The Dublin High Varsity Girls Basketball team finished the West Coast Jamboree Tournament with some positive momentum after winning their last two games to claim the Consolation Championship of the Pearl Division.
In Friday’s finale, the Gaels defeated Hayward 55-32 to improve their record to 8-4 overall. Dublin Dublin’s Zoya Nomani and Sofia Lembo each earned All Tournament honors. Following Dublin’s game, the Sports Complex played host to the Platinum Division which featured several teams that are ranked in the top ten in California and top twenty in the country.
The Gaels will be back in action next Tuesday, January 3rd with one final home tune-up against Notre Dame of San Jose (7:30). Dublin then continues its East Bay Athletic League (EBAL) schedule with a home game against Foothill on Wednesday, January 4th at 7:00. Both teams come into the game at 1-0 in EBAL following Dublin’s road win at Amador Valley and Foothill’s upset of Granada in their league openers on December 20th. The top 2 teams from the Valley Division will advance to the EBAL playoffs, so even though it’s early the game against Foothill has postseason implications.
Dublin’s Varsity Boys Basketball team finished its final game of The Classic at Damien with a 62-43 loss to Santa Margarita, a team which featured three players who were nearly seven feet. Despite going 1-3 in the tournament, the Gaels were invited to participate in the Platinum Division, which had some of the strongest teams in California and the West Coast. One of Dublin’s losses came to the defending Idaho State Champions, and the stiff opposition should prepare them well for an East Bay Athletic League that may be the strongest ever in its storied history.
The Junior Varsity and Freshmen Boys Basketball teams also faced strong opposition in their final preseason tournaments before league play begins. Both teams advanced to their respective tournament finals before narrow losses – the JV in the final seconds 55-54 to San Ramon Valley and the Frosh by six to Bishop O’Dowd.
All three Boys Basketball teams have one last nonleague home game next Friday, January 6th to get them ready for EBAL. The Frosh will host Oakland at 4:00 with the JV/Varsity facing off against Ygnacio Valley (5:30/7:00). The Eagles’ Varsity team is off to a fast start at 11-1, so it will be a good test for the Gaels.
Looking ahead to other highlights for the upcoming week, the Boys Junior Varsity and Varsity Soccer teams will have their EBAL opener at home on Tuesday, January, 3rd (4:30/6:30) against California. The Varsity team enters league play with an undefeated 3-0-3 record following a 0-0 tie with Pittsburg on December 29th.
Another team off to a fast start is the Varsity Girls Soccer team. After a short-handed squad dropped its season opener, the Gaels have won three in a row. Dublin has one final nonleague match at Castro Valley on January 3rd before hosting Amador Valley in its EBAL season opener on Thursday, January 5th (JV – 4:30/Varsity – 6:30).
In other highlights next week, Wrestling will be having its first EBAL Dual meet of the season at home on Thursday, January 5th with the JV squad taking the mat at 6:00 followed by the Varsity at 7:00. Dublin has had several strong performances at tournaments thus far, and is looking forward to an inaugural season with a Girls’ squad as well as the opportunity to host the EBAL Tournament in February.
Our Frosh Soccer teams will also kick off their EBAL seasons next weekend with the Boys traveling to face California on Wednesday, January 4th at 6:00 while the Girls play at Amador Valley on Saturday, January 7th at 9:00 a.m.
All three boys basketball teams will have one final nonleague home game on Friday, January 6th before their EBAL season begins on January 10th. The Frosh will host Oakland at 4:00 while the JV and Varsity host Ygnacio Valley (5:30/7:00). The Eagles’ Varsity team is off to a fast start at 11-1, so it will be a good test for the Gaels.
