Serra set to open in stacked WCAL

Three WCAL teams currently rank in California’s top 25 ranking, according to MaxPreps.com. Serra opens league play Saturday night at No. 19-ranked Riordan with a 9-1 record, with tipoff scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Mitty is ranked No. 10 (No. 20 in the nation) at 91 as well, and Bellarmine is No. 8 (No. 18 in the nation) with a perfect 10-0 mark.

“They’re legit,” Serra head coach Brian Carson said of the competition in the WCAL. “The league is always loaded but this year it’s really loaded. … The league is a monster this year. It will be a fun, competitive time.”

Riordan features a pair of recent NCAA Division I commits in guards Jelani Clark (University of Nevada-Reno) and Bryce Monroe (Sam Houston State), both returning All-WCAL first-team players. The Crusaders also tout the tallest player in the WCAL, 7-2 sophomore center Mor Seck, along with a Hillsdale transfer, 6-7 junior forward Robert Vaihola.

“They’re super talented,” Carson said. “They’re one of the most talents teams I’ve seen around here in a long time.”

Serra has won six in row, including sweeping to the championship at the Bambauer Memorial Holiday Basketball Tournament at Marin Catholic in Kentfield.

Junior guard Dimitri Koutsogeorgas continues to emerge as a pleasant surprise for the Padres. Koutsogeorgas was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament, helping Serra to a 66-62 victory in Monday’s championship game against host Marin Catholic. The 5-8 junior totaled 15 points, four assists and four steals in the games.

“One game he did it defensively … he had seven assists one game, he scored 18 points one game,” Carson said of Koutsogeorgas, who missed the back half of the junior-varsity season in 2018-19 due to injury.

“He is a hard worker, he’s a good kid, he’s as tough as a nickel steak,” Carson said.

Senior forward Julius Alcantara added 18 points in the championship game, while senior guard Antonio Abeyta totaled 15. Both Alcantara and Abeyta were named to the all-tournament team.

The Padres opened tournament play Thursday, Dec. 26 with a 56-50 win over Urban-SF, defeated Heritage-Brentwood 60-35 Dec. 27, and took down Central Catholic-Modesto 76-52 in the semifinals Dec. 28. In the championship game, Serra overcame a slight fourth-quarter deficit to claim the title heading into WCAL play.

“It’s huge, getting that momentum going forward,” Carson said. “And we’re finally starting to get all our guys back and getting in a rhythm.”

Serra’s last loss came Dec. 14 at the De La Salle Chris Vontoure Tournament 60-58 at the hands of James Logan-Union City. It was the last game the Padres played before adding four players from the fall football season, including guard Damon Lewis and center Nusi Malani.

Carson is settling in to his first season ever as a varsity head coach. He took over when longtime coach Chuck Rapp announced he was taking leave this season for health reasons. Carson said Rapp is expected to return after this season.

“Obviously it’s going to be different without Coach Rapp,” Carson said. “He’s a Hall of Famer. He’s a legend. … I’ve never been a head coach and I have three guys on my staff who have been head coaches, so they help me tremendously.”

Carson is assisted by Sean Dugoni, who served as the Padres’ head coach in 2016-17 when Rapp took leave that season, along with former Serra junior-varsity head coach Robbie Reus and former Georgia high school varsity head coach Doug Willet.