MaxPreps 2016-17 CIF North Coast Section preseason high school boys basketball Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard

Video: 2015-16 Cal Basketball - High School Highlights
Check out footage of some of the California Golden Bears when they were preps.


1. Salesian College Preparatory (Richmond)
Head coach: Bill Mellis
2015-16 record: 28-5

The Pride are loaded with talent and returners. The team that almost beat Northern California Open champ De La Salle in the opening round of NorCals last season returns all but two players from a 13-man roster, including superb 5-foot-11 junior guard James Akinjo, 6-5 junior forward Jamario Bibb and twin sophomore guards Jaden McClanahan and Jovon McClanahan. Built on speed, depth and balance, the Pride will need to get a little more physical up front.

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2. Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland)
Head coach: Lou Richie
2015-16 record: 17-15

Two seasons removed from winning a state Open Division championship with the likes of Ivan Rabb (Cal) and Paris Austin (Boise State), the Dragons experienced growing pains last season before hitting full speed by postseason. They reached the NorCal Division III final before losing to Manteca. The guard trio of juniors of BJ Shaw (brother of former NBA player and now Lakers' assistant Brian Shaw), Elijah Hardy and Naseem Gaskin might be the second-best in the state, behind only Bishop Montgomery. Add in one of the most talented sophomores in the state, 6-8 Raymond Hawkins, and BOD might threaten for another state crown if not this year then certainly next.

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3. St. Joseph Notre Dame (Alameda)
Head coach: Don Lippi
2015-16 record: 26-9 Lippi led the Pilots to their sixth state title last season with a 55-50 Division V win over St. Bernard (Playa del Rey) at Sleep Train Arena. St. Joseph returns all the key ingredients, including leading scorers Jade' Smith, Darne Duckett and Adam Campos. Duckett and Smith are senior guards and Campos is a 6-5 sophomore post. The team even returns 5-6 sophomore guard Kobe Keiner, who last year clinched the state title with two late free throws. He hadn't played the entire game but after Smith, a 6-3 swingman and Division I prospect, got hurt, Lippi inserted Keiner to shoot the one-and-one. He made both with 11.1 seconds to play.

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4. Monte Vista (Danville)
Head coach: Nick Jones
2015-16 record: 24-8

It was supposed to be a rebuilding year last season for the 2014-15 Division I champs, but Jones squeezed 24 wins out of the Mustangs. They return two of the best players in the section in 6-3 guard Austin Fadal and 6-5 post Ashton Rust. Since Jones arrived in 2012, the Mustangs are 103-21.

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5. St. Patrick-St. Vincent (Vallejo)
Head coach: Derek Walker
2015-16 record: 20-12

The Bruins aren't often mentioned among the section's elite, but with the return of two of the region's top seniors, 5-10 guard B.J. Standley (17.1 points, 5.7 assists per game) and 6-4 forward Tavian Henderson (17.0 ppg, 6.2 rebounds), this season is different. St. Patrick-St. Vincent graduated only two seniors from a 12-man roster and should be stout with other starters Romeo Mays and Jake Elizalde.