Boys basketball: The EBAL takes on rest in the Bay Area Challenge

All-day showcase at Bellarmine starts at 9:30 a.m. and concludes with state power Riordan taking on upstart Monte Vista

Senior guard Andrew Hilman has started already three seasons for Riordan's juggernaut Northern California squad. / File photo: Greg Jungferman

It's tabbed as a Bay Area challenge, but more accurately, at least this in its first year, is a challenge for East Bay Athletic League. And for six of the eight games, it's the EBAL versus the West Catholic Athletic League, almost universally believed as the top two leagues in the Bay Area.

One constant between all eight games is that it's public schools matching up with private programs in an all-day event at Bellarmine High School in San jose.

That alone makes the first Bay Area Challenge intriguing on its own.

Put on by longtime college scout and former college coach Gerry Freitas, the first Bay Area Challenge tips off at 9:30 a.m. and 11 hours later, the finale will feature defending Northern California Open Division champion Riordan against Monte Vista of Danville, led by one of the region's top coaches Nick Jones, along with his 6-foot-10 guard Gavin McMillan, a junior who has already committed to Mississippi on a baseball scholarship.

Riordan, unfortunately for the Mustangs, is a roster filled with future basketball scholarship players.

Nevertheless, matchups and styles and tempos will be at play all day in San Jose.

Here's are the matchups, the times and a few key facts.

Fans attending should go to the parking structure to the right of the gym at 780 Emory Street in San Jose.

Game 1, 9:30 a.m. — Livermore (12-2) vs. Sacred Heart Cathedral (7-2)

An intriguing game to start because Livermore hasn't been relevant since. ... about ever. The Cowboys, in fact, haven't won a league game in 13 years, a span of 106 games, according to second-year coach Mike Tripp, who is making his second go-around at the school and in his 40th year of coaching. The longtime Washington-Fremont coach has a keeper of a team, led by 6-foot-6 sophomore Amare Chandler and 6-7 post Dylan Wherry. The Irish, led by another second-year coach Andrew Kochevar (formely at San Francisco State), is also off to a good start behind freshman Jaden Hector (13.7 ppg, 9.7 rpg) and senior Cory Wong (13.3). SHC hasn't had winning seasons since 2022-23.

Game 2: 11 a.m. — Granada (11-3) vs St. Francis (7-2)

Granada also returns a head coach in Quaran Johnson, who was out for one season for personal reasons, after back-to-back 26-win campaigns. His freshman son by the same name runs the point but 6-foot junior Brandon Hahn has been lighting up scoreboard. His dad Bryan, now an assistant, was a mainstay in the EBAL in the 1990s. St. Francis is led by Devin Turner (11.9 ppg) and sophomore Jackson Corbett (6.3 rpg). The Lancers rebounded from back-to-back losses with a 70-52 win over Watsonville.

Game 3: 12:30 p.m. — San Ramon Valley (6-9) vs St Patrick-St Vincent (5-2)

San Ramon Valley during timeout with the phrase Hans de Lannoy coined: "Home of Champions." / Photo: Mitch Stephens

The Wolves are largely in rebuild mode after graduating all five starters off last year's 24-10 team. Coach Brian Botteen has had it rolling with 79 wins the last three seasons. The Wolves always play tough preseason schedule and 2025-26 is no exception. They broke a three-game skid with a 71-63 win over George Washington Prep. SPSV also has longstanding tradition under 18th-year head coach Derek Walker. The Bruins are coming off 60-59 win over Gunn.

Game 4: 2 p.m. — Dublin (11-4) vs Valley Christian (8-1)

Dublin coach Tom Costello has done a masterclass at coaching after losing his two top players who transferred to local schools. The Gaels have barely missed a beat and had won seven straight, including a 68-58 win over Folsom, before dropping two tough games at the Damien Classic to Brentwood School (70-64) and Hesperia (62-57). Valley Christian is one of the Bay Area's biggest surprises with a loss only to perennial EBAL power Dougherty Valley (75-53). The Warriors come in on a three-game win streak over Tamalpais (78-29), Windsor (60-55) and Menlo-Atherton (59-49).

Game 5: 3:30 p.m. — Dougherty Valley (11-4) vs. Bellarmine (7-2)

Another marquee matchup, pits Mike Hansen's juggernaut program that has won at least 20 games five straight seasons (not counting the pandemic shortened spring season), against a Bellarmine team that opened 6-0 behind one of Northern California's top guards in Will Corbett. The host team lost a couple tournament games out of the area but are coming off a 67-40 win over Spanish Springs. Dougherty Valley had won seven straight before a pair of losses at the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions, though its coming off a 66-46 win over San Pedro.

Game 6: 5:15 p.m. — California (8-7) vs. St Ignatius (9-0)

St. Ignatius' 6-8 freshman Alex Moore goes up for two of his 17 points in his team's resounding 78-42 win over Sacred Heart Cathedral in the annual Bruce-Mahoney trophy game at the Chase Center, home of the NBA's Golden State Warriors in San Francisco on 1-14-2025. Moore is now a 6-9 sophomore and dominating. / Photo: Ernie Abrea

Another heavyweight tilt features the local squad with a disappointing record but only because coach Steve Ohlmeyer has scheduled so tough. Five of the Grizzlies losses have been to out-of-area teams, plus an 82-66 loss to Riordan at the Crusader Classic. Brayde Kiykendall (19.9 ppg), Jaiden Jones (19.5) and Emeke Ifedlora (13.1) make up an impressive trio, but they'll be challenged by the second-ranked team of the event, coming off the American Division title at the Torrey Pines Holiday Classic.

Game 7 p.m. — Amador Valley (9-5) vs St Mary's (5-5)

Amador Valley is one of the most talked about teams in the Bay Area with the additions of three transfers, two who have not played but are expected to lace them up Saturday. They would be 6-8 Cameron Anderson (from Dublin) and 6-6 Arman Mahavni (from American-Fremont). With three other college-ready players in San Jose State bound Cade Krueger and top junior guards Elijah Stanley and Jaylen Smith, the Dons were picked as the No. 15 team in the state preseason rankings by CalHiSports. Riding a three-game win streak and finally at full strength, Amador Valley will be anxious to flex its collective muscle against a St. Mary's squad led by double-digit scorers Christopher Baltrip (16.5 ppg), Malakai Kelley (13.7) and Donovan Mikel (12.3).

Game 8: 8:30 p.m. — Monte Vista (9-5) vs Riordan (6-1)

Four-star junior guard Andrew Hilman is considered the swiss army knife of the Northern California power Archbishop Riordan Crusaders, who will play Monte Vista in the inaugural Bay Area Challenge at Bellarmine High School Saturday / Photo: Todd Shurtleff

Like most of the teams in the one-day event, the Mustangs have taken most of their lumps against out-of-area teams, but played Orange County power Orange Lutheran tough before losing 72-69. They ended the Damien Classic with a 75-54 win over Redwood. They'll need their "A" game to stay close with Riordan, which has only lost to state No. 21 Crean Lutheran (53-40). The Crusaders, under Joey Curtin, have won three straight CCS Open Division titles and entered 2025-26 with 135 wins against 32 losses since 2019. They are led by USF bound point guard Andrew Hilman and 6-8 power forward JP Plhtovs, though the Crusaders' strength is its depth.