The Bee's Bill Paterson breaks down the Sac-Joaquin Section girls basketball playoff field.
GIRLS BASKETBALL PLAYOFF PREVIEW
The Bee's Bill Paterson breaks down the Sac-Joaquin Section field:
DIVISION I
• Top seeds: No. 1 St. Mary's (25-2), No. 2 Oak Ridge (23-3), No. 3 Kennedy (21-5), No. 4 Nevada Union (21-4)
• 2012 champion: Kennedy
• Outlook: St. Mary's of Stockton, elevated to Division I after winning the last two D-II section titles, is the overwhelming favorite. The Rams' only two losses were to Florida power Dillard and state No. 3 Bishop O'Dowd of Oakland, but they may have suffered a hit when senior point guard Onome Jemerigbe rolled an ankle in a win over St. Francis on Monday. Kennedy, which beat Oak Ridge in overtime in the section final last season, is in the same half of the bracket as the Trojans, which could lead to a semifinal matchup Feb. 28 at University of the Pacific. Among the intriguing teams are Sierra Foothill League champion Nevada Union, trying to return to its D-I glory days; No. 8 Pleasant Grove, with the inside-outside combination of Dejza James and Avonna Lee; and No. 6 Davis, which went 22-4 and won the Delta Valley Conference title.
DIVISION II
• Top seeds: No. 1 Sacramento (23-4), No. 2 McNair (24-3), No. 3 Gregori (23-1), No. 4 River City (19-8)
• 2012 champion: St. Mary's
• Outlook: After playing in eight consecutive Division III section finals (winning three times), Sacramento has moved up to D-II – and still is the team to beat. Senior Allie Green and juniors Chaya Durr and 6-foot-4 Ayanna Edwards lead the Dragons. McNair of Stockton has one of the best players in the division in 6-4 junior Mandy Coleman (17.8 points, 11.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 5 steals and 20 three-pointers). No. 5 Del Oro will get a boost from Brianna Ruiz, who returns after missing most of the season rehabbing from knee surgery. No. 6 Florin is a team to watch with four-year players Daijah Joe-Smith and Deja Conger and 6-2 junior Dalayna Sampton.
DIVISION III
• Top seeds: No. 1 Christian Brothers (20-7), No. 2 Vanden (24-3), No. 3 Rio Americano (24-3), No. 4 Placer (23-4)
• 2012 champion: Sacramento
• Outlook: Look for a new champion in a division dominated for nearly a decade by St. Mary's (five titles) and Sacramento (three titles). With experience, depth and talent, Christian Brothers and Vanden look to be a head above the rest of the field. No. 6 Modesto Christian, which reached last season's D-III final after winning three consecutive years in D-IV, is always a team to watch, and Rio Americano, after its best regular season in years, could challenge.
DIVISION IV
• Top seeds: No. 1 Bear River (23-3), No. 2 Colfax (18-9), No. 3 Bradshaw Christian (23-2), No. 4 Argonaut (27-0)
• 2012 champion: Calaveras
• Outlook: It's a wide-open field with plenty of title candidates, including No. 7 Calaveras. Bear River will try to win its first D-IV section title since winning in 2006 and 2007. Bradshaw Christian, a four-time champion in D-V (2008-2011), has a strong starting five led by senior Ashlee Jones but not much depth. Haley Shaner leads 2012 section runner-up West Campus, a No. 6 seed. Argonaut, with its unbeaten record but a lack of strong opponents, is the field's intrigue team.
DIVISION V
• Top seeds: No. 1 Brookside Christian (23-4), No. 2 Turlock Christian (23-4), No. 3 Capital Christian (18-9), No. 4 Ripon Christian (19-6)
• 2012 champion: Brookside Christian
• Outlook: Brookside Christian, the defending D-V state champ, is the prohibitive favorite. The Knights have played a strong nonleague schedule and are ranked fourth in the section by Maxpreps.com, behind St. Mary's, Oak Ridge and Sacramento. Junior guard Tiara Tucker leads the section in scoring (29.3 points) and set a Northern California and section girls single-game record with 73 points last month. She has excelled despite the stabbing death of her father in December.
DIVISION VI
• Top seeds: No. 1 Victory Christian (19-5), No. 2 Valley Christian (14-9), No. 3 New Life Christian (19-3), No. 4 Sacramento Country Day (14-6)
• 2012 champion: Victory Christian
• Outlook: Victory Christian, which won the inaugural D-VI title last year, is led by seniors Molly Huffman, Angela Frentzen and Emily Potts. Valley Christian lost to Victory Christian 42-32 in December but has a top player in sophomore Lily Hagerty (20.1 points). Sacramento Country Day, behind Mary-Clare Bosco (18.5 points, 10.7 rebounds, 4.7 blocks), is a team to watch.
PLAYOFF SCHEDULES
BOYS
(All games at 7 p.m.)
Today's out-bracket games
DIVISION I
No. 18 West-Tracy at No. 15 Armijo
No. 17 Rodriguez at No. 16 Bear Creek
DIVISION II
No. 22 Atwater at No. 11 Gregori-Modesto
No. 21 Vacaville at No. 12 Buhach Colony-Atwater
No. 20 Cordova at No. 13 Johansen-Modesto
No. 19 Johnson at No. 14 Benicia
No. 18 El Camino at No. 15 Roseville
No. 17 River City at No. 16 Will C. Wood
Wednesday's first-round games
DIVISION I
Bear Creek/Rodriguez at No. 1 Sheldon
West-Tracy/Armijo at No. 2 Pleasant Grove
No. 14 Chavez-Stockton at No. 3 Bella Vista
No. 13 Oak Ridge at No. 4 Golden Valley
No. 12 Bethel-Vallejo at No. 5 Granite Bay
No. 11 Davis at No. 6 Lincoln-Stockton
No. 10 Turlock at No. 7 Franklin-Elk Grove
No. 9 Kennedy at No. 8 Lodi
DIVISION II
River City/Wood at No. 1 Sacramento
Roseville/El Camino at No. 2 St. Mary's-Stockton
Benicia/Johnson at No. 3 Antelope
Johansen/Cordova at No. 4 Grant
Buhach Colony/Vacaville at No. 5 Cosumnes Oaks
Gregori/Atwater at No. 6 Burbank
No. 10 Laguna Creek at No. 7 Rocklin
No. 9 Del Oro at No. 8 Del Campo
DIVISION III
No. 16 Manteca at No. 1 Modesto Christian
No. 15 Ceres at No. 2 Sierra-Manteca
No. 14 East Union at No. 3 Casa Roble
No. 13 Riv. Valley at No. 4 Weston Ranch-Stockton
No. 12 Rio Americano at No. 5 Lincoln
No. 11 Vanden at No. 6 Patterson
No. 10 Inderkum at No. 7 Placer
No. 9 Foothill at No. 8 Fairfield
DIVISION IV
No. 16 Hughson at No. 1 Colfax
No. 15 Delhi at No. 2 Summerville
No. 14 Waterford at No. 3 Riverbank
No. 13 Mariposa at No. 4 Liberty Ranch
No. 12 Amador at No. 5 Mesa Verde
No. 11 San Juan at No. 6 Bret Harte
No. 10 Ripon at No. 7 Encina
No. 9 Escalon at No. 8 West Campus
DIVISION V
No. 12 Millennium at No. 5 Woodland Christian
No. 11 Delta Charter at No. 6 Elliot Christian
No. 10 Bradshaw Chr. at No. 7 Forest Lake Chr.
No. 9 Delta at No. 8 Buckingham Charter
First-round bye
No. 1 Central Catholic
No. 2 Capital Christian
No. 3 Ripon Christian
No. 4 Brookside Christian
DIVISION VI
No. 8 Trinity Prep at No. 1 Faith Christian
No. 7 Victory Christian at No. 2 New Life Chr.
No. 6 Freedom Christian at No. 3 Stockton Chr.
No. 5 Lodi Academy at No. 4 Turlock Christian
GIRLS
(All games at 7 p.m.)
Today's out-bracket games
DIVISION I
Bella Vista at Stagg-Stockton
DIVISION IV
Hilmar at Mariposa
San Juan at Los Banos
Tuesday's first-round games
DIVISION I
No. 16 Bear Creek at No. 1 St. Mary's-Stockton
Stagg-Stockton/Bella Vista at No. 2 Oak Ridge
No. 14 Enochs-Modesto at No. 3 Kennedy
No. 13 St. Francis at No. 4 Nevada Union
No. 12 Merced at No. 5 Armijo
No. 11 Napa at No. 6 Davis
No. 10 Lincoln-Stockton at No. 7 Monterey Trail
No. 9 McClatchy at No. 8 Pleasant Grove
DIVISION II
No. 16 Vacaville at No. 1 Sacramento
No. 15 Kimball-Tracy at No. 2 McNair-Stockton
No. 14 Benicia at No. 3 Gregori-Modesto
No. 13 Antelope at No. 4 River City
No. 12 Tracy at No. 5 Del Oro
No. 11 El Camino at No. 6 Florin
No. 10 Del Campo at No. 7 Rocklin
No. 9 Grant at No. 8 Buhach Colony-Atwater
DIVISION III
No. 16 Natomas at No. 1 Christian Brothers
No. 15 Center at No. 2 Vanden
No. 14 Ceres at No. 3 Rio Americano
No. 13 Rosemont at No. 4 Placer
No. 12 Oakmont at No. 5 Patterson
No. 11 Vista del Lago at No. 6 Modesto Christian
No. 10 Inderkum at No. 7 Manteca
No. 9 Weston Ranch-Stockton at No. 8 Riv. Valley
DIVISION IV
Mariposa/Hilmar at No. 1 Bear River
San Juan/Los Banos at No. 2 Colfax
No. 14 Union Mine at No. 3 Bradshaw Christian
No. 13 Riverbank at No. 4 Argonaut
No. 12 Bret Harte at No. 5 Ripon
No. 11 Encina at No. 6 West Campus
No. 10 Liberty Ranch at No. 7 Calaveras
No. 9 Dixon at No. 8 Sonora
DIVISION V
No. 12 Le Grand at No. 5 Woodland Christian
No. 11 Sac. Waldorf at No. 6 Elliot Christian
No. 10 Foresthill at No. 7 Big Valley Christian
No. 9 Forest Lake Chr. at No. 8 Central Catholic
First-round bye
No. 1 Brookside Christian-Stockton
No. 2 Turlock Christian
No. 3 Capital Christian
No. 4 Ripon Christian
DIVISION VI
No. 8 Sac. Adventist at No. 1 Victory Christian
No. 7 Trinity Prep at No. 2 Valley Christian
No. 6 Stockton Christian at No. 3 New Life Chr.
No. 5 Lodi Academy at No. 4 Sac. Country Day
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