Oakland's State Championship-Winning High School Basketball Teams Celebrate in Downtown Parade and Rally

On Sunday morning, fans of the Oakland Technical High School’s girls and Oakland High School’s boys varsity basketball teams filled the streets at a downtown parade and rally to celebrate both winning state championships.

It was the first-ever state title for the Oakland High School boys, as the Wildcats sealed a 59–43 victory over Buena High School of Ventura in the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Division III championship game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on March 10. On the very same night, Oakland Tech’s Lady Bulldogs secured their third consecutive championship — this time in Division I — after a 75–52 win over Santiago High School of Corona.

“Ever since we won, it just feels like a movie,” said Wildcats co-captain Josh Clark. “It means a lot, because for us to see how we started our first year of varsity and the whole organization change from going 5–23 [in the 2018–2019 season] to win a state championship, it just means that we put in the hard work, effort and dedication.”

Around 11:30 a.m., the parade started at 699 Bellevue Avenue by Children’s Fairyland and continued east around Lake Merritt past the Lakeview Branch Library, making a right onto Lakeshore Avenue and eventually turning left on 14th Street to City Hall on Frank H. Ogawa Plaza. The rally featured live music, food trucks and games that lasted until 3 p.m.

“We do this for the city of Oakland, so for them to support us like that, it means everything to us,” said Lady Bulldogs co-captain Mari Somvichian. “I have not been [on a doubler-decker bus]. It was crazy, I almost got hit by a couple of tree branches, almost fell off a couple times. But these are the stories that we’re going to tell our kids. So it means a lot.”

Somvichian is a senior and has committed to play at Loyola Marymount University. She says she hopes her team continues the tradition of winning.

Players from both teams rode on a double-decker bus and received a police escort through downtown Oakland, followed closely by cheerleader teams and local politicians including Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. Former WNBA Phoenix Mercury and Cal player Alexis Gray-Lawson was also in attendance and congratulated the teams on their wins.

“Growing up with nothing, I know what it means to have to be celebrated for the little things that we do win,” said Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. “And it’s huge. There are winners on the court and off the court, so I want this to be their special day. If the Warriors could have a parade, my babies are going to have a parade, too.”

“We’re living in a time where it seems like everything is in chaos, especially in the city of Oakland, where we’re facing some of the most challenging aspects of governance that we’ve ever seen,” said Oakland District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife. “I’m excited that so many elected officials are out here, the mayor, City Council members, school district members, to lift up what is hopeful about the city. And that’s about our young people.”

In 2019, Oakland Tech and Oakland High shared a downtown parade after each won girls basketball state titles, Oakland Tech in Division IV and Oakland High in Division III.

“Our pride is at a whole new level,” said Lady Bulldogs coach Leroy Hurt. “Honestly, a lot of bad comes out of Oakland and we don’t celebrate the good. So I think that makes me more proud than anything that when I go somewhere, [someone says], ‘You’re the coach at Oakland Tech.’ I always got on my purple … it’s no better place to do it at home.”

Seniors at Oakland Tech have never lost a CIF postseason game and have secured three state crowns and three Northern California titles. The Lady Bulldogs have won an astonishing 25 playoff games in a row since 2019, and are considered a dynasty team. They won the DIV title in 2019, and after the pandemic shutdown in 2020 (when their championship game was heartbreakingly canceled) and a total season shutdown in 2021, they came back to win the DIII title in 2022, and are now the reigning DI champions.

In the boys DIII, Oakland High had three losses to Oakland Tech, including one in the Oakland Section championship game. However, the team was able to overcome Oakland Tech in their fourth matchup during the semifinals, leading them to the championship and eventual win against Buena High School of Ventura.

In recent weeks, the teams have received attention from NBA stars, including legendary player and civil rights activist Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who congratulated the players on their championship wins. Damian Lillard, NBA All-Star and Portland Trail Blazers point guard from Oakland, also reached out to Oakland High players before they played in the state title game. The Golden State Warriors honored both teams before their games against the New Orleans Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs. And after Oakland Tech’s girls won the 2022 DIII title, the Warriors’ Klay Thompson came to the ring ceremony, and teammate Stephen Curry sent the team a congratulatory video for their banner ceremony. NFL star and Oakland Tech alum Marshawn Lynch is a regular visitor at the school gym, as are some 49ers.

“It was good to see [the Bulldogs] just get better, build their chemistry as new players started to come in, and it was fun to see that they get to be celebrated as much as the boys do,” said Anisa Walden, who plays point guard and guard for the Lady Bulldogs’ junior varsity team. “Hopefully, I’m able to fill the big shoes that they fill in and we can be here again next year. ”

This story includes reporting by KQED’s Annelise Finney, Raphael Timmons, Attila Pelit and Lakshmi Sarah.