Salesian College Prep (Richmond, CA) already had the CIF-North Coast Section on notice for the 2025-26 season before heading to Section 7.
After all, the Pride went 27-4 and made the NCS Open Division finals a year ago led mostly by juniors and sophomores, and finished the season with a top-100 national ranking from MaxPreps.
And after last weekend, there's no doubt that they're ready to build on it.
Salesian blew out O'Connor (AZ) and Timpview (UT) before edging out Harvard-Westlake (CA) and The Villages Charter (FL) to win a Section 7 AIA bracket title.
Salesian (Richmond) wins @Section7Az AIA 🏆w/63-55 win over The Villages (FL).
— Ronnie Flores (@RonMFlores) June 22, 2025
Total team effort as Pride win without Elias Obenyah (played 1st game only)
Ron Selleaze , Isaiah Davis, Leon Powe Jr, Elijah Stanley + #GridHoop studs Carlton Perrilliat & Jahlil Lindsey shine. pic.twitter.com/1KJTEEXtuf
It did so despite missing its highest-ranked recruit, 3-star senior Elias Obenyah, for all but the first round. Among Salesian's top players were returners Isaiah Davis, Elijah Stanley, Ronnie Selleaze, Carlton Perrilliat Jr., Leon Powe III, Jahlil Lindsey, and Asante Johnson.
Most brackets at Section 7 were filled with nationally-ranked competition, and all of them featured, at minimum, a host of nationally-relevant programs. Salesian pulled out a title in arguably the toughest bracket out of the 10. The other AIA bracket contestants were Sunnyslope (AZ), Mater Dei (CA), Bishop Gorman (NV), Basha (AZ), St. Joseph (Santa Maria, CA), Olympus (UT), La Mirada (CA), American Fork (UT), Rainier Beach (WA), Folsom (CA), and Roosevelt (Eastvale, CA).
NorCal – and beyond – needs to beware this winter.