21 Jan Salesian High Continues Strong Season, Earns 20th Win

Vallejo High ball handlers were hounded all evening by Salesian Pride defenders, like sophomore guard Elias Obenyah, right.

Story and photos by Joe Porrello

Salesian High handed the Vallejo High Redhawks a 60-point loss Thursday in Richmond. The win keeps the Pride undefeated at home (4-0) and in Tri-County-Rock League play (6-0), where Salesian sits in first place.

The teams are heading in opposite directions. The Redhawks are now on a three-game losing skid, compared with eight straight wins for Salesian High.

In front of about 100 fans in the packed bleachers, the Pride were dominant from the opening tip.

Holding a double-digit lead just halfway through the first quarter, Salesian High used 10 early free throw attempts to help build a 27-7 advantage at the end of the opening frame.

 

In the second quarter, the Pride kept their foot on the gas and climbed out to a 47-14 edge at the half. 

The Pride had their best offensive quarter in the third, scoring 32 points, partly by jamming in two dunks and sinking five three-pointers — three courtesy of senior forward De’Undrae Perteete.

“Each one felt really good coming out of my hands,” he said. 

Vallejo High, comparatively, made two shots from long range collectively for the game’s entirety.

Bill Mellis, Salesian’s head coach for over 20 years, credited Perteete as the key player of the game.

“He’s a guy that plays both ends of the floor and plays super hard,” he said. “He’s just a good example for everyone as to how we want you to play.”

The Pride indeed played both ends as a team, allowing only seven points for the third consecutive frame. The 23 total points and nine second half points conceded by Salesian High were the least in each category this season.

A win has now eluded the Redhawks against the Pride in five straight meetings.

 

“It all starts on the defensive end,” said Perteete. “Any time our defense is good from the get-go, it gives us energy.”

Mellis pointed to his team’s deep bench enabling players to stay fresh and effective throughout the game.

Salesian has 16 players, compared with just 10 for the Redhawks, and 15 of the former got into the scoring column Thursday.

 

The large discrepancy between the teams enabled bench players for Salesian High to get more time on the floor.

“It’s tough because some guys don’t get to play sometimes, so games like this when they get to get in, that’s cool,” said Mellis.

The six seniors playing for the Pride are accompanied by six underclassmen, four of which are over 6 feet 3 inches tall — including Leon Powe, son of the former NBA champion by the same name.

 

Depth is a big reason the Pride have lost just one game this season, with their lone defeat coming at the hands of St. John Bosco High in a two-point overtime loss.

Successful seasons are nothing new for Salesian High, which has gone 57-1 in the TCRL since 2017.

This year, the Pride are ranked No. 55 in the nation, No. 4 out of 1,457 teams in California, and No. 1 in the North Coast Section.

Despite their success up to this point, Mellis stressed the importance of their ensuing game Saturday at Contra Costa College against Millennium High from Goodyear, Arizona.

“That will be a true test,” he said.

Salesian High passed, beating the Tigers by one point.

In their next matchup, the Pride take on a much more familiar opponent in Pinole Valley High on Tuesday.

 

Losing only three seniors from last year’s team that made it to the CIF Regional Finals, Mellis said his team is poised for a long postseason run, but they’re not getting ahead of themselves.