Bay Area

Oakland High Varsity Basketball Team Wins State Championship

The Oakland High School varsity basketball team took the state championship on Friday, March 11 in Sacramento at Golden Arco 1 Center. The team’s 59-43 victory over Buena High School of Ventura in the CIF Division 3 championship game was the highlight of a five-game winning spree.

Published

1 year ago

March 20, 2023

Oakland Post

The team's entire Oakland High roster (*1st-team all-OAL; ** 2nd team) includes: Da’Sean Armstrong, Rohm Neal, Josh Clark**, Zaymani "Money" Williams*, Jordan Spencer, Jimon Campbell, Marcel Macon Bennett, Anthony Lacy, Te’Shawn Gamble*, Noah-Alan Ragasa, Will Tidwell, Zaymani Mitchell, Pierre Stevenson, Desmond West, James Fitzgerald, Ja’shaun Jackson, Erick Jackson, Couraji West, Dillan Cooper, Terrence Roquemore, Lorenzo Arroyo Garcia, Jaylon King. Coach: Orlando Watkins. Photo by Carla Thomas

By Carla Thomas

The Oakland High School varsity basketball team took the state championship on Friday, March 11 in Sacramento at Golden Arco 1 Center.

The team’s 59-43 victory over Buena High School of Ventura in the CIF Division 3 championship game was the highlight of a five-game winning spree.

It is the first time in the Wildcats history that Oakland High’s team has had this victory.

“I am so proud of the team,” said Wildcats Head Coach Orlando Watkins. “They put in the work and worked together, and now they’ve made history.”

Watkins couldn’t be more proud of how the team’s accomplishment. Notable were teammates Money Williams scoring 22 points, Anthony Lacy scoring nine points and seven rebounds; Te’Shawn Gamble’s brought in nine points, and Josh Clark had eight points.

When the team fell short of winning the AOL (Oakland Athletic League) title, Watkins said he could feel the team shift and build momentum toward success.

Many of the team members and coaches are still letting the win sink in.

“I don’t think it has really sunk in yet,” said Assistant Coach Eric Van Laeken. “Winning the state championship was amazing. I’ve been coaching middle and high schoolers since I graduated from college in 1996. This championship means lot. It was our goal to win, and we actually pulled it off.”

Oakland High School’s Athletic Director Jonas Perez said the team’s work ethic was the key to their success. “I saw the hard work these individuals put in every day from the beginning. Some of them have been with us since freshman year. Having this championship here at Oakland High is a great feeling.”

For Zaymani Mitchell, winning was a dream come true. “It’s great to accomplish something we’ve wanted since the beginning of the season,” said Mitchell. “Coach Watkins and Coach Will (Lew) have really been there for us. And they’ve prepared us to be professional Black men for life after high school.”

Freshman Rohm Neal who plays shooting guard said, “This win means a lot. A lot of work was put in to reach our goals. Our coaches teach us a lot of lessons in basketball that apply to every day life.” Neal hopes to become an artist, a large scale oil painter.

Point Guard Erick Jackson reflected on the record the team broke. “It feels unreal and not an achievement anyone has done before us. A lot of energy from the team and mentoring from the coach and staff are how we made it.”

Power Forward and Center Jaylon King, who returned to the Bay Area from Stockton said, “I’m glad I could contribute to the team’s legacy.”

For Guard Caruji West, a lot of team bonding contributed to the team’s success. “Our team worked well together, but I have mixed feelings. I’m glad we won, but I’m sad that the season is over,” he said.

Associate Head Coach Will Lew with Assistance Coaches;

Angel M Macedon, Frank Miller, Torrence Spencer, and Jeff Davis

unboxed dozens of sneakers for the champion team, a gift from Oakland High alumni and NBA All-Star, Damian Lillard of the Portland Trailblazers in the school’s gym.

Prior to their state championship win, Lillard in a video, addressed and encouraged the team. He had also seen the team perform at a pre-season game in Portland and spoke of the team’s potential.

Lillard, a longtime supporter of Oakland High, funded the team’s remodeled gym.

Surrounded by Assistant Coach Will Lew, Jeff, and Trainer Macedonia, the players tried on their brand-new kicks.

According to Watkins, Lillard is equally proud and will continue to reward the winning team.

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The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of July 24 – 30, 2024

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Op-Ed Senate Bill 966 Threatens Health Equity in East Bay

My East Bay community is struggling to get by. A proposed State Senate bill would set us back even further. Serving the East Bay community has been my life’s work and my greatest joy. After leaving the Bay Area to complete my seminary, I returned home to found The Community Church in Oakland. From the outset of my time as the church’s pastor, I have been guided by the belief that my service must extend beyond the pulpit, because the health and economic needs of my community are so great. Our church has organized free food banks, COVID-19 testing clinics, and a housing and re-entry program for those suffering from addiction.

Published

1 week ago

July 19, 2024

Oakland Post

Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. VanHook

By Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. VanHook

Special to the Post

My East Bay community is struggling to get by. A proposed State Senate bill would set us back even further.

Serving the East Bay community has been my life’s work and my greatest joy. After leaving the Bay Area to complete my seminary, I returned home to found The Community Church in Oakland.

From the outset of my time as the church’s pastor, I have been guided by the belief that my service must extend beyond the pulpit, because the health and economic needs of my community are so great. Our church has organized free food banks, COVID-19 testing clinics, and a housing and re-entry program for those suffering from addiction.

Through my service, I have seen the challenges that our community members are facing. Oakland, my hometown, has the third-highest rate of violent crime in the state. The local economy is strained. Oakland-based businesses are leaving our community because they’re struggling to get ahead.

Both East and West Oakland has disproportionately high rates of respiratory illness due to heavy air pollution. While our local efforts have brought some aid to those in need, we are also counting on our state elected officials to help us address the systemic health disparities afflicting the community.

Chief among the health concerns of community members is having reliable and affordable access to prescription drugs. Equitable access to medications gives us the peace of mind that we can keep ourselves and our families healthy and safe. Our community should not have to choose between paying rent or purchasing prescriptions.

Unfortunately, rather than taking action to combat soaring prescription drug prices, some California lawmakers are pushing legislation that could raise patient costs at the pharmacy counter.

The Legislature is currently considering SB 966, a bill backed by special interests that would undercut the few tools we have to keep prescription drug costs contained, letting big drug companies increase their prices, profiting on the backs of working families – some of whom already live paycheck to paycheck.

SB 966 would target the fundamental programs through which small businesses, unions, and government health programs are able to offer their employees and members quality and affordable healthcare. Millions of Californians rely on these plans to obtain essential medications at the lowest-possible cost.

The bill would make it illegal for employers and unions to incentivize the administrators of their prescription drug plans to negotiate for the lowest possible cost for prescriptions. Right now, small businesses and unions can choose to pay these administrators more for taking on big drug companies and securing discounts – a choice that will be outlawed under this bill.

As a result, employers will have no leverage to stop big drug companies from setting sky-high prices, disproportionately impacting working families.

As these health costs quickly add up, employers will have little choice but to pass the increases down to their employees. That means California patients will see higher healthcare costs and co-pays.

From my perspective, most concerning is that the bill would exacerbate the health disparities impacting my community and other underserved populations. If SB 966 becomes law, the most vulnerable may be forced to skip prescription doses, stop filling their prescriptions, and avoid essential care.

By rejecting this cash grab by big drug companies, our state elected officials can send a clear message that they stand with the community, patients, and working families.

We cannot afford SB 966.

Rev. Dr. VanHook is the founder and pastor of The Community Church in Oakland and the founder of The Charis House, a re-entry facility for men recovering from alcohol and drug abuse.