These 10 prep boys basketball teams in San Joaquin County stand out halfway through season
San Joaquin County prep boys basketball is heating up with about 10 more games to go in the regular season.
That's because the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section is home to lots of big matchups and elite teams. Included are the rising stars of the far west, Mountain House, and in south Stockton, Edison, which dominates the San Joaquin Athletic Association.
Ahead of the second half of the 2022-23 season. The Record has compiled a list of the 10 teams whose performances on the court make them stand out.
(The teams are listed in alphabetical order)
Calaveras (16-4)
Calaveras boys basketball team is plowing through the Mother Lode League as they share the number one spot with Sonora. The Redhawks are currently undefeated in league play and have an overall record of 16-4. They are led by senior duo Jay Clifton and Elijah Malamed who score in the double-digits every game so far this season.
Some notable wins for Calaveras have come against Bradshaw Christian, Patterson, Tracy, and Escalon. In its most recent win against Amador on Jan. 13, the Redhawks had a field day defensively holding the Buffaloes to only 15 points. Senior Tyler Maddock snagged a team-high five steals to lead his team defensively. At the rate they are going, the Redhawks will look to be back in the SJS Division 4 playoffs.
“ I think we're in a good spot,” said Kraig Clifton, Calaveras head coach. “Right now we're healthy and that hasn't been the case for most of the preseason, knock on wood. We’ve been playing well and we have really good team chemistry.”
Chavez (12-5)
Midway through the season and Chavez has already matched its win count from last year’s 12-17 finish. A big key to the Titans' recent success is junior guard Terrell Tek. The 6-foot, 156-pound athlete averages 17.3 points per game, shooting 45% from the field. He leads the team in scoring and steals per game with 3.9 steals.
Along with Tek, Chavez has a solid small forward in senior Jaiden Crawford. He averages 6.3 rebounds a game and at 6-foot-1 is a big body in the paint for the Titans. Ranked fourth in the SJAA, Chavez still has some ways to go before securing a spot in the playoffs. However, the Titans show promise to be a team to watch in the SJS Division 1.
Edison (12-3)
Since its loss to Campolindo on Dec. 28, Edison hasn’t dropped a game. The Vikings are on an eight-game winning streak and have a flawless league record. Led by senior guards Leon Mills Jr. and Jehahn Williams offensively, this is just the beginning of where Edison wants to be.
“We’re not satisfied with winning league or when we beat Stagg, Franklin, or Chavez; those are just our expectations,” said Diondre Hawthorne, Edison's head coach. “ We are worried about how we beat teams like Folsom and Modesto Christian. So we are trying to build chemistry, play hard and keep learning from each other as much as possible.”
The Vikings currently have a 12-3 overall record and they have their sights set on post-season play.
Kimball (13-7)
Kimball boys basketball is ranked eighth in the SJS Division 3 and is in the top 50 in the overall SJS. This makes the Jaguars a top team from the 209. Despite being ranked fourth in the Valley Oak League, Kimball has a host of wins that showcase the team’s strength. Some of those notable wins have come against Turlock, Calaveras, East Union, and Patterson.
In the Jaguars’ most recent win against Sierra on last Friday, they beat the Timberwolves 57-37. They dominated throughout the game, outshooting their opponents in each quarter. Head coach Albert Garibaldi will look to lead his team back to the SJS Division 3 playoffs with hopes of making a deeper run past its quarterfinals finish last season.
Lincoln (16-2)
Lincoln has one of the best records in the county with an overall record of 16-2. From sophomore Anthony Moore’s lethal shooting to sophomore Donez Lindsey’s lockdown defense, the Trojans have been near unstoppable this season. Lindsey is out for this season with a torn ACL, however, head coach Anthony Matthews is upbeat that his team can finish out the season strong.
“It’s been an adjustment when you lose a player like Donez,” Matthews said. “ But the boys are working hard and I mean we'll get there. Everybody's kind of redefining their role and so the kids work hard and they're coming around.”
Along with Moore’s 18 points per game, senior captain Taylor Bryant-Frey has stepped up offensively as he averages 12.4 points per game. The Trojans still have some big games coming up this season to get them battle-tested for playoffs.
Manteca (16-4)
Sitting at the top of the VOL is Manteca who is led by senior shooting guard Noah Lyons. Lyons is a shifty guard who averages 13.2 points per game and shoots 40% from the field. He has helped the Buffaloes to a 16-4 overall record and with wins over VOL foes in Oakdale, Sierra, and East Union.
Last season, head coach Jason Hitt and the Buffaloes finished second in league and just a game shy of the SJS Division 3 championship game. This season, they are hoping to bounce back after coming so close to last season’s goals. The team is in the top 20 of the SJS, and with eight games to go in the season, the Buffaloes have a good chance to be back in the playoffs.
Mountain House (15-2)
Next to Lincoln, Mountain House has one of the best records in the county, 15-2 overall. The Mustangs, who last season lost in the first round of the playoffs, are showcasing this season that they have longevity. Examples of that are big wins against Kimball, Bear Creek, and Beyer.
“We are currently 4-1 in league and we still have a lot to prove,” said Reno Ursal, Mountain House head coach. “So we're going to continue to not take anything for granted and just compete. For us, that means to play consistently for 32 minutes without any dips.”
Key consistent players for Mountain House offensively are juniors EJ Campbell, Thurmond Thorpe, and Isaiah Chenier. In the Mustangs' most recent win against Pacheco last Friday, the three combined for 32 points to win 64-29. They look to finish out the season strong and have a more fruitful postseason this go-around.
St. Mary’s (14-4)
“At the beginning of the season, our goal was to be a good team when the league came around,” said Ken Green, St. Mary’s head coach. “ We have accomplished that goal. However, we need to improve measurably to make a run in the playoffs and players are working hard to experience that."
The Rams are ranked number 14 in the SJS with an overall record of 14-4. Green has challenged his team this season with matchups against Modesto Christian, De La Salle, Loyola, and more. While his team hasn’t always come out on top, they have shown grit. Juniors Cayden Ward and Daniel Huerta are the face of St. Mary’s offense and both average over 10 points per game.
With the help from Ward and Huerta, the Rams are third in the Tri-City Athletic League. They hope to have a good close to the 2022-23 season as playoffs hang in the balance.
Venture Academy (13-3)
Venture Academy is beaming after a nine-game winning streak at the midway point of the season.
“I think right now we have exceeded the expectations for where we are in the season,” said Eric King, Venture Academy head coach. “I know we have a good group of kids and we're all pretty young. But right now as far as the mid-season point, they're doing really well and they're playing together. “
The Mustangs' team chemistry has them ranked third in the SJS Division 4, with an overall record of 13-3. A big key to the success is their “Big Three” in juniors Cameron Lowe, Marcos Rosales, and Mario Williams. Williams leads the team with 20.5 points per game, Rosales follows with 15.3 points per game and Lowe rounds them out with 15.2 points per game.
Weston Ranch (7-9)
After struggling at the start of this season losing six games in a row, Weston Ranch is still finding its footing. With an overall record of 7-9, the Cougars' potential for the remainder of the season has them still ranked high at number 13 in the SJS Division 1.
Guards Elijah Mobley, Khristian Holmes, and Richard Banks are bright spots for Weston Ranch as they score over double digits a game. In their 109-49 slashing of McNair on Jan. 13, the three guards combined for 44 points to almost outscore the whole McNair team. While playoffs are still up in the air, head coach Nicholas Podesta is hopeful the second half of this season is good for the Cougars.
“I think we're definitely heading in a positive direction playing some better basketball as of late,” Podesta said. “I think some of the issues that we dealt with early this season in addition to playing a brutal schedule, was just finding some level of consistency. Our guys have really been able to bounce back by giving consistent effort at practice every single day.”
Record reporter Shannon Belt covers sports. She can be reached at sbelt@recordnet.com or on Twitter @ShannonBelt3. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record.
This article originally appeared on The Record: Standout prep boys basketball teams in San Joaquin County in 2022-23
