Raymond Whitley helped led the way as St. Ignatius scored in bunches to go 4-0.
As has been the case many times before in recent decades, it's a good time to be a St. Ignatius College Prep boys basketball fan.
The Wildcats made the CIF-Central Coast Section Open Division finals and Division I regional semifinals/state quarterfinals this past season, and they're in good shape for another big year ahead led by rising senior guards and SF Chronicle All-Metro selections Raymond Whitley (2nd Team) and Shawn Boquiren (Honorable Mention). Look no further than California Live 2025, as Whitley and SI opened with three consecutive one-possession victories before cruising past Palisades 90-70 for the NHSBCA title.
🏆 SHIP SUNDAY
— Boys California Live 2025 🚨 (@BoysCALiveHoops) June 30, 2025
☀️ Boys California LIVE 2025
NHSBCA Bracket Champions!
Congratulations to St. Ignatius on a great weekend, ending with a dominant 90-70 64 over Palisades take home the SHIP!
Championship Recap Powered By @CoachesCorner__@scibcapic.twitter.com/TJeZGrOTEQ
2026 6’3 CG Raymond Whitley (st.Ignatius) Was a problem all weekend leading his @StIgnatius wildcats to a 4-0 championship @BoysCALiveHoops Raymond is a versatile player that can do it all College Coaches dont overthink it he’s a winner @hooplife_raym@TreySterner5345pic.twitter.com/qz6GznQVyB
— Clutch Elite Basketball (@ClutchElite20) July 2, 2025
The first three victories came 61-58 over Cypress, 78-76 over Vanden, and 73-71 over Inderkum. What's more, all three of those teams went 3-0 other than their losses to St. Ignatius. Throw in Palisades, and St. Ignatius went 4-0 against teams that otherwise went 12-0. Talk about powering through a brutal path to the crown – but the Wildcats had more than enough juice left when they dropped 90 points in the final game.
The rest of the bracket was no joke either. It consisted of Cardinal Newman, San Ramon Valley, Saguaro (AZ), Colony, Franklin (Elk Grove), Viewpoint, San Marcos, Maranatha, Leuzinger, San Juan Hills, and Shadow Ridge (NV) as countless Division I scouts looked on.
Whitley averaged better than 14 points, four rebounds, and four assists a game as a junior, and was also named 1st Team All-WCAL. The versatile 6-foot-3 combo guard is a serious candidate to make a push for Bay Area MVP honors as a senior, and he and Boquiren are a lock to constitute one of the premier backcourts in the Bay Area and beyond. Other top expected returners include senior guard Steele Labagh and 6-foot-9 sophomore forward Alex Moore.
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