes of that is executing on offense, on defense and rebounding. It’s all the little things, the details. That’s the difference between an open state team that wins championship and talent and a team that loses in the second or third round.”

DUBLIN COACH PRAISES STAR FORWARD’S CHARACTER

Izaiyah Romero fell into Dublin’s lap this past fall.

The University of Colorado-Colorado Springs commit enrolled in the East Bay school after his dad got a job at Samsung. He’s been a pleasant surprise for the surging Gaels, whose two best players from last season transferred out of the program.

Romero scored 25 points and was a defensive force in Dublin’s 63-61 win over Valley Christian last Friday.

But what has impressed coach Tom Costello has been what Romero has shown when he is not on the floor.

“Izaiyah is my second period teaching assistant, so he usually gets to shoot around during class,” Costello said. “But the first week Izaiyah was on campus, the special needs kids came in and they have a special needs adaptive teacher that works with them and he usually doesn’t say much. But the first week Izaiyah was on campus, that teacher told me he was so impressed with Izaiyah.

“When the kids came in, Izaiyah dropped everything he was doing and started playing with the kids. He was letting them shoot, telling them to rebound for him. He’s that dude. No one’s watching. That’s just how he is. His parents are special people.”