Wall ball: Folsom takes down 22-time champion Modesto Christian with all-timer coach at helm
Mike Wall has coached a lot of basketball in his 31 years on the bench in the Sacramento region, including a number of championship teams. His 2014 and 2015 Folsom Bulldogs teams were led by guard Jordan Ford, The Sacramento Bee’s Player of the Decade.
Wall on Friday night deemed his current pack of Bulldogs as the one with the best defense, best team IQ, best shooting and with the best depth. That’s high praise from one of the region’s all-time great coaches.
He would know, and Folsom showed that old-school fundamentals, shooting and all-out effort remain the foundation of the sport. The No. 2-seeded Bulldogs beat 22-time champion Modesto Christian 62-52 in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I championship game at Golden 1 Center, denying the Crusaders their fourth consecutive banner in the section’s highest classification.
That’s the eighth such championship for Folsom, all since 1990, and the fifth for Wall since 2008. His teams have won seven of the last eight Sierra Foothill League championships, and he’s had teams win CIF Northern California Open Division games on the road against top seeds.
Then along came this group. It’s a skilled team with seven players capable of turning games with 3-pointers. There are 6-foot-4 guys who shoot and bang coming off the bench. Seven Bulldogs contributed in the 19 made 3-pointers Folsom dropped on 11-time CIF state champion Mater Dei of Orange County on Dec. 30, a 87-46 crushing. That’s when the coach and his leaders suspected this could be their year.
“I couldn’t be prouder of these guys and how hard they’ve worked, all of them home grown in that they came up as freshmen, and a lot of these kids grew up together,” Wall said. “It’s kind of a throwback. That’s why I came to Folsom (more than 20 years ago). It’s a community proud of activities and excellent, and these kids personified that excellence.”
Senior guard Chase Rawlins led Folsom with 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. The 6-foot-5 UC Davis-bound captain is a Sacramento Bee Player of the Year candidate who defers and credit to his teammates.
Siyahe Siaisiai scored 12 points, making two 3-pointers. Junior wing Joven Dulay scored 9 points, and reserve Jack Shull put in eight points. Folsom’s bench outscored Modesto Christian 23-0.
And 5-star national recruit quarterback Ryder Lyons started at defense, checking the best player in the section. Lyons, all 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds of drive, enjoyed the challenge of working against Gavin Sykes, a physical and skilled 6-4 senior headed to Long Beach State. Sykes torched Lincoln of Stockton for 45 points in a semifinal thriller, and the Bulldogs looked at the footage and knew they had a problem.
Lyons had a lot of help, and Sykes made just four of 11 shots for 15 points. Sykes grew up in Sacramento and played on a youth team called the Yellowjackets along with Lyons, who scored 2 points to go with three rebounds and two steals.
“I played Gavin my whole life,” Lyons said. “I know Gavin well. We battled a lot. I’m the most competitive person in the room.”
Coach Wall immediately interjected at the media table, “He’s not wrong!” and players cheered. For a hard-working bunch that is all business in action, they can sure celebrate.
A two-time Bee Player of the Year as a dazzling quarterback, Lyons suffered two cracked ribs in his final football game of 2024, delaying his start to basketball.
Folsom also kept Modesto Christian guard Myles Jones from taking over. The 6-3 guard from Sacramento is headed to Stanford on scholarship. He had nine points on 3 of 9 shooting. Folsom’s defense, ball handling skills to chew up clock and made free throws iced the game.
“We have the best defensive team in the section,” Wall said, leading to a team-wide burst of cheers and applause for the Bulldogs. “There’s no question. Ryder is a throwback. He enjoys the moment. Gavin is an amazing player, and Ryder takes that defensive role for us. He did a helluva job. They all did.”
Both teams will advance to the CIF Northern California Open Division that tournament starts at home sites Tuesday.
The CIF will release those brackets Sunday afternoon.
This story was originally published February 28, 2025 at 10:45 PM.