Town Syndrum's OAL Basketball Preview

Contributed by Sean Brekke-Mieser aka Town Syndrum

The Oakland Athletic League kicked off its basketball season two weeks ago and looked as if little had changed in the off-season. Through the first week the McClymonds Warriors look to be just as strong if not stronger than last year, when they won the Division 1 State Title. Featuring the trio of Damon Powell (left), Will Cherry (below right), and Quincy Hill the Warriors have managed to send an early message that the OAL is their’s for the taking.

With the graduation of Frank Otis, many thought Mack wouldn’t be quite as powerful. But after an impressive pre-season the Warriors had managed to remain undefeated in their last 50 games until they fell to De La Salle on Monday. Some have doubted their ability to run the table as they did last year, with the impressive 32-0 season, but thus far they look capable of a repeat performance. I have not seen a high school team play defense the way they do in a long time. Their team speed and depth off the bench is something to be reckoned with, and their home fans can easily rattle you in their small cracker box gym.

The other teams in the OAL are fighting for the remaining playoff spots, and I am positive it will come down to the final week of the season. The OAL graduated a lot of players last year, so this season will be a coming out season for a lot of players who were buried on the bench for some teams.
The Oakland Tech Bulldogs who have been the doghouse dwellers the last few years seemed poised to compete in the top of the league based on their pre-season performance, but the first OAL week seemed to prove otherwise. A win in the pre-season against De La Salle, an annual power in the Bay Area, opened a lot of eyes to this team’s capabilities, but a sloppy loss against Fremont and a blow out by the Warriors have set them back. But even with these opening losses, I believe they will make the playoffs thanks to the consistent play of Richard Boston and Deandre Campbell.

Meanwhile, Oakland High graduated 8 seniors and features a young nucleus that should prove to be exciting the next couple years. The Knights from Castlemont have a dynamic point guard in Omari Evans, but don’t have the big men to compete against top teams. The Skyline Titans also have a great guard in Nefi Perdamo (right), but also lack the depth to compete deep into the season. Lastly, the Fremont Tigers have a young team that showed some competitive spirit against the Bulldogs, but have had a tough time finding an identity without any natural leaders.

In a quick look at the women’s side of the OAL, the Bulldogs and the Warriors look to lead the way here too. The Bulldogs are out to get revenge for not making the playoffs last year for the first time in at least seven years. Meanwhile, the ladies from West Oakland seem to believe that this is their year to prove they have what it takes. The Lady Knights are a relatively unknown entity this year, so look out for them as well.
Last Year's Division 1 State Champion McClymond's Warriors

Overall it looks to be a very exciting year for both the boys and girls of Oakland. If the Mack boys are able to repeat as state champions, they would become the OAL’s second back-to-back Division 1 State Champions in the last 8 years, the Oakland Tech girls being the first to do it. But no matter what, please go out to a gym near you and support the young men and women of Oakland. I was pleased to see the turn out at the Mack-Tech game, where I am sure we broke the fire code. All games are played Tuesday’s and Friday’s at 4:30. Go to any gym on those days and you will see either a men’s or women’s game.