Sacramento HS basketball: Oak Ridge coach bows out; big-name transfers in region
It’s the end of an era in El Dorado Hills with the retirement of a teaching and coaching fixture at Oak Ridge High School.
But Steve White isn’t going away for good.
The winningest basketball coach in the history of the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section in his 30 seasons leading the Trojans girls program, White said this academic year was his final one as an on-campus math teacher and as athletic director. He will remain as an assistant basketball coach to new head coach Briana Dulgar, a former Trojans player from the 2010s and a recent junior varsity basketball coach at the school.
White started his coaching career in Southern California, coaching boys, and found his niche at Oak Ridge. When he won his 700th game late in the regular season, scores of former players, dating back to the 1990s, stopped by to join in on he celebration that included cake and balloons.
White, 60, led Oak Ridge to the CIF State Division I championship in 2010 and won section banners in 2003, 2009, 2010 and 2022 to go with 26 playoff teams.
Familiar face is the new AD
Eric Cavaliere was named last week as Oak Ridge’s next athletic director. He, too, has been a fixture on campus for decades, having led the football program as head coach for 14 season after some seasons as an assistant. Under his watch, Oak Ridge produced annual playoff teams and won the 2019 section D-I championship.
“I am excited about this opportunity,” Cavaliere said, adding, “I am honored to have the trust of our administration to take this role. Big shoes to fill, but Steve White, as per normal, will be around to get me acclimated. There is a great support team here, and I am a lucky fella.”
John Huffman celebration of life
A celebration of life for decades-long Victory Christian High basketball coach and administrator John Huffman is 10 a.m. Saturday at Arcade Church in Sacramento.
Huffman died last month unexpectedly at 72, his family said.
Huffman and his wife Sue coached the women’s basketball team at Sacramento State from 1985-98. Huffman served as principal at Victory Christian and was recently the school’s interim superintendent.
All-Star hoops honors
Sacramento Bee Player of the Year Mark Lavrenov of Rocklin was named second team on the Cal-Hi Sports All-State Teams.
The 6-foot-8 Sacramento State commit averaged 23.4 points and 12.2 rebounds for the section Division II champions.
Big-name transfer
Devaughn Dorrough, one of the most promising freshman varsity basketball players to come through the Elk Grove Unified School District in years, is on the move.
After starring for Monterey Trail this past season as a 6-foot-7 forward, averaging 16.1 points and 10 rebounds for the co-Delta League champions, Dorrough is headed to Nevada to play for Coronado High in Henderson.
Dorrough has Division I college scholarship offers from Sacramento State, Stanford, USC, Washington and others.
Super sophs headed to Modesto Christian
Two of the top sophomores in Sacramento, from the same district, will play at powerhouse Modesto Christian next winter.
Inderkum guard Siincere Hudson and Natomas guard Aeron Wallace, both members of The Bee’s All-Metro lineups, will compete for the Crusaders, a longtime section and Northern California force.
Folsom denied Modesto Christian a section Division I championship three-peat in February.
Hudson led Inderkum in scoring with 14.8 points, assists with 4 and steals with 2.7 as the Tigers went 29-3. Wallace averaged 14.5 points for a Natomas team that played for a section championship at Golden 1 Center.
