Successful boys basketball coaches are trying to do the same for their girls
Sizing up the Sac-Joaquin Section basketball playoffs in under 35 seconds (we adhere to the shot clock here):
Gender speaking – Jesse Formaker and Patrick Roth carved out nice careers as boys coaches, winning league championships, winning in the playoffs and reaching the Northern California regional rounds.
Formaker did it at Hayward High School and at Franklin, and Roth did so at nearby Cosumnes Oaks.
These days, the coaches are leading girls teams, Formaker at Franklin and Roth at Cosumnes Oaks. The girls may compete below the rim, but it’s coaching, leading and achievement, which makes it worthwhile for the hoops lifers.
Formaker and Roth lead teams in the Division I fields as dark-horse threats to heavily favored seeds that loom from the 209 area code. Franklin, seeded eighth, plays host to No. 9 Woodcreek on Tuesday night while No. 6 Cosumnes Oaks hosts No. 11 Turlock. A Franklin win likely means a date at No. 1 Bear Creek in Stockton on Thursday, and a Cosumnes Oaks victory likely earns it a date at St. Mary’s of Stockton, winners of 11 consecutive section championships, the last six in D-I.
McCauley might – Meshal McCauley was a part of two CIF State D-II championship teams at Grant in 1988 and ’89 under coach Connie Zuercher, and now she heads the storied Pacers, who have endured tough times of late but have found an old familiar groove.
At 17-10, Grant has distanced itself from recent seasons of 2-20, 4-20 and 2-18. The Pacers, seeded 14th in D-II and opening at No. 3 Whitney, are led by sophomore guard Diamond Richardson, who averages 21 points per game.
McCauley worked wonders at nearby Foothill, going from lean seasons her first two years as coach to posting marks of 27-6 and 25-5 in each of the previous two campaigns. Foothill went 0-22 this season.
Ray gun – Ray Gagnon is a 500-game winner, achieving the milestone with combined stints as the Center girls coach (17 seasons) and the Center boys (the last 12 seasons).
But what has evaded Gagnon with the boys is a section title. His girls team reached the D-III finals in 1994 and won it in 2001, beating Bear River in D-III with star Renee Wright. Gagnon’s boys team lost to Sacramento in the section finals in 2011 a year after falling to Sac High in the NorCal semifinals.
His current team is seeded No. 8 in D-III and is led by guard Michael Worthan, who averages 14.6 points. He is one of the section’s top two-sport athletes, having led the football team at quarterback.
Big Red Lancers – Cordova boys coach Fletcher Johnson had early in the season has grown and matured.
The Lancers endured an 86-26 loss to Franklin and a 79-36 setback to Rocklin before settling in and winning the Greater Sacramento League at 10-0 to land the No. 13 seed in D-III. Cordova is led by Sam Danielyan (16.9 points), Isaiah Bolden (14.4), Reimont Stallworth (12.0 points) and Kenneth Brown (11.2).
Generation gap – Tony Camillucci has fielded a number of stellar girls teams at Placer over two decades, and this one resonates just the same.
Placer has won 11 consecutive games and are No. 3 seed in D-III, led by captains Tyra Al-Mujadid, Anne Lillis and Delaney Keddie.
“There isn’t anything I don’t like about this team,” Camillucci said. “You hear drama brought up a lot among sports teams, but this year, I have not seen any. This makes coaching more relaxing. (Assistant coach) Lisa Menconi and I are laughing on the bench more and stressing less about wins because we can see the girls having a good time with teammates they love.”
Camillucci was a star player at Colfax for Ron Pucci in the early 1980s, at the same time Menconi was a key cog for the Colfax girls and coach John Alba when the Falcons won CIF State D-III titles in 1983 and ‘84.
Pride matters – Nearly every team bristles at its section playoff seeding at one point or another, and that is the Bradshaw Christian girls this week.
The Pride are 14-13 in facing a brutal schedule, and they were seeded eighth in D-III with a potential showdown at top-seeded Vanden on Thursday. With seven section titles under coach Mike Ruble at lower levels, the Pride have been moved up in division.
They are led by junior guard Anaya Mejia (18.1 points, 10.1 rebounds) and senior guard Cookie Marques (12.9 points).
Fabulous freshmen – Laguna Creek is 25-3 and will host Roseville on Tuesday in a D-II girls opener, a far cry from the 3-24 effort of a year ago.
Coach Cody Norman has an all-freshmen group that includes Ahrray Young (17.7 points a game), Zoe Tillery (15.1), Eva Taylor (9.3), Lesieli Manupule (7.5) and Alicia Enriquez (7.1). Laguna Creek reached three D-I title games in the early 2000s, winning in 2003 and 2004.
Miner magic (again) – Nevada Union was a girls basketball juggernaut under coach Craig Strohm, reaching 10 D-I title games from 1988-99, winning five titles. Jenn Krill, who was part of those championship teams, is the fourth year Miners coach, leading her best team.
NU (18-10) is led by 5-foot-11 senior Meado Aragon, averaging 19.8 points, 12.1 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 2.0 blocks. The Miners are seeded fifth in D-III and open against No. 12 Cordova.
Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs
Here are all the opening-round games for boys and girls.
Girls
Division I
Play-in game Monday at 7 p.m.
No. 17 Inderkum at No. 16 St. Francis
All games Tuesday at 7 p.m.
St. Francis/Inderkum at No. 1 Bear Creek
No. 9 Woodcreek at No. 8 Franklin
No. 12 Davis at No. 5 Oak Ridge No. 13 Monterey Trail at No. 4 Folsom
No. 14 Pitman at No. 3 St. Mary’s
No. 11 Turlock at No. 6 Cosumnes Oaks
No. 10 Edison at No. 7 Lincoln-Stockton
No. 15 Enochs at No. 2 McClatchy
Division II
Play-in game Monday at 5:30 p.m.
No. 17 McNair at No. 16 Mira Loma
All games Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Mira Loma/McNair at No. 1 Antelope
No. 9 Vista del Lago at No. 8 Granite Bay
No. 12 Rodriguez at No. 5 Elk Grove
No. 13 Wood at No. 4 Del Oro
No. 14 Grant at No. 3 Whitney
No. 11 Modesto Christian at No. 6 Atwater
No. 10 Roseville at No. 7 Laguna Creek
No. 15 Lincoln at No. 2 Sacramento
Division III
Play-in game Monday at 7 p.m.
No. 17 Center at No. 16 Pioneer
All games Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Pioneer/Center at No. 1 Vanden
No. 9 Livingston at No. 8 Bradshaw Christian
No. 12 Cordova at No. 5 Nevada Union
No. 13 El Capitan at No. 4 Manteca
No. 14 Merced at No. 3 Placer
No. 11 Beyer at No. 6 Kimball
No. 10 East Union at No. 7 Lathrop
No. 15 Los Banos at No. 2 Christian Brothers
Division IV
Play-in game Monday at 7 p.m.
No. 17 Natomas at No. 16 Bear River
All games Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Bear River/Natomas at No. 1 Colfax
No. 9 Highlands at No. 8 Dixon
No. 12 Orestimba at No. 5 Ripon
No. 13 Hughson at No. 4 Union Mine
No. 14 Mountain House at No. 3 Sonora
No. 11 El Dorado at No. 6 Capital Christian
No. 10 Central Catholic at No. 7 Calaveras
No. 15 Liberty Ranch at No. 2 West Campus
Division V
All games Tuesday at 7 p.m.
No. 9 Hughes at No. 8 Rio Vista
No. 11 Millennium at No. 6 Leroy Greene
No. 10 Holt at No. 7 Le Grand
All games Thursday at 7 p.m.
No. 5 Golden Sierra at No. 4 Western Sierra
Rio Vista/Hughes at No. 1 Mariposa
Holt/Le Grand at No. 2 Argonaut
Leroy Greene/Millennium at No. 3 Woodland Christian
Division VI
All games Tuesday at 7 p.m.
No. 9 Victory Christian at No. 8 Sacramento Adventist
No. 10 New Life Christian at No. 7 Stockton Christian
All games Thursday at 7 p.m.
No. 5 Turlock Christian at No. 4 Ripon Christian
No. 6 Sacramento Waldorf at No. 3 Vacaville Christian
Victory Christian/Sacramento Adventist at No. 1 Forest Lake Christian
New Life Christian/Stockton Christian at No. 2 Valley Christian
Boys
Division I
Play-in games Monday at 7 p.m.
No. 17 Modesto at No. 16 Edison
No. 18 Bear Creek at No. 15 Pleasant Grove
All games Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Modesto/Edison vs. No. 1 Sheldon
No. 9 Davis at No. 8 Monterey Trail
No. 12 Kennedy at No. 5 Oak Ridge
No. 13 Turlock at No. 4 Jesuit
No. 14 Chavez at No. 3 Modesto Christian
No. 11 Tracy at No. 6 Capital Christian
No. 10 Gregori at No. 7 Franklin
Bear Creek/Pleasant Grove at No. 2 Folsom
Division II
Play-in games Monday at 7 p.m.
No. 18 Buhach Colony at No. 15 Elk Grove
No. 17 Vista del Lago at No. 16 Lincoln
All games Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Lincoln/Vista del Lago at No. 1 Grant
No. 9 Ponderosa at No. 8 Roseville
No. 12 Rodriguez at No. 5 Sacramento
No. 13 Woodcreek at No. 4 Whitney
No. 14 Granite Bay at No. 3 St. Mary’s
No. 11 Inderkum at No. 6 Burbank
No. 10 River Valley at No. 7 Rio Americano
Elk Grove/Buhach Colony at No. 2 Rocklin
Division III
Play-in games Monday at 7 p.m.
No. 18 Florin at No. 15 Mira Loma
No. 17 Lathrop at No. 16 Sierra
All games Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Sierra/Lathrop at No. 1 Weston Ranch
No. 9 El Capitan at No. 8 Center
No. 12 Kimball at No. 5 Vanden
No. 13 Cordova at No. 4 Manteca
No. 14 Del Campo at No. 3 Central Catholic
No. 11 Placer at No. 6 El Camino
No. 10 Beyer at No. 7 Golden Valley
Mira Loma/Florin at No. 2 Wood
Division IV
Play-in game Monday at 7 p.m.
No. 17 Venture Academy at No. 16 Dixon
All games Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Venture Academy/Dixon at No. 1 Liberty Ranch
No. 9 Calaveras at No. 8 Bear River
No. 12 Mesa Verde at No. 5 Mountain House
No. 13 Amador at No. 4 Ripon
No. 14 Highlands at No. 3 West Campus
No. 11 El Dorado at No. 6 Marysville
No. 10 Foothill at No. 7 Union Mine
No. 15 Riverbank at No. 2 Sonora
Division V
All games Wednesday at 7 p.m.
No. Rio Vista at No. 8 Woodland Christian
No. 12 Hughes at No. 5 Mariposa
No. 13 Gustine at No. 4 Ripon Christian
No. 14 Leroy Greene at No. 3 Sacramento Adventist
No. 11 Denair at No. 6 Bradshaw Christian
No. 10 Western Sierra at No. 7 Foresthill
No. 15 Holt at No. 2 Argonaut
Bye: No. 1 Brookside Christian
Division VI
All games Wednesday at 7 p.m.
No. 9 Alpha Charter at No. 8 Turlock Christian
No. 12 Freedom Christian at No. 5 Forest Lake Christian
No. 11 Lodi Academy at No. 6 Faith Christian
No. 10 Valley Christian at No. 7 Victory Christian
Byes: No. 1 Stockton Christian, No. 2 Sacramento Waldorf, No. 3 Vacaville Christian, No. 4 Big Valley Christian
This story was originally published February 11, 2019 at 6:12 PM.