Bobbitt seizes moment, HAAL title and MVP award in win over O'Dowd

HAYWARD, Calif. – Midway through the third quarter, Castro Valley senior point guard Roderick Bobbitt had four points.

His shots weren't falling. His passes weren't connecting. His game wasn't flowing.

And few, if any among the 3,200 fans jammed into the Cal State East Bay gym were chanting the "MVP, MVP, MVP" cry that has bestowed him most of the season.

"But I could see in his eyes he was ready to burst," Castro Valley coach Nick Jones said. "He had kept his head. He had stayed mentally tough. It was just a matter of time."

On the big stage, in the biggest game of the year, the time was now for the 6-foot-2 senior who exploded for 22 point over the next 12 minutes to propel the Trojans to a 67-51 victory over arch-rival Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland) in a battle of Bay Area and state powers.

Bobbitt drilled four 3-pointers in the run and connected on six free throws. He made steals, nifty passes, and just about every play in between as Castro Valley improved to 25-1. The Trojans blew past the defending Northern California Division III champions for the second time this season.

The Trojans, ranked ninth in the state according to MaxPreps.com, also sewed up the Hayward Area Athletic League crown, something O'Dowd did the previous season with a series sweep over Castro Valley.

Despite his team's second-place finish in 2010, Bobbitt was still voted the league's MVP, something he no doubt secured for the second straight year with Thursday's performance.

By the end of the third quarter, indeed the Castro Valley contingent were chanting the coveted three letters over and over again: "M-V-P."

"It's just an award so it doesn't mean that much," Bobbitt said. "I mean, I've enjoyed having it (that title) the last season and would love to get it again. But winning this game and the league title outright is much more important."

Winning such an award in the HAAL is no minor feat.

O'Dowd features one of the top juniors in the nation, 6-8 forward Brandon Ashley, who Thursday once again was saddle with foul trouble and finished with 13 points, five blocks and five rebounds in just 16 minutes.

He picked up his fourth foul with 6:54 left in the third quarter and O'Dowd trailing jut 24-23. He sat out the rest of the quarter and by that time Bobbitt and the Trojans had taken complete command, up 38-30. They scored 12 straight to close the frame.

"Ashley picking up his fourth changed everything," Jones said. "Without him in there playing volleyball with our shots, we could get to the basket. Roderick saw that and took advantage."

As did Castro Valley senior wing Juan Anderson, who added 11 of his 17 points in the final 12 minutes. The 6-8 senior has signed a letter of intent to Marquette.

He and Bobbitt combined for 19 of the team's 29 points in the fourth quarter, when the Trojans also got key buckets from Dawson Johnson, Alex Foster (11 points) and Chris Read (eight points). Castro Valley made its first eight shots of the fourth quarter, including the play of the night when Bobbitt made a steal at one end, drove the length of the court before flipping a left-handed behind-the-back pass to a streaking Anderson who laid it home for two.

That made it 50-41 and Bobbitt all but sealed it with a 3-pointer on his team's next possession. Though calm and stoic on the court, Bobbitt screamed and flailed his fist after his fourth 3-pointer of the half.

"Roderick was an animal the second half," Jones said. "We've seen him do this time after time in his career. He loves the big game."

He's a Division I talent, but most likely will either attend a junior college or a prep school to catch up academically.

Until then, he's hoping the Trojans will make a serious run to a NorCal Division I title.

"(Bobbitt) is a great player," Anderson said. "He can score and do a bunch of things to take the pressure off of me and (Read) and the other guys. We do the same for him. That's what makes us a true team."

O'Dowd (20-5), ranked 12th in the state, struggled all night though looked pretty sharp in the first quarter led by a particularly active Ashley (nine points, three blocks) and Anders Haas (team-high 14 points).

But the Dragons scored just 16 of the next two quarters and stayed in the game with defense. But they couldn't ultimately contain Bobbitt and Castro Valley's high-speed attack the final quarter.

CASTRO VALLEY 67, BISHOP O'DOWD 51

Castro Valley (25-1): Dawson Johnson 1 0-0 2, Alex Foster 3 3-3 11, Chris Read 4 0-2 8, Roderick Bobbitt 7 8-10 26, Juan Anderson 6 3-5 17, Kyler Knox 1 0-0 3. Totals 22 14-20 67.

Bishop O'Dowd (20-5): Kendall Jackson 1 2-2 5, Anders Haas 4 4-4 14, Brandon Ashley 5 3-3 13, Terrence King Jr. 2 0-0 4, Richard Longrus 3 4-6 11, Lorenzo Manag 0 2-2 2, Michael Belick 0 2-2 2. Totals 16 17-19 51.

3-point goals: Bobbitt 4, Foster 2, Anderson 2, Knox, Jackson, Haas 2, Longrus. Fouled out: Ashley.