Prep boys’ basketball rankings: Rio Americano rolls in Jesuit win; West Campus milestone
Chris Jones used to be part of the rivalry, as a player and a fan, and now he’s fully invested in it as a coach: Rio Americano vs. Jesuit.
The storied boys’ basketball programs are, as Jones says, “a 7-iron shot away from each other” in location off American River Drive, so familiarity is one of the many reasons this series resonates. The games draw sellout crowds, including dueling student-rooting sections, and the contests are intense.
That scenario played out again Friday night in a nonleague game. Jones’ Rio bunch beat then-No. 2 Bee-ranked Jesuit 65-61 to move to 6-2 on the season and up to No. 8 in The Bee’s rankings.
Jones, in his 14th season as head coach, said Monday in reflection, “This is what it’s all about. It’s not the coaches or the administration. It’s the kids, and it’s a game that’s got to happen every year. These kids and their kids bring it every year. Games are super competitive and memorable.”
The victory also proved more points for the coach. Unselfish play is the only way to play, and that his team can be a Capital Athletic League championship contender if everyone shares the ball and competes on defense. The CAL is a terrific league that includes Capital Christian, Christian Brothers, Del Campo, El Camino, Sacramento and Vista del Lago. League play tips off in January.
“It’s such a deep league and every game can be exhausting, mental competition, and we have 12 of those in the CAL,” Jones said. “It’ll get you ready for the playoffs.”
He added, “We’re hard to defend when we’re unselfish. When we’ve taken better care of the ball, we’re 4-0 in our last stretch. ‘Find someone to box out. Don’t ball watch.’ Kids are buying in. I told our guys after the Jesuit win that we prepared hard for that game, just the way we practiced and communicated. We’re willing to put in the work as coaches if they are as players, and they’re showing us that. That’s how life is, how every job is — working together.”
Matt Hoffman led Rio with 21 points as the one-time Jesuit player faced his old school. The 6-foot-2 guard led the Raiders in scoring during the shortened spring season and also now at 18.6 points per contest. He is skilled and tough, “a lights-out scorer,” Jones said, adding, “He takes tough shots, makes the right plays, plays hard, is unselfish. Great leader, a team captain. He’ll be playing somewhere in college, I’m sure.”
Hoffman is joined in the backcourt by point guard Miles Lake, a third-year varsity player. The 6-2 junior averages nearly 11 points a game.
“He’s very strong, very fast, jumps well, can shoot, play above the rim and can defend. He’s been a rock,” Jones said.
The team’s vocal leader is senior forward Sam Thompson, an invaluable enforcer of sorts. Said Jones, “He’s our muscle, a very strong human being, a football player. Just tough.”
Imagine the tussles at home Thompson has with his freshman brother, Jayce, a 6-1 freshman starter who hit two 3-pointers against Jesuit and also had a 3-point play as he finished with 10 points.
“He’s just a puppy, and he works so hard,” Jones said. “He works hard on his game. Doesn’t have an ego at all.”
Every contender needs a “glue guy,” and that’s Dylan Newberry, the team’s slashing fourth guard. The center is Jordan Hernandez, “a stretch 5 who is one of our best shooters, and if you leave him open, you’ll pay,” Jones said.
The Raiders soon will have Luke Mason back in the lineup. A 6-5 shooter, Mason has been slowed by a knee injury.
While Jones was a student-athlete at Rio Americano, graduating in 1998, he never dreamed of one day becoming basketball coach. He didn’t dream of it because he never pondered it. He thought of sports media, but was drawn back to hoops and visited Brian Davis, his Rio coach.
“I wanted to give coaching a try,” Jones said. “He gave me a chance and hired me. When I got the varsity job, I really wasn’t ready. I had to find my way and found it. It’s been awesome. Great school, great kids. I got lucky. Here our culture has been solid with our seniors teaching the younger players how it goes, how to treat people.”
Tourney time
The 35th Stan Harms Classic will be held by host school Folsom, a tournament that honors Harms, the kindly old coach who led Folsom to the 1985 CIF State Division III championship. Harms died in April, 2020 at 83.
No. 3 Folsom and forward star Brycen Shackelford plays 6-1 McClatchy at 7 p.m. Tuesday, followed by No. 11 El Camino and prolific guard Kiku Parker against small-school power Bradshaw Christian at 8:30 p.m. The opening game is Rio Americano against Fortune of Sacramento at 4 p.m. followed by No. 7 Ponderosa and 6-10 center Aaron Bliss against Monterey Trail and guard star Varick Lewis at 5:30 p.m.
Leo Wagner’s moment
West Campus senior forward/center Leo Wagner eclipsed the 1,000-point and 500-rebound plateau, doing so in just 65 games.
He averages 21.3 points and a Sac-Joaquin Section-leading 16.9 rebounds.
Stat marvels
▪ Juanluis Rubio of Rio Linda leads all regional scorers with a 27.3-point average, according to statistics inputed by teams into MaxPreps. The 6-2 senior guard had 36 points in a loss to Antelope and a season-high 39 in a win over Florin. He averages 5.3 assists, 6.4 rebounds and 3.3 steals a game.
▪ Sacramento Adventist senior guard Braeden Beamen is second with a 26.-0 average, Lamanz Cummings of Florin is third at 255 and Isiah Griffin of Burbank is fourth at 25.2
▪ Casen Chaney of Ponderosa is the section leader in assists with 7.0 per game for the 6-0 Bruins. Sean Cruz of West Campus dishes out 6.0 a game and Mason Mottashed of Union Mine 5.5.
▪ Daniel Lapatin of Futures High of Sacramento is the area leader in steals with 5.7 a game and Varick Lewis of Monterey Trail is second with 4.5.
▪ Mason Jones of Galt is the section leader in blocks per game with 5.1 and Aaron Bliss of Ponderosa is second at 4.2.
The Bee’s Top 20
Records entering Monday
1. Sheldon 3-4
2. Elk Grove 8-2
3. Folsom 6-2
4. Burbank 5-0
5. Inderkum 6-1
6. Grant 5-1
7. Ponderosa 6-0
8. Rio Americano 6-2
9. Jesuit 5-3
10. Sacramento 3-2
11. El Camino 6-1
12. Antelope 12-2
13. Capital Christian 4-3
14. Whitney 8-2
15. Del Oro 9-4
16. Pleasant Grove 10-2
17. Oak Ridge 9-1
18. Wood 9-2
19. Granite Bay 8-5
20. Bella Vista 6-3
Bubble teams: (alphabetical order): Davis 3-3; Laguna Creek 7-3; Lincoln 9-2; Marysville 12-3, McClatchy 6-1; Placer 9-3; River Valley 6-5; Rocklin 6-6; Roseville 7-4; Union Mine 11-3; Vacaville 6-3. - Compiled by Joe Davidson
This story was originally published December 21, 2021 at 7:17 AM.