DUBLIN — Dougherty Valley had its section championship fun last season, the thinking went. This season wasn’t supposed to be like that one, not after the team graduated four starters, including its dynamic backcourt of Ryan Beasley and Connor Sevilla.
But coach Mike Hansen and his players didn’t take the outside noise to heart. It fueled them to show that Dougherty Valley was not a flash in the pan, that this team could be good once the pieces fell into place.
Hansen knew it would take time. But he told anyone who would listen that come February, the Wildcats would be dangerous.
How dangerous?
Well, they answered that question on Saturday night when they staged a late rally to stun host Dublin 64-61 to capture the North Coast Section Division I championship.
One year after winning the Open crown, Dougherty made it back-to-back titles, the only two section championships the program has won.
The journey was nothing like last season, when Wildcats won 27 games. The victory Saturday was Dougherty Valley’s 21st in 31 games.
“Man, it was hard,” said senior Chris Fallgren, who along with Aadi Malali were the only returning players who were in the rotation last season. “We started the season and we didn’t know who was who for us. But like Coach has been saying all year, come February, come January, you don’t want to see us. We just stuck with it all season. That’s been the mantra of the team. Stick around right at the end.
“This season is special. Not only because me and Aadi went back-to-back but because nobody believed in us. That’s why I get emotional over these kinds of things. Nobody believed in us, but we stayed together and we were able to do it.”
Malali was clutch down the stretch Saturday.
After Jayden Doty’s 3-pointer pulled fourth-seeded Dougherty Valley to within 55-53 with 2:35 left, Malali evened the score on a drive to the hoop. He then gave the Wildcats a 58-55 lead on a deep 3-pointer from the top while falling down after bumping into teammate Kenny Cloud, who was running behind Malali.
At that point, nothing was going to stop Malali.
“We’re not losing,” he said. “We came so far. There is no way I am losing.”
Malali and Cloud each finished with 21 points.
Third-seeded Dublin (24-9) got to within 58-56 when Jalen Stokes made one of two free throws and 62-61 on Isaiah Wong’s 3-pointer with 3.2 seconds to go.
Cloud’s two free throws pushed the lead to three with 2.9 seconds left, and Dublin was unable to have a miracle finish to send the game to overtime.
Instead, the black-clad Dougherty Valley students — part of an overflow crowd — stormed the court to celebrate with their classmates, bringing back memories of the Wildcats’ celebration last season when they beat De La Salle at Saint Mary’s College for the Open Division championship.
Dublin appeared headed toward its first section championship when it took a 55-50 lead on Dylan Youngquist’s layup with around three minutes left.
Even Hansen, whose program has appeared in three consecutive section finals, was having doubts.
“I was thinking we’re in trouble,” he said. “Once we got tied, honestly, I was like, OK, Aadi is going to take the next shot. I knew it probably wouldn’t be a great one, but he was taking it.
“Aadi’s three was just ridiculous,” Hansen added. “Kenny goes behind him and almost trips him. He’s pulling up and I’m going, ‘Oh, no.’ Then I’m like, ‘Oh, yes.’ That’s who he has been all year. That’s three games in a row he’s hit that shot. It’s his senior year. He doesn’t want it to end. He took it personal when everyone said you and Chris are starters coming back but you lost everybody.
“It was like, ‘Wait a second. We’re dudes, too.’ They are. And the dudes that came behind them and helped them are dudes. I know those guys last year would be hella proud with the effort we gave tonight.”
The game was officiated tightly as both teams had players in foul trouble, even before halftime, and the flow was almost non-existent because of the whistles.
But it was close throughout.
Stokes led Dublin with 20 points. Evan Bautista and Pollard each added nine for the Gaels, who were crushed by the outcome.
“Every possession matters,” said Dublin coach Tom Costello, who will now try to regroup his team for next week’s NorCal regionals.
Both teams will now move on to NorCals — one riding on cloud nine, the other needing to quickly regroup.
The brackets will be announced Sunday. The games start Tuesday.
