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Exciting pro-level hoops show put on by Bay Area Matrix, NorCal Pro-Am at fundraiser for SVHS

 

As both the organizer of Saturday night’s pro-level basketball fundraising game, benefiting the Sonoma Valley High Schoolboys’ basketball program, and a player in the hoops event, Salvador Picazo Chavez was definitely one busy guy.

But at the end of the entertaining evening, Chavez – a 2004 SVHS graduate and former Dragon all-league standout – and everyone who was in a rocking Pfeiffer Gym, went home happy they were part of the experience.

Making the fundraiser a success were the talented and competitive teams who played, with the professional Bay Area Matrix, the American Basketball Association’s California Division defending champion, posting a 90-79 win over Chavez and his NorCal Pro-Am team.

Along with Chavez, NorCal Pro-Am consists of SVHS grads Eduardo Garcia and Cody Romano, James Sandoval, Andy Medieros, Cody Gatton, CJ Magsambol, Packy Conway-O’Neil, Jerald Pruitt, Jason Gasso, Isaiah Sandoval – who was the game’s leading scorer with 29 points – and coach Mike Parks.

Comprising the victorious ABA Bay Area Matrix – directed by coaches Gordon Beresford, Jim Beresford, Morton Holloway and Ben Darling – are Cardell Butler, Teohn Conner, Jamar Smith, Rene Rougeau, Antonio Kellog, Jamar Holloway, Armando Surratt, Alex Okafor, Reuben Lewis, Mike Scott, Dontae Bryant, Will Walker, Jonathan Robinson, Marian Thurmond and Vili Morton, who was the Matrix’s top scorer with 22 points.

Besides the high-level hoops action, both dunk and three-point shooting contests were held, with NorCal Pro-Am’s 6-foot Pruitt thrilling the crowd en route to claiming the dunking show.

Coming out of the stands in his street clothes, Angelo Tsagarakis, who is a former Casa Grande High School (Petaluma) star and starter at Oregon State University, wowed the field in winning the three-pointing shooting contest.

Sponsoring the pro-level hoops fundraising event with Chavez were Vince Albano and Mary’s Pizza Shack, Steve Page and Infineon Raceway, Kathy Witkowicki and Sonoma Mentor Alliance, and Bob Rieger and AVRS Automated Vehicle Registration Services.

“The event was a success and I’m very thankful to everyone who made it to the event and all who had a hand in making it happen. Basketball of that level definitely has a home in Sonoma and I will work to schedule more games like this in the future,” said Chavez.