Franklin celebrates gritty playoff win over Folsom; sophomore standout honors late father

A postgame locker room scene can be somber and drab in defeat. Even the pizza is blah when the scoreboard shows unfavorable results.

On Wednesday night in Elk Grove, following a gritty and relentless effort to hold off Folsom High School 71-65 in a CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoff opener, the Franklin Wildcats held a party in their meeting room. There was plenty to celebrate and chow down on.

Reflection and perspective started off the fun. Coach Ken Mandredi reminded his troops that progress was made this memorable season, that this 23rd victory was more than the previous three campaigns combined, including the COVID-shortened spring season of 2021, when only a handful of games were played.

The coach praised his team for meeting expectations, for playing to their potential, for playing the right way, and for having a good time through it all.

Players whooped it up. Then everyone dove into the boxes of pizza. No one seemed to notice that they were now cold slices, but that was OK, because the Wildcats are a hot team on the bracket menu. They have won four consecutive games heading into Friday’s second-round showdown at top-seeded Modesto Christian, where Franklin will have a shot to really rock the field.

The storied Crusaders have won a record 21 section banners, including last season, and they expect to return to Golden 1 Center for more blue-banner championship moments. This much we are sure of: Franklin will come to compete with fundamentals, athletes and desire.

“It’s just awesome to see them play like this,” Manfredi said. “We’ve been in close games before and sometimes we just need to settle and regroup.”

Everyone contributed, including super sophomore guard Aiden Rollins, a 6-foot-3 combo guard who had 24 points in addition to making plays all over. The young man never seems rattled.

The unsung guys on the roster also earned their pizza on Valentine’s Day. Brandon Wasserman’s two free throws with 17.4 seconds left pushed Franklin ahead 66-62. Folsom quarterback star Ryder Lyons made a three-point play to pull his team to within 66-65 with 12.1 seconds to go. Canai Gatlin of Franklin broke free for a bucket and was fouled but missed the free throw to make it 69-65 with 9.7 seconds left. Benjamin Sandy grabbed the offensive rebound, scored and was fouled with 6.2 seconds left, and his three-point play accounted for the the final points.

It was a frantic finish. The Franklin student section was ready to rush the court before Franklin administrators put the brakes on that advance. After all, it was a school night, and everyone was supposed to hustle on home, not to mention public address announcer and student activities director Bryan Kilby had reminded several times to steer clear.

Manfredi can speak of the joys of playoff success, having lived it as a player. He was a vital part of Rio Americano’s championship team of 1990, coached by his father, Al Manfredi, who attended Wednesday’s game and was beaming afterward.

Big center is a winner at last

Two players were especially pleased for the program’s first playoff victory since 2019.

Senior Greg Piotrowski muscled in for 11 points and 12 rebounds. A fan favorite, the 6-6, 260-pound post player is a fourth-year varsity player. His teammates mobbed him after Manfredi spoke of the 23rd victory and that no one endured the lean times more than the big guy.

Piotrowski has worked tirelessly to be an impact player, shedding weight and adding to his skill set.

“I’m so happy for him,” Manfredi said. “He has a big presence for us — in the paint, in the locker room, on our campus.”

Rollins plays in honor of father

The other player expressing pride was Rollins. He bears the burden of star power with class. But he is pained by the loss of his role model. His father, AJ, died on May 12 after a courageous seven-year battle with cancer that ravaged most of his 6-8 body, though he remained in good spirits to the end, per his nature.

The former Saint Mary’s basketball star out of Fairfield was 49. As a Saint Mary’s senior in 1996-97, AJ Rollins helped power the Gaels of Moraga to the NCAA Tournament. He played 10 seasons professionally overseas. His greatest joy was watching his son compete.

Rollins visited his father regularly in the hospital, all those surgeries and all of that vibrant life so unfairly slipping away.

“Everyone in the basketball community knew AJ,” Manfredi said. “It was great that he got to see his son play varsity basketball last season. I know he was proud.”

Rollins said he will say a prayer before every game, his father in mind, and he often writes the day of his father’s death on his shoes: May 12, 2023.

“When it got really tough for him with cancer, he always stayed positive, and that’s always stuck with me,” Rollins said. “That always motivates me. I always keep him in my mind.”

Rollins said a united basketball team is like a family, including these Wildcats. It’s a young team with Piotrowski the lone senior starter. The Wildcats started the season 8-0 and won 14 of their first 15 games. They overcame two losses to Delta League co-champions Sheldon and Jesuit and have found a new gear.

“We’re excited,” Rollins said. “We’re close. We’re a team and a family, like brothers.”

Folsom, also a young team, was led by LJ Bridges, who had 18 points. Chase Rawlins had 15, Lyons scored 13 and Joven Dulay had 12. None of them are seniors.