NorCal boys: Castro Valley aims for history; Pacos leads unlikely De La Salle

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Castro Valley boys basketball coach Nick Jones is a history teacher, and even he was unaware of his team's potentially historic run.

Among Northern California public schools, only two Oakland Athletic League teams - Fremont in 1999 and McClymonds in 2008 - have won the CIF state Division I boys championship.

The Trojans (30-1) aren't there quite yet. They still have to beat two-time state champ De La Salle (Concord) (26-5) in Saturday's NorCal championship game at Power Balance Pavilion in Sacramento, then the Southern California champion - either Centennial-Corona (Riverside County) or Mater Dei-Santa Ana - on March 26.

Castro Valley already has a win over De La Salle, 60-42 on March 4. That was for its first-ever North Coast Section championship; before Jones took over the program four seasons ago, Castro Valley had not won an NCS game.

"It's all one game at a time," he said. "We never look ahead. I think that's why the boys have been able to rise to the occasion, why they're not intimidated on the big stage."

The Trojans have beaten nine Northern California playoff teams and all were either on the road or on neutral courts, including Saturday's 63-60 barnburner over Oakland High at Washington-Fremont.

Juan Anderson, a 6-foot-7 do-it-all forward headed to Marquette, had 23 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks. Roderick Bobbitt had 14 points and Alex Foster 12.

"At this point, they don't get rattled in front of 3,000 fans or when faced with elimination," Jones said. "They focus very well."

The poster boy for that cause is Bobbitt, a 6-2 senior point guard. He averages 19.8 points, five assists and three steals per game. It's closer to 25 points per game in big games.

"The bigger the crowd and situation, the better he plays," Jones said. "He relishes the spotlight."

The lights will be shimmering Saturday, and De La Salle will be champing at the bit. The teams' last meeting was about even for three quarters before the up-tempo Trojans seized an opening and raced past the Spartans with a 27-14 fourth-quarter run.

To set the rematch, De La Salle had to beat a taller, more talented Sheldon-Sacramento team for the second time. Many were surprised the Spartans did. Not Jones; he said he knew De La Salle would be a NorCal finalist.

"They're so well coached and play so hard," he said. "I knew they'd find a way."

The Spartans allowed only four points in the final quarter of a 47-45 comeback semifinal win at St. Mary's College.

While Castro Valley is blessed with big long leapers and play a picturesque brand of basketball, the Spartans wear down opponents with relentless ball pressure and ball control.

DE LA SALLE POSTER CHILD
Their leading scorer Travis Pacos can't dunk a basketball and he stands almost 6-foot-3. He's not considered quick, a ball-handler, slasher, banger or defensive stopper.

Yet, after some consideration and head scratching, De La Salle-Concord coach Frank Allocco calls the senior forward "probably our best player."

Pacos is the poster child for these workmanlike Spartans.

"Travis kind of embodies everything we're about this season," Allocco said. "We don't look like much, and we're rather blue collar. But when the final buzzer goes off, we're usually on the right side of the scoreboard."

And Pacos almost always has an impressive scoresheet.

The Discovery Bay resident leads the Spartans with a 17-point scoring average, which is a big gap over second-leading scorer Amadi Udenyi (10.5).

Utilizing a fine mid-range game, good three-point range and an ability to get to the free-throw line, Pacos put up numerous 20-point games, including a 35-point explosion against Valencia. It was the third-largest total in school history.

Pacos' numbers sneak up.

"Not sure how many times I'd get the stats afterward thinking Travis had 10 or 12 and he'd actually have 22 or 24," Allocco said. "He finds a way to knock down shots."

He didn't connect on a single field goal through 13 games as a junior and scored fewer than 20 points all season. "He made a remarkable jump in one year," Allocco said.

That's largely because he gave up football just before the start of the 2010 season. He started the 2009 season at quarterback, was lifted after one quarter, and didn't take a snap the rest of the year. Pacos didn't pout and was the ultimate teammate.

"I watched him close during that time," said Allocco, who is also close to the De La Salle football program. "He cheered just as loudly as when he was playing. He kept his head in the game. I was very close with those guys."

When faced with another football season on the bench, he reluctantly left to focus on basketball.

"That was hard for him," Allocco said. "He's the type of kid who would never quit anything. He didn't want to let his teammates down. At the same time, he saw the writing on the wall, that he could really help us if he devoted himself fully to basketball."

And he did. Pacos got himself into impeccable basketball shape, improved his shot considerably and played constantly during open gyms with teammates.

"It was hard to leave, but I probably should have done it earlier," Pacos said. "I think everything happens for a reason. Nobody expected much out of me or us, but that just made us more determined."

BREAKDOWN/PREDICTIONS OF TITLE GAMES.
Here's a breakdown of NorCal games played Saturday.

Divisions I-III at Power Balance Pavilion in Sacramento; Divisions IV and V at Folsom High

Division I: No. 1 Castro Valley (30-1) vs. No. 2 De La Salle-Concord (26-5), 8 p.m. - Will tight rims and bright lights at Power Balance, formerly Arco Arena, derail Castro Valley's dream run? Prediction: Castro Valley 51, De La Salle 48.

Division II: No. 1 Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) (30-2) vs. Woodcreek (Roseville) (28-5), 4 p.m. - Mitty has a giant score to settle after being eliminated by physical and battle-tested Woodcreek last year. Mitty 61, Woodcreek 58.

Division III: No. 4 El Cerrito (25-7) vs. Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland) (25-6), noon - O'Dowd can erase an unsatisfying season with its first banner of the year against the school it eliminated last year. Bishop O'Dowd 66, El Cerrito 61.

Division IV: No. 1 Salesian (Richmond) (24-11) vs. No. 2 St. Mary's (Albany) (23-10), 7 p.m. - Salesian beat St. Mary's by 17, 29, 16 and 21 this season, but there's no complacency here. Still, St. Mary's coach Manny Nodar has the Panthers much improved. Salesian 67, St. Mary's 61.

Division V: No. 1 St. Joseph Notre Dame (Alameda) (25-8) vs. No. 3 University (San Francisco) (28-6), 3 p.m. - Last time St. Joseph was here, it overcame 19-point deficit with three minutes to play. Not necessary this time. St. Joseph Notre Dame 71, University 62.