Returning and prospective members of Ceres High’s and Central Valley’s boys basketball teams gained valuable experience during the summertime.

The Bulldogs and Hawks played a combined 37 games.

“The goal was to get everybody there,” Ceres High head coach T.J. Walker Jr. said. “A lot of the kids play multiple sports.”

“Obviously, you want to win,” Central Valley leader Mike Rodriguez stated. “But the goal was to get the kids playing time and see what their improvements are.”

Ceres High’s boys had a 19-game schedule.

The Bulldogs posted a 6-4 record while competing in the Escalon High Summer League on Mondays and Wednesdays. 

Ceres High played a total of nine games at Central Valley, Central Catholic and Clovis North high schools.

“I liked what I saw,” Walker said. “They listened and played hard.”

“I saw the type of team we could be,” he added. “We’re very scrappy.”

Bulldog players also attended the June 20-July 1 Summer High School Institute, a two-week residential pre-college program at the University of the Pacific.

“Everybody wanted to go,” Walker said. “We couldn’t pass up the opportunity. It was a pretty cool experience for them. They stayed in the dorms. They ate in the cafeteria. They had three meals a day. They went to classes. It just wasn’t basketball.”

AJ Brown, Manuel Ortega, Ezekiel Lopez, Somil Bonsal, Jaiden Boss, Daniel Davis, Tre Karriem, Aiden Maines, Sargun Singh, Antwan Stevenson, Jaylen Pettigrew and Carey Mastin suited up for the Bulldogs this summer.

“They’re gym rats,” Walker said. “They want to get better.”

Brown, Ortega and Lopez contributed at the varsity level this past winter.

Bonsal, Boss, Davis, Karriem, Maines, Singh and Stevenson were junior-varsity players.

Pettigrew transferred from Gregori High School.

Mastin is an incoming freshman.

“A.J. and Manny will have new roles,” Walker said. “We want more from them.”

The Bulldogs lost nine players to graduation, including starters Lebron Stallworth, Adrian Ontiveros, Ricky Stanley and Tarrell Lee-Gill.

Ceres High compiled a 13-15 overall record and finished fifth in the Western Athletic Conference standings with a 7-7 mark during the 2022-23 school year.

“We’re headed in the right direction,” Walker said. “We’d like to win league before league realignment.”

Central Valley’s boys had an 18-game schedule this summer.

The Hawks competed in leagues at Galt and Livingston high schools.

Central Valley traveled to Galt on Mondays and Wednesdays, and Livingston on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Hawks played a total of 12 games.

Central Valley also hosted a tournament and participated in the Pitman Tournament.

 “The kids put a lot of time and effort in,” Rodriguez said. “They played free and confident. I saw growth.”

Central Valley’s summer roster featured 11 players: Emmanuel Carranza, Andre Flores, Gabriel Abracosa, Albert Arevalo, Nick Dominguez, Damian Flores, Jace Mckennon, Robby Singh, Bryan Rodriguez, Sahibjot Deol and Jaylen Tagadaya.

“We used two different lineups,” coach Rodriguez said. “They’re pretty equal.”

Carranza and Andre Flores suited up for the Hawks’ varsity team last winter.

Abracosa, Arevalo, Dominguez Mckennon and Damian Flores played JV.

Rodriguez split time at the junior-varsity/frosh levels.

Deol competed at the JV level in 2021-22.

Tagadaya is an incoming freshman.

Abracosa attended the Pacific Summer High School Institute.

Central Valley lost five players to graduation, including Gage Mastropierro, Jayson Casias, Jomari Ocasiones, Jake Olson and Jeremy Alvarez.

The Hawks posted an 8-20 overall record and placed fifth in the Central California Conference with a 2-10 mark during the 2022-23 school year.

“The JV guys coming up will be ready,” coach Rodriguez said. “We’ll definitely be fast paced. We’ll be a little more athletic and taller. I’m comfortable with everybody shooting.”