In March, Berkeley High School’s Varsity Boys’ Basketball team won the Division I Northern California CIF championships, beating Menlo-Atherton 61-51 at the Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento. A week later, the Jackets returned to the Sleep Train Arena to take on Crespi High School for the state title.
State Championship Game
Berkeley High’s boys’ basketball team made it to the Division I State Championships March 24th in an amazing journey for a team who were never predicted to make it that far.
First, it has been more than 90 years since Berkeley High’s Men have won the Division 1 regional title and went on to this level. Second, this incredibly diverse team and their coaches paid no attention to the pundits, and said that the state championship game has always been their goal.
Our own Classified employee Tiffany Williams sang the National Anthem at the Sleep Train Arena so beautifully that the King’s staff asked her to consider coming back to sing it for one of their games (see the video).
Though they did not win the game, our players played with such heart and spirit that the game turned over so many times. It is a remarkable accomplishment against what is probably one of the highest rated teams in the nation.
After the game, Berkeley High’s Dean Ardarius McDonald spoke to the players in the locker room with passion and intensity, while he told each and every one of them to hold their heads up high, because they had not only entered into the history books in that arena, they had changed the view of Berkeley High in the eyes of the nation.
Check out photos and video, and take the time to tell these players and coaches how special they are.
BHS Boys Basketball State Championship Game 2016 Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/53901376@N04/albums/72157666232278272
BHS Boys Basketball State Championship Game 2016 National Anthem: https://vimeo.com/160425024