CIF playoffs: Jesuit, Sacramento earn top boys basketball seeds; Folsom is No. 1 in girls
Sometimes, crunching the data and comparing schedules and scores leads to quick work for the eight-person CIF Sac-Joaquin Section basketball playoff selection crew in their quest to fill out brackets.
That was the case for most all of the girls and boys teams, except one. The Division I boys field took the committee some 60 minutes to debate, discuss and decide.
Defending champion Modesto Christian (23-4) earned the top seed in D-I, opposite Sacramento Bee top-ranked Monterey Trail (25-3) of the Elk Grove Unified School District. Rocklin is the No. 3 seed, making the D-I field after securing the Sierra Foothill League championship and finishing the regular season at 25-2.
Capital Valley Conference champion Inderkum (21-6) is the No. 4 seed but looked the part of title contender after beating Monterey Trail 106-101 in overtime on Wednesday in a nonleague thriller behind its tall lineup and steady guards Siincere Hudson and Jeremiah Butler. But the Tigers of the Natomas Unified School District will not be allowed to host early round playoff games this winter as punishment for their role in a late-game melee at Riordan of San Francisco in a 2023 Northern California playoff game.
Weston Ranch of Stockton (25-3) is the No. 5 seed, having won 19 consecutive games, including Friday over Modesto Christian 73-61 in a nonleague game. How deep is D-I? Sheldon landed the No. 6 seed despite its coaching staff arguing that the Delta League co-champion Huskies played the toughest nonleague schedule of any team in the section.
Sheldon draws Grant, also a regular to these playoffs. Another intriguing D-I opener is No. 9-seeded Folsom at No. 8 Franklin of Elk Grove.
In D-II, Jesuit (21-7) is the top seed, but would have been in D-I had it won the coin flip to decide the outright champion of the Delta with Sheldon. The Marauders make the D-II field all the more deeper and interesting, especially considering red-hot Capital Christian (21-7) is the No. 2 seed, winner of 12 consecutive games behind star guard Jaylen Valdez. Vanden (20-8) is the No. 3 seed.
In D-III, defending champion Sacramento High (21-7) is the top seed and led by guards SirMarius Jones and Kendahl Hearne, and fast-rising West Park of Roseville is the No. 2 seed with 6-foot-10 center Tallis Toure. Placer (24-4) and 1,500-point career scorer Ben Manley are seeded third. Del Oro (21-7) is the No. 4 seed, led by star guard Caden Pinnick.
In D-IV, Venture Academy of Stockton (25-3) is the top seed with guard Mario Williams, averaging 21.1 points. Union Mine (26-2) of El Dorado County is the No. 2 seed and Natomas (20-8) is the No. 3 seed.
Folsom earns top girls seeds
For the girls, defending section champion Folsom (22-4) earned the No. 1 seed in D-I, opposite of longtime section powerhouse St. Mary’s of Stockton (21-5). The bracket also includes No. 3 Oak Ridge (22-6), a longtime Sierra Foothill League rival of Folsom, and Metro League champion McClatchy (22-5), seeded fourth. Folsom is ranked No. 1 by The Bee, followed by McClatchy and Oak Ridge.
In D-II, defending champion Whitney is the top seed and led by Stanford-bound star Harper Peterson, a forward with guard skills. Vanden (21-7) is the No. 2 seed, having been moved up to D-II after years of success in D-III, per CIF section policy. Christian Brothers (22-6) is the No. 3 seed after reaching the section finals last season.
In D-III, Vista del Lago of Folsom is the No. 1 seed after tying Christian Brothers for the Capital Athletic League championship. Manteca (22-6) is the No. 2 seed and East Union (23-5) is the No. 3 seed.
In D-IV, defending champion Colfax (26-2) is the top seed, opposite of No. 2 Marysville (22-4), which tied Colfax for the Pioneer Valley League title, the program’s first conference championship in 50 years.
In D-V, PVL member Bear River (20-7) is the top seed and Woodland Christian (24-4) is the No. 2 seed, having won 16 consecutive games.
In D-VI, Faith Christian (23-4) of Yuba City is the top seed, led by the section’s top scorer in Lauren Harris, a sophomore guard averaging 30.7 points and 14 rebounds.
For complete brackets, visit cifsjs.org/basketball
CIF Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs
All games at 7 p.m. at home sites
Division I boys
Wednesday’s first-round games
Turlock-Cosumnes Oaks at No. 1 Modesto Christian
No. 9 Folsom at No. 8 Franklin-Elk Grove
No. 12 Oak Ridge at No. 5 Weston Ranch
No. 4 Inderkum at No. 13 Mountain House
Lodi-Downey at No. 3 Rocklin
No. 11 Grant at No. 6 Sheldon
No. 10 Laguna Creek at No. 7 Lincoln-Stockton
Edison-Pittman at No. 2 Monterey Trail
▪ Monday outbracket: No. 17 Turlock at No. 16 Cosumnes Oaks.
▪ Monday outbracket: Downey at Lodi
▪ Monday outbracket: No. 18 Edison at No. 15 Pitman
▪ Inderkum cannot host in 2024 playoffs due to sanctions.
Division II boys
Wednesday’s first-round games
Bear Creek-Cordova at No. 1 Jesuit
No. 8 Burbank at No. 9 Rio Americano
No. 12 Atwater at No. 5 St. Mary’s
No. 13 Patterson at No. 4 Del Oro
No. 14 Golden Valley at No. 3 Vanden
No. 11 Vacaville at No. 6 Woodcreek
No. 10 Rodriguez at No. 7 Whitney
Ceres-Granite Bay at No. 2 Capital Christian
▪ Monday outbracket: No. 17 Bear Creek at No. 16 Cordova
▪ Monday outbracket: No. 18 Ceres at No. 15 Granite Bay
▪ Burbank cannot host for failure to submit an application to host.
Division III boys
Wednesday’s first-round games
Mira Loma-El Dorado at No. 1 Sacramento
No. 9 Nevada Union at No. 8 Roseville
No. 12 Lincoln at No. 5 Twelve Bridges
No. 13 Wood at No. 4 Central Catholic
No. 14 Sierra at No. 3 Placer
No. 11 Ponderosa at No. 6 Christian Brothers
No. 10 Antelope at No. 7 Manteca
Beyer-Rio Linda at No. 2 West Park
▪ Monday outbracket: No. 17 El Dorado at No. 16 Mira Loma
▪ Monday outbracket: No. 18 Rio Linda at No. 15 Beyer
Division IV boys
Tuesday’s first-round games
Delhi-Calaveras at No. 1 Venture
No. 9 West Campus at No. 8 Orestimba
No. 12 Marysville at No. 5 Escalon
No. 14 Holt at No. 4 Ripon
No. 14 Colfax at No. 3 Natomas
No. 11 Sutter at No. 6 Casa Roble
No. 10 Riverbank at No. 7 Sonora
Encina-Highlands at No. 2 Union Mine
▪ Monday outbracket: No. 17 Delhi at No. 16 Calaveras
▪ Monday outbracket: No. 18 Highlands at No. 15 Encina
Division V boys
Tuesday’s first-round games
No. 9 Bret Harte at No. 8 Big Valley
No 12 Leroy Greene at No. 5 Woodland Christian
No. 13 Mariposa at No. 4 Bradshaw Christian
No. 14 Golden Sierra at No. 3 Western Sierra
No. 11 Rio Vista at No. 6 Futures
No. 10 Hughes at No. 7 Bear River
Byes: No. 1 Ripon Christian, No. 2 Fortune
Division VI boys
Tuesday’s first-round games
No. 9 Vacaville Christian at No. 8 Faith Christian
No. 10 Elliot Christian at No. 7 Victory Christian
Byes: No. 1 Stone Ridge, No. 2 Valley Christian, No. 3 Foresthill, No. 4 Stockton Christian, No. 5 Sacramento Waldorf
Division I girls
Wednesday’s first-round games
Pitman-Edison at No. 1 Folsom
No. 9 Inderkum at No. 8 Monterey Trail
No. 12 Davis at No. 5 Lincoln-Stockton
No. 13 Pleasant Grove at No. 4 McClatchy
Lodi-Gregori at No. 3 Oak Ridge
No. 11 Cosumnes Oaks at No. 6 Antelope
No. 10 Kennedy at No. 7 Franklin-Elk Grove
Stagg-Turlock at No. 2 St. Mary’s
▪ Monday outbracket: No. 17 Edison at No. 16 Pitman
▪ Monday outbracket: No. 18 Turlock at No. 15 Stagg
Division II girls
Wednesday’s first-round games
Johansen-McNair at No. 1 Whitney
No. 9 Rocklin at No. 8 Woodcreek
12 El Capitan at No. 5 Del Oro
No. 13 Granite Bay at No. 4 Grant
No. 14 Merced at No. 3 Christian Brothers
No. 11 Mountain House at No. 6 Atwater
No. 10 St. Francis at No. 7 Patterson
Ceres-Cordova at No. 2 Vanden
▪ Monday outbracket: No. 17 Johansen at No. 16 McNair.
▪ Monday outbracket: No. 18 Cordova at No. 15 Ceres
Division III girls
Wednesday’s first-round games
El Dorado-Twelve Bridges at No. 1 Vista del Lago
No. 9 Placer at No. 8 Rio LInda
No. 12 Sierra at No. 5 Ponderosa
No. 13 Fairfield at No. 4 Lincoln
No. 14 Lathrop at No. 3 East Union
No. 11 Wood and No. 6 Pioneer
No. 10 Los Banos at No. 7 Kimball
Natomas-El Camino at No. 2 Manteca
▪ Monday outbracket: No. 17 Twelve Bridges at No. 16 El Dorado
▪ Monday outbracket: No. 18 Natomas at No. 15 El Camino
Division IV girls
Tuesday’s first-round games
Argonaut-Orestimba at No. 1 Colfax
No. 9 Holt at No. 8 Amador
No. 12 Union Mine at No. 5 Hughson
No. 13 Sutter at No. 4 Riverbank
No. 14 Sacramento at No. 3 Escalon
No. 11 Sonora at No. 6 Liberty Ranch
No. 10 Calaveras at No. 7 West Campus
Dixon-Venture at No. 2 Marysville
▪ Monday outbracket: No. 17 Orestimba at No. 16 Argonaut
▪ Monday outbracket: No. 18 Venture at No. 15 Dixon
Division V girls
Tuesday’s first-round games
No. 9 Delta at No. 8 Rio Vista
No. 12 Le Grand at No. 5 Bret Harte
No. 13 Mariposa at No. 4 Ripon Christian
No. 14 Golden Sierra at No. 3 Valley Christian
No. 11 Hughes at No. 6 Fortune
No. 10 Westlake at No. 7 SAEL
Byes: No. 1 Bear River, No. 2 Woodland Christian, No. 3 Valley Christian
Division VI girls
Tuesday’s first-round games
No. 9 Stockton Christian at No. 8 Vacaville Christian
No. 10 Forestlake Christian at No. 7 Lodi Academy
Byes: No. 1 Faith Christian, No. 2 Sac Adventist, No. 3 Foresthill, No. 4 Sacramento Waldorf