Pushed by the pandemic: Jesuit basketball star will play for Napa’s Prolific Prep
Isa Silva is one of the top high school basketball players in the country, but he has been in the same position as thousands of other senior athletes — not sure there would be a season because of the coronavirus pandemic.
On Tuesday, Silva said he was joining the Napa’s Prolific Prep basketball roster as a Jesuit student to ensure he plays a senior basketball season. The Stanford-bound player will graduate from Jesuit next spring while playing ball for the national powerhouse prep school. Prolific Prep normally requires players to attend a high school affiliated with its program, but it’s waiving the requirement to allow Silva to compete in a sport that starts practice at the end of the month. Jesuit is also allowing the unique scenario to play out.
Silva’s move stems from uncertainty about if a sanctioned high school sports season will be played in California. Prolific Prep isn’t governed by the California Interscholastic Federation, which opens the door for Silva to play. The CIF has already bumped back the start of basketball season to March 9, and it’s unclear if the coronavirus pandemic will be under control enough to allow the season to even start at the later date.
If Jesuit has a season, Silva wants to suit up for the Marauders as a 6-foot-3 guard. The CIF pushed all high school sports seasons back into 2021 to buy time against the virus.
“I think if it wasn’t for everything going on in the world, a lot of things would be different in everyone’s lives,” Silva said. “(If I didn’t play this season) I would be a year removed from playing basketball. That played a big factor in trying to find a place where I can play games and improve myself as a player and while still being able to attend Jesuit. That place was Prolific. That’s why I made that choice.”
Silva added, “My coaches and my teammates (at Jesuit) are all supportive. They know I’m going to stay at Jesuit as a student. They’re going do everything in their power to stay behind me and support me and hopefully fight for me as the Jesuit season gets closer, so I can play there as well.”
Isa’s dad, Francisco Silva said, “From our family’s perspective, we don’t view it as transferring or leaving Jesuit. Rather, it’s in light of COVID-19 and the changes that are being made. Usually, you play club ball during the spring and summer. That’s your opportunity to play at a national level and Isa usually plays with Compton Magic, but obviously (because of COVID-19) that didn’t happen. We feel blessed that he has an opportunity to pursue an awesome education at Jesuit and be part of the Jesuit family there while also competing and preparing for playing at Stanford with Prolific Prep— who plays at a national level. It’s a unique circumstance in light of what’s happening.”
“This should be something positive,” Francisco added. “A young man from Sacramento has an opportunity to play at a national level. He has shown love and pride in the city of Sacramento and Jesuit. It’s pursuing the dream to get ready to play at Stanford and hopefully be a professional basketball player. That’s part of this journey. Unfortunately, COVID put us in a situation where we have to readjust.”
Silva was named to The Bee’s All-Metro team last season after leading Jesuit to a 22-10 record and averaging 18.5 points, 4.5 assists and 4.2 rebounds a game. Silva is ranked as a consensus four-star recruit and is the 23rd-best prospect in the 2021 class, according to Rivals. He committed to Stanford in April after a long recruiting process.
He isn’t the only player from the Sacramento area to play for Prolific Prep. In 2017, Woodcreek High School national recruit and McDonald’s All-American Jordan Brown transferred to Prolific Prep for his senior season. One year later, Coleman Hawkins from Antelope High School transferred to Prolific Prep and played two years with the team.
Prolific Prep competes in the Grind Session, which is an international elite prep basketball circuit. Some locations for the circuit are planning to play high school sports this fall as scheduled, unlike the CIF, which pushed back all fall and winter sports to the spring and adopted a new sports calendar. With the uncertainty of the coronavirus, it’s no guarantee prep games in California will happen at all this school year.
“Isa is like thousands of students in California trying to figure out how to get playing time in order to take their game to the next level,” Isa’s mom, Soyla Fernandez said. “I think institutions like Jesuit, Prolific Prep and others are trying to create some flexibility for that to happen. I think we as parents and part of his team are just trying to make sure that he makes decisions that will benefit him in the future.
“The most important thing is for him to continue his academic rigorous schedule at Jesuit, that was really important for us,” she added later. “Prolific (Prep) is going to provide an opportunity for basketball and the fact that he can do both in this COVID environment is a huge win for Isa’s development going into Stanford.”
Prolific Prep’s season runs from November to the end of March. Some of the tournaments the team plans to play in will be in a bubble environment, similar to what the NBA has done at Disney World.
Silva plans to rejoin Jesuit after the Prolific Prep season to finish his high school career with the Marauders. Jesuit basketball coach Tim Kelly said he fully supports Silva’s decision to play at Prolific Prep. He hopes the CIF will allow kids flexibility if a season happens in the spring.
“I hope the section is willing to take a look at individual cases here and listen to some reasoning, just because (this time period) is so unusual,” Kelly said. “Isa is going to be successful in whatever he does, whether it’s basketball or school. He has that drive and work ethic in him.”