Connor Sheridan is consistently at the center of the action.
Standing 6-foot-9 and weighing 200 pounds, this junior has established himself as a formidable force in scoring and rebounding ever since he joined the varsity boys basketball team at Portola High School as a freshman.
The trend of high scoring and impressive rebounds has continued without interruption.
Sheridan boasts an average of almost 22 points and 15.5 rebounds over his 76 varsity games, with impressive stats of 25.3 points and 15.8 rebounds this season as a junior. He kicked off this season by scoring a career-high of 49 points, complemented by 25 rebounds and four blocks during a 91-73 victory against Plumas Charter.
Last week, Sheridan continued to shine with two outstanding performances: he recorded 24 points and 24 rebounds in a 67-59 win over Biggs. In his subsequent matchup against Hamilton, he was the team’s second-high scorer with 22 points while also dominating the boards with 19 rebounds.
These stellar performances landed him on the leaderboard, and he further distinguished himself by winning the Northern California boys basketball Athlete of the Week award, receiving an impressive 87% of the votes for the week of Jan. 20-26.
Sheridan outperformed 24 other candidates, each showcasing their own impressive stats during that time frame.
Check out all the other candidates.
Chayce Duerksen, a senior forward at Sierra (Tollhouse), contributed with a total of 45 points across wins against Yosemite (79-52) and Fowler (63-59), maintaining an average of 20.0 points per game.
Alec Blair, a senior guard at De La Salle, made a swift comeback from injury, scoring 25 points to lead the Spartans to a 51-42 victory over Amador Valley. He followed up with 20 points and seven rebounds in a 50-42 win against Mira Costa during the Nike Extravaganza in Santa Ana.
Maximillian Russell, a junior guard for Tracy, had an impressive game with 29 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and four steals in a tight 50-47 win over Manteca.
Na’Jae Stevenson, a senior power forward at Central-Fresno, also showcased his skills with 27 points and 12 rebounds during a 71-56 victory over Clovis, currently leading the Central Section in rebounds with an average of 12.8 per game.
Jasir Rencher, a senior forward at Archbishop Riordan, was pivotal in securing a 73-46 win over Valley Christian, scoring 18 points and further impressing fans with a WCAL-record-setting nine three-pointers and a total of 33 points in a previous game against Mitty.
Tounde Yessoufou, a senior forward at St. Joseph, continued his impressive season in the Jan. 25 game against Salesian, where he scored 23 points, gathered eight rebounds, and made four steals in a battle between the last two Northern California Open Division champions. In the last four games, he has managed 111 points, pulled down 36 rebounds and contributed 13 assists and steals.
Julius Price, a junior guard at St. Joseph, shone brightly alongside Yessoufou in the salesian matchup, scoring 16 points, collecting five rebounds, and registering seven assists. Over the week, Price accumulated 64 points, seven three-pointers, 13 rebounds, 21 assists, and six steals.
Semetri Carr, a senior guard at Redwood, played a crucial role throughout the week, particularly contributing to a big win against Moreau Catholic, scoring 22 points and pulling down 14 rebounds, thereby securing a dominant double-double for Redwood, bringing their season record to 14-6.
Luke Isaak, a senior guard at San Ramon Valley, contributed 24 points in a significant 77-63 victory over California, as he prepares to play college basketball at UC Irvine.
Jalen Stokes, a senior guard at Dougherty Valley, had a standout week while leading the Wildcats to their fourth consecutive victory on Jan. 25. In the 72-49 triumph over Granada, Stokes netted 24 points, adding eight rebounds and three blocks after notable performances in previous games where he scored 47, 32, and 31 points.
Ardarius Grayson, a senior guard from Oakland Tech, led his team with 14 points, blocking four shots in a fierce rivalry match that ended 52-44 over Oakland. He also recorded 26 points in a setback against Inderkum, maintaining an average of 17.9 points, 7.4 assists, and 5.6 assists on the season.
Donovan Mikel, a sophomore guard/forward at Saint Mary’s (Berkeley), registered a solid performance with 23 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks during an 85-52 victory over Fortune Early College.
Kellen Hampton, a senior forward at Moreau Catholic, showcased his skills with a total of 69 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 steals across three games last week.
Romello Bruhn, a junior guard at Woodland Christian, achieved 22 points with seven rebounds during an 85-44 win over Rio Vista, followed by a stellar performance in a subsequent game against Mesa Verde, where he scored a team-high 28 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.
Gavin Rendle, a senior guard at Campolindo, totaled 31 points over the course of a win and a loss last week.
Porter Freitag, a senior guard at Las Lomas, showcased impressive shooting, connecting on seven three-pointers and leading his team with 23 points.
In a nail-biting contest, Delton Bentz, a junior at Plumas Charter, stood out with an impressive performance, scoring 33 points and grabbing 17 rebounds, leading his team to an overwhelming 81-39 victory over Herlong. Bentz was successful on 14 of his 27 shooting attempts, including sinking a couple of three-pointers. This remarkable showing has elevated his season averages to 23.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game.
Mate Palotai, a junior forward at Priory, capped off a stellar week by contributing 19 points in a Friday night victory over Menlo School, following a double-double performance with 23 points and 14 rebounds in a 78-57 win over Harker.
Claxton Ladine, a junior guard from The King’s Academy, showcased his skills with a total of 22 points, including a crucial three-pointer in a tight 66-62 win over Sacred Heart Prep.
Josh Green, a senior guard at Bishop O’Dowd, played a pivotal role in his team’s 33-point victory, contributing 19 points and knocking down five three-pointers after scoring 11 points in an earlier win against San Leandro.
Alvin Loving, a senior guard at Salesian, delivered a strong performance with 22 points during the team’s commanding 85-26 win over Vallejo on Thursday night.
Benjamin Lukacs, a sophomore guard from Cornerstone Christian, scored 26 points to bolster his season average of 19.5 points in a 66-64 victory against Heritage. Cornerstone now boasts an impressive 19-3 record for the season.
Zach Villanueva, a junior guard for West Campus (Sacramento), had a standout week, racking up a total of 37 points, seven rebounds, and 20 assists across two contests, including 16 assists in a dominating 92-52 win over Armijo.
Andrew Vixon, a senior guard/forward at Liberty, contributed 18 points to propel his team to a 61-52 win over Grant (Sacramento), marking the Lions’ 13th consecutive victory. The team now holds a solid record of 20-2 and remains unbeaten at 6-0 within Bay Valley Athletic League play.
