Berkeley overcomes gym evacuation, sends O’Dowd to first league loss

Berkeley overcomes gym evacuation, sends O’Dowd to first league loss

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BERKELEY — The game on Friday night between Berkeley and visiting Bishop O’Dowd began in strange fashion as the large crowd and both teams were told to evacuate the gym after a fire alarm went off during player introductions.

“I’ve never seen that before,” longtime O’Dowd coach Lou Richie said.

It ended with chants of “overrated” and the home team’s players dousing themselves with water in a celebratory locker room.

In between, Berkeley played terrific defense and seniors Samir O’ Brien and Ollie Miller each scored 17 points as the Yellowjackets handed O’Dowd its first league loss of the season, 49-42.

O’Dowd (16-7, 9-1) still holds a two-game advantage over second-place Berkeley in the West Alameda County Conference Foothill Division standings with two games to play, but that hardly mattered amid the postgame hugs and smiles.

Berkeley beat O’Dowd for just the third time in 26 meetings since 2008.

“The team worked so hard,” Miller said. “We’re one family. We all worked together and it just feels amazing to go out and beat them. The whole crowd was outstanding.”

Berkeley led 10-7 after the first quarter and 18-13 at halftime. By early in the fourth quarter, the Yellowjackets (18-6, 7-3) stretched the margin to 16.

O’ Brien scored 10 of his points in the opening half. Miller had 11 of his points after the midway point.

“We’ve been working hard all year,” O’ Brien said. “At the beginning of the season, it really wasn’t come together. But it’s starting to click right now.”

The victory was the fifth in a row for Berkeley.

O’Dowd had won its previous six to put itself in the conversation for a possible North Coast Section Open Division spot. The loss Friday certainly didn’t help the Dragons’ case. If O’Dowd isn’t picked for the six-team Open, it will end up in a Division I bracket that will also include Berkeley.

The Dragons beat Berkeley 60-58 in overtime in their first meeting this season.

The game Friday wasn’t that dramatic as the visitors threw passes into the stands, missed shots that might have made a difference down the stretch and looked out of sorts from the start.

“We broke plays early and put ourselves in a bad situation,” Richie said. “It seemed like everybody was trying to ignite or start something instead of letting the game come to us. We didn’t make one three for three quarters. Bad turnovers, Missed free throws.

“We’ve scored 30 points in one quarter. But things didn’t go our way.”

Samuel Chavarin (12 points) was the only O’Dowd player to score in double figures. Miles Dixon scored nine points off the bench.

For Berkeley, Kavi Jivan hit two big 3-pointers in the final quarter to prevent any threat of an O’Dowd comeback.

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