Our shining moments in high school basketball

Before we unveil Sunday's annual All-Metro basketball Players of the Year package, it's time to honor some of the other standout performers and performances from the basketball season.

Biggest upset (boys): Riordan took down nationally ranked Mitty 46-45 on Jan. 18. It was the Monarchs' only loss before a season-ending defeat to Mater Dei-Santa Ana.

Biggest upset (girls): Mitty knocking off Mira Costa-Redondo Beach in the Division I state title game.

Boys coach of the year: Dwight Nathaniel (McClymonds-Oakland). After enduring the death of his wife, daughter and granddaughter in a four-year span, the retiring Nathaniel found the strength to lead the Warriors back to the state title game. A decisive 73-54 win over Dominguez-Compton finished an undefeated 32-0 season. It also cemented Nathaniel's legacy as a thoughtful tactician as well as a mentor to young men.

Honorable mention boys coaches: Rich Buckner (Riordan), Eliot Smith (Lick-Wilmerding), Brian Eagleson (Mitty), Kris Weems (Menlo School), Jonas Honick (Branson-Ross), Manny Nodar (St. Mary's), Nick Jones (Castro Valley). First-year coach Buckner helped turn Jorge Camacho into an offensive machine as the Crusaders won the Central Coast Section Division III title. A year after a senior-laden team lost in the Bay Counties League West title game, Smith helped Lick win the league title and a NorCal Division V final appearance. Eagleson, who recently announced he will not coach next season, managed a team packed with Division I recruits through injuries to the state title game. Former Stanford player Weems led Menlo to the CCS Division IV title. Honick won Branson's third straight state title and retired with more than 600 wins. Nodar's team played suffocating defense and provided jaw-dropping transition plays. Jones led Castro Valley to a 24-4 record and a league title in his first year.

Girls coach of the year: Brian Harrigan (Sacred Heart Cathedral). Sure, he had a handful of future Division I players with plenty of big-game experience. But Harrigan was able to get his squad to play unselfishly throughout their undefeated 33-0 season, and helped them through an inconceivable midseason tragedy when guard Tierra Rogers' father Terrell Rogers was slain at halftime of a game.

Honorable mention girls coaches: Cheryl Draper (Berkeley), Dr. Rodney Faucett (St. Patrick /St. Vincent), Mike Fulton (Branson). Draper led her team to the state title game after taking over for the legendary Gene Nakamura. Faucett's team avenged two losses to Justin-Siena in the NorCal final and then surprised La Jolla Country Day in the Division IV state final. Fulton's team won its second straight state title after being without twins Rachael and Sam Bilney for long stretches and losing starter Akana King for the year.

Boys play of the year: Any one of Riordan's three buzzer beaters. Aaron Criswell beat Mitty, Daniel Curtin beat St. Ignatius and Anthony Lecue beat Serra in a four-game stretch.

Girls play of the year: Tierra Rogers is part of it for the second straight year. Her double-clutch shot with 10.5 seconds was the game-winner in Sacred Heart Cathedral's come-from-behind 46-45 win over St. Mary's-Stockton in the Division III NorCal final.

Top mascot: The Padre from Serra High brought an intensity to his work that no other mascot in the region could match. In Serra's 78-66 overtime win over Sacred Heart Cathedral in the West Catholic Athletic League opener, he left his pulpit on numerous occasions to the chagrin of some school administrators.

Dunk of the year: Any Damon Powell (McClymonds) jam or Bellarmine post Niyi Harrison's two hand, breakaway slam to beat Serra at the buzzer in a CCS Division I semifinal - now viewable on YouTube.

Boys game of the year: Tie between Mission's near upset of El-Camino-Sacramento in the NorCals and Sacred Heart Cathedral's 72-67 win over El Camino in double-overtime in the next round.

Girls game of the year: Two undefeated teams in Sacred Heart and St. Mary's-Stockton in the Division III NorCal final. Not the best shooting game, but the tension was memorable and the depth of talent remarkable.

[More at www.sfgate.com]