The Dougherty Valley varsity boys basketball team has played a historic season by dominating the court over teams across the state during the regular season and winning the title of East Bay Athletic League (EBAL) champions. DV’s winning streak allowed them to advance into the North Coast Section (NCS) tournament, where the team hopes their hard work will result in victory. Analyzing their spectacular season shows how the team climbed its way to first in EBAL.

In order for DV to have made it into the EBAL championships, and then NCS, the team needed strong players and effective teamwork to conquer the court. Newcomers made their basketball debuts and returning juniors and seniors displayed leadership, which came together to create DV’s dominant season. Senior Ryan Beasley, who committed to the University of San Francisco for basketball, led the Wildcats in points, averaging 23.1 per game. 

Reflecting on the season he’s had and looking forward to his future in basketball, Beasley said “Just like this, [I want to] go get championships at USF. [I want to] bring the same leadership and energy and be a winner.”

DV’s winning streak ended in a 62-58 loss against St. Augustine, which was ranked 11th in the California division. Following their first loss of the season, DV came back stronger winning seven consecutive games. 

Later in the season, Beasley suffered an injury during a non-league game against Notre Dame on Jan. 21, and was forced to sit out the next two games during his recovery. In that game, Dougherty lost to Notre Dame, falling behind 12 points with a final score of 65-53. 

Senior captain Connor Sevilla, who returned for his fourth season with the team, took charge in their next game against Amador Valley, helping the Wildcats average a 20-point lead throughout all four quarters, ending the game at 79-56. 

The victory was, however, quickly followed by an unexpected loss against Monte Vista, which DV had previously defeated this season. Monte Vista initially established a two-point lead that Dougherty closed by the beginning of the third quarter. But the Wildcats lagged behind in the second half, and the final score showed 64-61, marking DV’s third loss of the season. 

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Following the loss, DV picked up momentum and drove their way into the EBAL championship. In the EBAL semifinals, DV defeated San Ramon Valley again in an incredibly close game on Feb. 9. SRV, ranked fifth in NCS, was able to establish an initial lead on DV with a high field goal percentage and a great offense. The first half ended with a score of 50-31, Wolves up. But after halftime, the Wildcats came back strong. The crowd’s high energy, combined with a better defense and more aggressive offense, allowed DV to close the lead in the last quarter, winning with a score of 86-83. 

“The team is great and their hearts are incredible. [I tell them] stick with each other, fight for each other, and whatever is going to happen is going to happen. And that’s how they are. They love each other. They fight together. It’s a pretty fun group,” Head Coach Mike Hansen stated. 

Going into finals, DV had already secured their title as EBAL champions. They played Granada, ranked fourth in NCS, in a close game on Feb. 1 that DV won 77-70. Their win was followed by a net-cutting ceremony with hundreds of people cheering as they celebrated their well-earned victory.

“We lost this game freshman year,” Beasley said. “And I’ve been thinking about it ever since, so I knew we had to win this one.”

Throughout the EBAL championships, DV showcased effective teamwork and a strong offense, allowing them to secure a spot as ninth in the entire California Division.

“We just came out ready, we had a lot of energy,” Sevilla said. “Even though we could have started off the game a little bit better, we were playing together from the start. We weren’t staggering with offense and still had energy on defense. This league title means a lot to us.”