OAKLAND – Ardarius Grayson didn’t have an amazing first half.
The often heady Oakland Tech star totaled 4 turnovers and struggled to attach from the surface as league rival Fremont-Oakland saved the 6-foot level guard at bay early.
However when it mattered most, Grayson was as clutch as they arrive.
Grayson scored 23 factors – 12 of which got here within the fourth quarter – to guide Tech to a gritty 68-54 highway win over Fremont. The Bulldogs outscored Fremont 16-5 within the remaining interval, shutting down the Tigers’ above-the-rim offense.
Oakland Tech’s Ardarius Grayson (0) misses a basket on a fastbreak throughout a basketball sport at Fremont Excessive Faculty in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group)
“It was an ugly game, but Ardarius is a gamer,” Tech coach Karega Hart mentioned. “He knows how to play with pace and pick his spots.
“This game of basketball is beautiful because any team can win on any night. The game was close, and we were in a dog fight. So I’m happy to come out on top. I’m happy we played a better fourth quarter.”
It was a back-and-forth match for a majority Wednesday’s sport with Tech not having full management of the sport till late. Feelings have been excessive on this rivalry sport, regardless of Tech having the sting over Fremont for the higher a part of the final decade.
“They don’t like us and we don’t like them. It’s a rivalry,” Grayson mentioned. “Every time we play, we know it’s going to be a tough game, so we just had to play through it.”
Oakland Tech’s Ardarius Grayson (0) makes a basket throughout a basketball sport at Fremont Excessive Faculty in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group)
Saddiq Alarbesh was second in scoring for Tech with 13 factors. Xan Meyer-Plettner had a double-double with 12 factors and 14 rebounds to go together with two blocks.
Fremont level guard Roy Bishop Jr. was the very best participant on the ground for Fremont because the Berkeley switch had a team-high 16 factors, dished out two assists and had three steals. Senior Deyonte Spears scored 12 factors.
“We felt like we played well, but we just made some minor turnovers at key times that kind of just took us out of the game,” Fremont coach Scot Alexander mentioned. “The intensity level was there, we just made little mistakes. We were a little bit behind them, but you could slowly see us getting there.”
The Bulldogs took a one-point lead into the second quarter, however Fremont turned up the warmth.
Whereas Tech managed the tempo of the sport for a majority of the primary half, two alley-oop slams from Fremont senior Jomari Bean received the gang rocking. Fremont took the lead thrice within the second interval and compelled Tech into 12 first half turnovers with a suffocating full-court press.
The Bulldogs scored 5 unanswered factors to finish the half and held onto a 32-29 lead going into halftime.
Fremont’s Roy Bishop Jr (1) dribbles in opposition to Oakland Tech throughout a basketball sport at Fremont Excessive Faculty in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group)
Tech began to hit pictures popping out of halftime and took a 42-33 lead early within the third quarter after a 3-pointer from Alarbesh. The sport received a bit heated after officers ejected a Fremont participant for a non-basketball play that resulted in an enormous momentum swing for Tech.
However Fremont was not going away.
The Tigers closed the half on a 10-4 run, capped off by a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Dominic Antoine Jr. to come back inside three factors of Tech’s lead going into the ultimate quarter.
With the sport within the steadiness, the Bulldogs turned to their star level guard to get them to the end line.
Tech opened the fourth on a 6-0 run – with all three baskets scored from Grayson – which compelled Alexander to name timeout along with his staff down 58-49.
Fremont had no reply for Grayson within the remaining interval as he scored Tech’s first 10 factors. The dagger got here when Grayson discovered Alarbesh for a transition dunk that put Tech up 10 with slightly below two minutes to go within the sport.
“I was slow the first three quarters,” Grayson mentioned. “I told my coach I was going to get more aggressive. Early on, I shot a lot of jump shots and so I tried to take it to the basket, which got my teammates open as well.”
Oakland Tech’s Saddiq Alarbesh (4) dribbles previous Fremont’s Zaire Albert (13) throughout a basketball sport at Fremont Excessive Faculty in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group)
Wednesday’s win gave Tech its 18th straight win over Fremont – a streak that dates again to 2017. Whereas Fremont got here up brief, the Tigers are within the midst of one in all their higher seasons in eight years, which has given Alexander confidence that they may compete come playoff time.
“We’ve just been trying to work on the small things,” Alexander mentioned. “This is a new team with six new kids trying to pay attention to detail. I figured the longer the season goes, if we could just get into the final four of the section playoffs, we’d be a tough out … It’s going to come through for us in the end.”
Fremont head coach Scot Alexander reacts throughout a basketball sport in opposition to Oakland Tech at Fremont Excessive Faculty in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group) 
Oakland Tech head coach Karega Hart reacts throughout a basketball sport in opposition to Fremont Excessive at Fremont Excessive Faculty in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group) 
Oakland Tech’s Ardarius Grayson (0) dribbles previous Fremont’s Zaire Albert (13) throughout a basketball sport at Fremont Excessive Faculty in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group) 
Fremont hosts Oakland Tech throughout a basketball sport at Fremont Excessive Faculty in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group) 
Fremont’s Dominic Antoine Jr. (5) appears to cross in opposition to Oakland Tech throughout a basketball sport at Fremont Excessive Faculty in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group) 
Oakland Tech’s Brandon Woodards (10) dribbles in opposition to Fremont’s Zaire Albert (13) as Oakland Tech cheerleaders cheer throughout a basketball sport at Fremont Excessive Faculty in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group) 
Fremont’s Jabez Rubio (0) makes a shot drives in opposition to Oakland Tech’s Xan Meyer Plettner (42) throughout a basketball sport at Fremont Excessive Faculty in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group) 
The Fremont boys basketball staff claps their palms earlier than beginning their sport in opposition to Oakland Tech throughout a basketball sport at Fremont Excessive Faculty in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group) 
Oakland Tech’s Xan Meyer Plettner (42) positive factors a rebound in opposition to Fremont’s Dominic Antoine Jr. (5) throughout a basketball sport at Fremont Excessive Faculty in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group) 
Fremont’s Jomari Bean (10) blocks a shot to Oakland Tech’s Ardarius Grayson (0) throughout a basketball sport at Fremont Excessive Faculty in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group) 
Oakland Tech’s Xan Meyer Plettner (42) positive factors a rebound in opposition to Fremont’s Dominic Antoine Jr(5) throughout a basketball sport at Fremont Excessive Faculty in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group)
Initially Printed: January 29, 2025 at 11:41 PM PST
