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Oakland Tech Girls Basketball Team Wins CIF Division 1 Girls’ Championship

Hundreds of fans packed into the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10 for the California Interstate Federation (CIF) Division 1 Girls Basketball Championship between Oakland Technical High School and Santiago High from Corona near Riverside. Oakland Tech’s Bulldogs clearly also wanted the championship more, although their game was more of a struggle for three quarters. They were down one point at the end of the first quarter, up by seven points at the half and at the end of the third quarter. But in the fourth, the team poured it on, outscoring Santiago 23-7. The final score was 75-52.

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The Oakland Tech Girls basketball champions roster is as follows: #1, Guard Jada Williams; #2 Forward Taliyah Logwood; #3 Guard Erin Sellers; #4 Sarai White; #5 Forward Jhai Johnson; #10 Guard Jala Williams; #11 Forward Terri'A Russell; #15 Tiana Grace; #21 Guard and Team Captain Mari Somvichian; #22 Zhanea Clemons; #24 Guard Jordan Taylor; #30 Guard Nia Hunter, #33 Guard Natane Chambers-Wright, #40 Center Marticia Pollard, #44 Forward Sophia Askew-Goncalves
The Oakland Tech Girls basketball champions roster is as follows: #1, Guard Jada Williams; #2 Forward Taliyah Logwood; #3 Guard Erin Sellers; #4 Sarai White; #5 Forward Jhai Johnson; #10 Guard Jala Williams; #11 Forward Terri'A Russell; #15 Tiana Grace; #21 Guard and Team Captain Mari Somvichian; #22 Zhanea Clemons; #24 Guard Jordan Taylor; #30 Guard Nia Hunter, #33 Guard Natane Chambers-Wright, #40 Center Marticia Pollard, #44 Forward Sophia Askew-Goncalves

By Carla Thomas

Hundreds of fans packed into the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Friday, March 10 for the California Interstate Federation (CIF) Division 1 Girls Basketball Championship between Oakland Technical High School and Santiago High from Corona near Riverside.

Oakland Tech’s Bulldogs clearly also wanted the championship more, although their game was more of a struggle for three quarters. They were down one point at the end of the first quarter, up by seven points at the half and at the end of the third quarter. But in the fourth, the team poured it on, outscoring Santiago 23-7. The final score was 75-52.

“It’s history, we made history and we never lost,” said senior guard Erin Sellers who scored 14 points with one assist. “I think it’s really because everyone said we couldn’t. They said we couldn’t play with a D-1 team, but not only did we play with them, we blew most of them out, and we got it done.”

“It means everything,” said senior guard Mari Somvichian who scored seven points and had two assists. “I mean, to come in as a freshman and literally never lose a playoff game, is crazy. We’ve won three — well, I would say two and a half.”

(In 2020, the team was scheduled to play in their state championship game, but the day before the game, the CIF shut down all athletics because of the pandemic.)

“We’ve literally never lost, and to go out our senior year, our last game being a Division-1 State Championship, you really could not write it better.”

“It’s us. It’s not what the other team is doing,” said head coach Leroy Hurt about how his team accomplished their goal. “And I’m just so proud of these kids. You guys just don’t know. It was an emotional roller coaster. Every game was a huge game…And to win Division 1—I didn’t see it coming. I just knew we were going to be a tough out. And if we lost, some team was going to have to come beat us.”

Oakland had the biggest and loudest contingent of fans, and at one point during the Oakland Tech game, the fans were doing their signature “O.T.” chant, and even got fans from Livermore — who were there to cheer on Granada High in a later game — to join in the chant.

Oakland Tech graduate and former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Josh Johnson sat courtside to watch the games and cheer on his daughter, Jhai Johnson, who plays for Tech. He was beaming with pride after Tech sealed the victory.

“This is a proud father moment. This is a blessing from God to be able to watch your child play this game, and see her get this experience…But also, this is for Oakland, this is huge. So, to see us getting back to the prestige we belong to, this is what we deserve,” Johnson said.

Board of Education District 1 Director Benjamin (Sam) Davis was thrilled to attend. “I had such a blast, after a heavy week of work, to get to watch these two (Oakland High Boys Basketball team won the state championship the same night), top notch teams play from courtside was unforgettable…They were amazing wins. They extended the dynasty of our Bulldogs Girls team, so meaningful for seniors who won titles through the pandemic and brought it home yet again.”

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Oakland Post: Week of March 4 – 10, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 4 – 10, 2026

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Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026

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Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

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Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.
Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.

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