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Overcoming fatigue and an early deficit, the Berkeley Yellowjackets won the consolation championship game of the Chris Vontoure Classic at De La Salle Saturday, beating Castlemont (Oakland) 69-60. 

Berkeley again relied on turnovers created by its full-court press defense and scoring from its guards, creating turnovers that became easy baskets. Off guard Allyn Washington scored 16 points, and point guard Ryan Davis added 14 while distributing the ball. Davis, a Lincoln (San Francisco) transfer, was the only Berkeley player to make the all-tournament team. 

Forward Louis Riordan finally found his touch from the outside and got into the offense, hitting three three-pointers on his way to 12 points. 

Riordan is the tallest Yellowjacket at 6-foot-5, and the lack of size again hurt Berkeley on the boards. Castlemont’s big men flew in for several offensive rebounds during the first half, keeping the score close. Beefy senior forward Roderick Picou was especially productive, grabbing four offensive boards and scoring 10 points in the half. Only a Riordan trey and Davis free throw in the last minute gave the ’Jackets a 36-31 halftime lead. 

Following a six-point Berkeley run to open the third quarter, Picou again asserted himself on the offensive glass, getting two putback buckets within a minute to put his team back in contention. Two Berkeley turnovers turned into Castlemont layups, and forward Marquis Nettles hit another layup and drew a foul. He converted the free throw, and the Knights had their first lead of the second half at 48-46. 

But Riordan got open outside again, draining another three, then forced Castlemont’s Damien Matthieu into a double-dribble. Guard Byron St. Jules hit a three-pointer at the buzzer, and the ’Jackets were on top again, 52-48. 

But the Knights refused to die, hitting two fast-break layups to tie the score. But Washington and Davis answered back with easy baskets, and Riordan broke the Knights’ spirit with his final three-pointer of the game. Guard Muhammed Nitoto scored five points in less than a minute to give the ’Jackets a 10-point lead with less than two minutes left to leave no doubt as to the outcome of the game.