On Thursday, March 5, 2026, the Dougherty Valley mens varsity basketball team defeated the Clayton Valley Ugly Eagles 59-55, after a previous loss to them during the NCS semi-finals. This game guaranteed the Wildcats a spot in the third round of the CIF D1 tournament, where they will play the third seed, Folsom High School.
Previously, the Wildcats travelled to Clayton High to play the Ugly Eagles in the NCS Open on Feb. 25, but were defeated 55-50, ending their chances of winning the championship for the fourth year in a row. However, as fate would have it, they were set to match up again for the CIF D1 bracket at Clayton, and the Wildcats were out for revenge.
The energy was noticeably different at this game, still at a high level, but there were significantly less people attending. Despite this, the stakes were immense, as whoever lost would have an end to their season.
The first quarter began with the Wildcats winning the tip off, but were unable to convert. Clayton drove down the court looking for an opening in the middle, but was fouled by Dougherty. Despite this, the Wildcats ended up with the ball and the first points were scored by junior Luke Hansen with a three. The game continued on with this energy, and the Wildcats continuously knocked down three-pointers back to back. They pushed hard, grabbing offensive and defensive rebounds, ultimately dominating the quarter. Clayton fought back, attempting to drive up to the basket, but was more successful shooting beyond the arc. Fans in the gym began getting loud, and both sides battled hard to gain the lead. The first quarter ended with a score of 20-14, with the Wildcats in the lead.
With the commencement of the second quarter, the Wildcats defended wisely, knowing which players on Clayton were consistent shooters, and which ones weren’t. On the opposite end however, the Wildcats were rushing on offense, and were unable to make some shots. Clayton Valley on the other hand utilized their time, and used up most of the shot clock before shooting. Most of their shots were close to the basket, with little shots being taken outside the arc. By four minutes left, the score read 23-20, with the Ugly Eagles catching up. The game got intense as steals were made, double dribbles were called, and fouls were dealt out, but the Wildcats still remained in the lead. The second quarter ended with a score of 31-25, favoring the Wildcats.
By the third quarter, the Ugly Eagles were desperate for a change of pace, and started playing more aggressively. Both teams began trading off points, but the Wildcats took charge with their defensive plays and rebounds on both ends of the court by sophomore Alonzo Walker. Clayton was also working hard on defense, attempting to get a turnover and convert points. Despite this, the Wildcats were able to steal the ball and make a layup, causing the Ugly Eagles to take a full timeout, their first of the game. After this reset, the Wildcats couldn’t seem to make their shots, but Clayton could. When the score tightened up to a two point difference, the Wildcats began playing harder, despite the lack of open shots they were able to take. Back and forth turnovers and inability to convert led to a tight score of 43-40, with the Wildcats taking the lead.
In the final moments of the game, both sides of the gym started getting even louder, as the stakes of this game were immense. Dougherty started with the ball, and players got more aggressive. As senior Rashod Cotton Jr. scored a layup, a Clayton Valley player attempted to block, and instead both fell, leading to a momentary delay of game as the Clayton player began bleeding. With the resumption of the game, both teams began getting desperate as the score tightened, and the Wildcats attempted to drive to the rim with no luck. On the opposite end however, the Ugly Eagles were called on a technical foul, leading to Cotton shooting a crucial two shots for the team. Immediately after he shot his second free throw, Cotton received a technical as well, allowing Clayton two free throws. With the Wildcats at five team fouls and Clayton at two, every moment was crucial going forward. The game eventually became tied at two minutes left, 55-55, and as the quarter was closing, both teams scrambled to get the final shot. The Wildcats failed to shoot a three, but Hansen was able to steal the ball, leading to junior Rylan Sevilla successfully making a layup. As the Ugly Eagles drove down the court with the ball, they were fouled on a two point shot, but missed the first free throw, and hit the backboard intentionally on the second, leading to a turnover to the Wildcats. With 16 seconds left on the clock, the fate was sealed, and the Wildcats had beaten the Ugly Eagles by four points.
Luke commented about his successful three-pointers, something that hasn’t previously been the highlights of his games.
“I tried to give it a spark in the beginning. I hadn’t been hitting shots recently, I was like two for my last eighteen,” he acknowledged. “Tonight we wanted to win this game and we had to hit shots.”
Head Coach Mike Hansen additionally discussed what went well for them, after previously talking about switching match ups for Clayton after winning against Destiny Christian High School in the first round of the CIF tournament.
“I thought our early three-point shooting was great. It got us going and also sped up the game. Luke was really good early, and our guys just played fearless,” Hansen said.
Their next game will be on Saturday, March 7, 2026, at 7 p.m. in Sacramento against Folsom High School for the semi-finals.
