OAKLAND – When Oakland Tech rallied from an 11-point halftime deficit to win the Oakland Section title 66-59, there was no big moment, not a single flashy play that sparked the comeback at Fremont High.
No, it was a marvelously Tech-style rally, one that saw the Bulldogs grind down Oakland one play after the other, the intensity ratcheting up as the temperature in the packed gymnasium hovered around 90 degrees.
“As always, we’ve got a tough group, and we keep playing until we find a way to win,” Tech coach Karega Hart said. “That’s what being a Bulldog is all about.”
ArDarius Grayson nailed free throws to help the Bulldogs inch closer to the lead while Ahmed Gulaid flew around the court and shook free for cutting layups to score 12 second-half points. On defense, Xan Myer-Plettner did his part to stop Oakland from pulling away by blocking at least five shots and affecting another dozen with his 6-foot-7 frame.
Once Grayson, who scored 15 points, took the lead with a free throw and then extended the advantage to 41-38 with a midrange jumper to end the third quarter, Tech maintained a two-possession lead for the rest of the game once Dylan Lucks converted a quick layup to start the fourth.
The Bulldogs had an understated celebration after the final buzzer sounded. As repeat Oakland Section champions, the program has expectations of winning regional and state hardware.
“Winning a section is important, since going into NorCals you want to have momentum,” Hart said. “We want to keep fighting and winning because we want to win our last game of the season.”
Meanwhile, it was another blown lead for Oakland, which held advantages in each of its three losses to Oakland Tech this season. Oakland ripped out to a 32-21 halftime lead thanks to an incendiary quarter from Oakland guard Couraji West.
The multi-talented guard who, in his spare time, can be seen filming highlight videos around East Bay gyms put together quite a reel of his own, splashing two 3-pointers and then going coast-to-coast for a reverse layup in the span of three possessions.
That free-flowing offense dried up in the second half, with Oakland’s only reliable option being Anthony Lacy crashing the glass and trying to score. He tried his best, scoring 14 points, but Oakland as a team struggled to make perimeter shots.
The defending Division III state champions are guaranteed a spot in NorCal, and Lacy vowed they wouldn’t waste that opportunity.
“Nobody wants to lose, especially in a championship game, but we’ve still got the rest of our season to worry about,” Lacy said. “We’re on to bigger and better things.”
There is no guarantee that Tech and Oakland will be in the same bracket when the state announces seeding on Sunday.
But last season, the teams were both placed in Division III, where they eventually met in an epic NorCal final at Laney College.
Grayson wouldn’t mind participating in the sequel.
“We would love a fourth matchup with a chance to go to state,” Grayson said.
In the girls basketball game, Oakland Tech didn’t need a spectacular rally to add another section title to its trophy case. Oakland Tech routed Oakland 84-53.
