Junior power-forward Sterling Strother and senior shooting guard Matt O’Reilly both decided to forgo participation on their high school’s basketball this year. Instead, O’Reilly is competing for a private team, while Strogher is using the winter sport season to focus on football conditioning.
According to head coach Matt Watson, both Strother and O’Reilly had been on the Campolindo basketball team since their freshman year. “I was on varsity as a freshman,” confirmed O’Reilly.
For O’Reilly, the decision was made in order to pursue collegiate athletic goals. “It kind of came down to [the fact] that I needed to do what’s best for me in terms of colleges. This presented me with the opportunity to play college basketball,” O’Reilly said.
According to O’Reilly, the level of competition on his club team, Prolific Prep, is more intense. “We play against the highest level of competition there [Prolific]. I’ve been to Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky again, I go all over the country every weekend.”
His international teammates come from countries like Hungary, Guinea, and Mali.
Though no longer affiliated with the Campolindo team, O’Reilly has, nevertheless, offered his support. “I still go to their games whenever I can,” he said.
Strother made the choice to give up varsity basketball in favor of year-round football. “He kind of felt that it would be in the best interest, of trying to get into the best college, for him to do the football combine,” Watson explained.
“I feel he [Strother] will come back and play for us next year,” said Watson. “He’s obviously more than welcome to come back.”
In spite of the loss of two of it’s top players, the remaining athletes have maintained the high level of performance synonymous with Campolindo athletics. According to Watson, “They’re 19-2 and they’re ranked #2 in Northern California. They’re considered one of the best teams in California and I believe now they’re ranked #11 in the state of California, for all teams. And in the nation, they’re ranked #94.” Athletic director Tom Renno added, “They’ve won two of the biggest tournaments in Northern California, the Gridley invitational and a tournament at Modesto Christian. They’re undefeated in the DFAL league.”
Both Watson and Renno have been impressed by the team’s performance. “They played a very tough preseason schedule, and these guys have challenged themselves,” said Watson.
Renno agreed, “I think this really speaks to the commitment of the players on the team.” He added that the “senior leaders are a phenomenal group of kids that work really hard. Coach Watson does an excellent job of preparing his team and getting them ready for their games. They’re a very good representation of our school.”
Watson suggested that the loss of two key athletes like Reilly and Strother has actually helped his team improve. He said that the chemistry of the team has improved and the team “has almost gotten better, because of the fact that it has made us tighter as a group. They’ve really come together.”
Renno likes the team’s postseason prospects and expect they will be seeded high in the playoff bracket. “Postseason seeding is based on how the team performs through the year. The team is playing at a really high level right now, and they’ve won some really big games. It shouldn’t affect them at all.”
“These guys have really bought into being family. They share the balls really well and they just do a great job of caring about each other. It’s not about any one individual, it’s about how they can just win. They just want to win as a collective group. That’s what’s cool about these guys,” Watson said.
