How Ronnie Selleaze is bringing his father’s San Lorenzo dream back to life

SAN LORENZO — There’s a video of Ron Selleaze, just mere minutes after he played his final game in a San Lorenzo uniform at the 1994 NorCal Division III final, leaning in and telling his coach something that sounded like a dream more than a plan. 

An 18-year-old Selleaze told his coach that one day he’s going to have a son come back to San Lorenzo and lift a state title trophy. One day, his son will walk into the San Lorenzo locker room, see the pictures, the trophies and the banners and understand that it all happened for them in the place they loved.

Ron’s son, Ronnie Selleaze, looks like the first step of that prophecy coming to life. 

In the span of just two months, Selleaze, San Lorenzo’s star junior guard, has elevated the program from a solid small-school section playoff contender to a program that could make a legitimate run to a section title in the North Coast Section Division II playoffs. 

Selleaze spent last season as a key player for NorCal powerhouse Salesian. After a promising sophomore campaign, many believed Selleaze would step into a bigger role with the Richmond school this season. 

So when he transferred to small San Lorenzo, there was some skepticism as to why a player of his caliber would transfer to a school that has never touched the heights that Salesian has. 

For Selleaze, the move to San Lorenzo was bigger than basketball. 

“I’m trying to put San Lorenzo on the map,” Selleaze said. “Back in the day, my dad had his legacy, so I’m trying to take it over.” 

On Wednesday night, Selleaze’s 35-point triple-double helped lift San Lorenzo past Heritage. But more than that, Selleze’s presence, smile and energy on the floor felt like the universe circling back to the East Bay school.

Not just a scorer. Not just a transfer. Not just the best player on the floor. Selleaze looked like an answer to an old promise. 

The living reminder that legacies don’t always fade. Sometimes, time waits for the right person to be the embodiment of what once was. 

“I’m just so happy that we have the opportunity to relive this dream at San Lorenzo,” Ron said. 

Born in Mazatlán, Mexico, Selleaze grew up playing a different brand of basketball. One that required him to play against players twice his age and adjust to a physicality that most in the U.S. aren’t accustomed to. 

It was that toughness that made him shine at Salesian last year. He provided an offensive punch and defensive spark to a team that came within two wins of an Open Division state title game appearance. 

His role and the expectations changed once he made the move to San Lorenzo. 

“It was a big role change,” Selleaze said. “When you come in from a good program to an average program trying to be the man, you deal with a lot. Box and ones, trash talk, pressure, trying to get your teammates involved and being a great leader – all of that comes with the territory.”

Selleaze sat out the first half of the season due to transfer rules, but was cleared just after the new year. The Grizzlies struggled, going 4-9 in his absence.

But once Selleaze was cleared to play, everything changed. 

San Lorenzo went 12-1 with its star in the lineup. The Grizzlies upset Livermore, then went on to go 11-1 in league play. 

And it isn’t just the scoring punch that Selleaze provides that has elevated San Lorenzo to new heights. 

He could easily look for his own shot on every possession. Be the focal point that defenses try to eliminate. 

While his scoring threat is what keeps defenses alerted at all times, it’s his willingness to get teammates involved, defend the opposing team’s best player and be a vocal leader that has made Selleaze great this season. 

“He’s the most selfless player I’ve ever coached,” said San Lorenzo coach Toby Merchant, who was on the 1994 team with Ron. “If we tell him to scream, he screams. If we tell him to run the play, he runs the play. He just works hard.”

There’s still time before any trophies get lifted, before any banners get stitched, before any locker room gets updated with new pictures. 

But in a season that has already felt like a resurrection, San Lorenzo doesn’t have to guess what it looks like when the past reaches forward. 

It looks like Selleaze, wearing the same colors, playing with the same edge, turning a program back into a place people talk about. Not as a memory, but as a threat. 

Thirty years ago, Ron spoke a dream into existence in the aftermath of heartbreak. Now his son is giving it shape. One win at a time. One grin at a time. One loud possession at a time. 

The prophecy isn’t finished yet, but it’s no longer just a story someone tells. 

It’s a season happening in real time. 

“It’s something that he wished about, something that he wanted,” Ron said. “He asked me if he could go to the states and play California basketball like me. He wanted to see if he can compete with the best. So he’s getting this opportunity. I’m happy at his progress, and he’s got a lot more work to do but I just look forward to what he becomes.”