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Before the East Bay Athletic League even started, I wrote about the talent and depth level of the boys’ basketball teams.
Now as we sit halfway through the EBAL season has started, I have no idea who is going to win the league. There are four teams 4-1, one at 3-2, two at 2-3, two at 1-4, and one team at 0-5.
The nine-game regular season is nothing more than a seeding exhibition for the 10-team EBAL playoffs. It’s a ladder-type playoff where the top-seed have the luxury of sitting until the semifinals of the tournament, meaning a maximum of two games in a week.
It drops from there. The No. 3 and 4 seeds would have three games to win the title, and the No. 5 and 6 seeds would have to play — and win — four games in the week. That’s one heck of a week just to get to the North Coast Section playoffs.
Here’s the scary thing: one of those teams could do just that. What happens over the rest of the season certainly remains to be seen, but when NCS starts, the EBAL could have as many as seven teams in the postseason.
And those teams could very well make some serious noise.
Let’s look through the league and what they have left.
De La Salle (18-3, 4-1): The key for the Spartans is the health of Alec Blair. The 6-foot-7 star is a load for any team to handle but he has had shoulder problems and has missed some games. The big win for the Spartans was a 51-45 win over San Ramon Valley, but the next game was a 59-48 loss to Dougherty Valley. They came back and beat Dublin 53-49, before topping Amador 51-42. Games left: vs. Foothill, vs. Livermore, at Granada, at California. Right now, the easiest schedule left before the monster closer at California.
Dougherty Valley (16-6, 4-1): The Wildcats have the toughest schedule left in league as all four teams they face come from this group of contenders. After battling through injuries early, they have won five games in a row after falling 79-75 to San Ramon Valley. With 6-foot-5 Jalen Stokes back in the fold they can beat anyone with Stokes capable of going off for 40 in any given game. Games left: at Monte Vista, at California, vs. Amador Valley, vs. Dublin. Dangerous is that any loss will severely hurt and none of the four games is a lock.
California (19-3, 4-1): The big win of the season came when they beat Dublin in overtime for the first time in 15 years. As the lone unbeaten team in league heading into last week, the Grizzlies were in control. Then San Ramon Valley came into Cal and beat them by 14 to drop them into the logjam. Games left: At Livermore, vs. Dougherty Valley, at Foothill, vs. De La Salle. Huge games with Dougherty Valley and De La Salle and the Grizzlies get them at home. They need to win one of those two games. Having a healthy Dean Wallace this season has been a big difference for Cal.
San Ramon Valley (15-7, 4-1): The one thing you can count on about the Wolves is they will be playing well at the end of the season. They have won four straight, and three of those were tough games. Such a convincing win over Cal in the last game. I watched a lot of it and the Wolves looked strong. Games left: vs. Granada, at Foothill, vs. Dublin, vs. Monte Vista. Two games they should win are followed by two tough ones, but the Wolves have got them both at home. The team is fully capable of making a deep run in the playoffs.
Dublin (19-3, 3-2): The Gaels are the most dangerous team in the league as they have lost two of their last four league games. Get them in a corner and you’re going to get an extremely motivated team. Came through a tough week 1-1, falling by four at De La Salle is a game where they couldn’t get in a groove yet still only lost by four. Then in a trap game, they held on to beat Monte Vista 64-61. Games left: At Amador, vs. Granada, at San Ramon Valley, vs. Dougherty Valley. Also has a tough four games to close the league out but some big games right in front them help control their destiny. Here is my pick to run off a series of games and win league behind Cameron Anderson and his teammates.
Monte Vista (14-8, 2-3): Is one of the two, 2-3 teams that can run off some wins and cause trouble. Had a surprisingly close 60-56 game with Foothill, then came back a nearly topped Dublin, losing 64-61. Lost by two to Cal and by 28 to De La Salle so the Mustangs are a team you have no idea what you’re going to get. When they are good, they can beat anyone, but when they’re not, who knows. Games left: vs. Dougherty Valley, vs. Amador Valley, at Livermore, at San Ramon Valley. Certainly, a tough way to close the season, the big game is Amador in that it could make for a home playoff game. Will be interesting to watch.
Amador Valley (17-5, 2-3): The Dons entered last week 16-3 overall and still couldn’t crack the top five in our Power Rankings. Has played well even in losing, falling to San Ramon Valley by six in overtime, losing to De La Salle by nine, and to Cal in the EBAL opener by 12. Games left: vs. Dublin, at Monte Vista, at Dougherty Valley, vs, Foothill. Has big ones with Dublin and Dougherty Valley, and Monte Vista is a must-win. The Dons will ultimately need more scoring than from their top-three players.
Editor’s note: Dennis Miller is a contributing sports writer for the Pleasanton Weekly. This column originally appeared in Tri-Valley Preps Playbook, a weekly sports e-newsletter published by Embarcadero Media Foundation.
