Welcome back to the Bay Area News Group (Mercury News & East Bay Times) boys athlete of the week poll.
For the entire academic year, we will provide a list of candidates who stood out over the previous week and allow you, the reader, to vote for the winner.
This week, we consider performances between Feb. 28-March 6.
Polls close at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
Vote as many times as you’d like until then.
Candidates for future Athlete of the Week polls can be nominated at highschools@bayareanewsgroup.com.
We also review stats submitted to MaxPreps by coaches/team statisticians.
On to the nominees:
Cade Bennett, Campolindo basketball: The senior scored 17 points, nearly six above his average, to help Campolindo beat Archbishop Riordan 62-44 in the semifinals of the NorCal Open Division playoffs. Bennett also had six rebounds, two assists and a steal, along with playing terrific defense, as Campo stretched its win streak to 22 games.
Diego Castellanos, Live Oak baseball: In two games last week – a win over Scotts Valley and a loss to Salinas – the junior had six hits in eight at-bats, scored a run and knocked in four. Through the first four games, Castellanos is batting .727 (8 for 11) with seven RBIs.
David Estrada, Archbishop Mitty baseball: In the final of the Mike Hazlett tournament at Washington Park in Santa Clara, the junior had a hit, two walks, drove in three runs and scored twice as Mitty beat Valley Christian 10-6 to win the championship. The Monarchs began this week 3-0.
Jack Giesler, Menlo School baseball: In three games during the week – a win over American, a loss to Santa Clara and a tie with The King’s Academy – the senior catcher had seven hits.
Callan Littlefield, Monte Vista baseball: The senior went 3 for 3 and scored two runs as the Mustangs defeated St. Ignatius 8-3 in a non-league game. Littlefield is batting .625 (5 for 8) with a triple through three games. The Mustangs began this week 2-1.
Jordan Lewis, San Ramon Valley baseball: The senior is off to a sizzling start, batting .778 (7 for 9) through three games. In a 12-4 victory over Acalanes on Friday, Lewis went 2 for 3 with a double and three RBIs. He also scored a run. In a 13-1 rout of Washington-Fremont, he had two hits, including a double, in three at-bats and scored three runs.
Tayo Sobomehin, Priory basketball: Helped the Panthers reach the final of the NorCal Division V regional playoffs. The junior scored 21 points in a 70-53 victory over Denair in the quarterfinals and 20 in a 64-50 victory over Cloverdale in the semifinals.
Money Williams, Oakland basketball: The 6-foot-3 junior led Oakland to 27 wins this season and scored a game-high 17 points on Saturday night in the semifinals of the NorCal Division III regional playoffs. But it wasn’t enough as Oakland fell just short of reaching the final, losing to Bullard of Fresno 60-59.
Nate Wong, Carlmont basketball: If not for a 40-foot shot at the buzzer by Liberty Ranch that eliminated the Scots from the NorCal Division IV playoffs in the semifinals Saturday, Wong and his teammates would still be playing. In a quarterfinal victory on the road in Redding over University Prep, Wong finished with 18 points. In the semifinals, he led the Scots with 24 points. Carlmont finished 18-9.
