Breaking down high school basketball playoff matchups and championship game schedules
‘Tis the season for the high school hoops and the frantic sprint to the finals as the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs barrel into the semifinal rounds.
We break down the semifinal boys and girls matchups, all of them heavy on intrigue and talent. The championship games for Divisions I, II and III are Wednesday at Golden 1 Center, home of the Sacramento Kings. The title games for Divisions IV, V and VI are Friday at UC Davis.
The odd schedule is the result of a Madonna concert schedule for Saturday at Golden 1 Center. The Kings host the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday.
All section finalists advance to the CIF Northern California regional rounds. Teams that lost in the quarterfinals may also be granted an at-large berth to fill out the NorCal brackets. The CIF will release those brackets on Sunday.
Boys
Division I
Friday’s quarterfinals
Modesto Christian 62, Franklin 50
Inderkum 68, Weston Ranch 63
Rocklin 71, Sheldon 62
Lincoln-Stockton 93, Monterey Trail 88 (2 OT)
Monday’s semifinals
No. 4 Inderkum at No. 1 Modesto Christian, 7 p.m.
No. 7 Lincoln-Stockton at No. 3 Rocklin, 7 p.m.
Finals: Wednesday at Golden 1 Center, 8 p.m.
The skinny: Modesto Christian is the defending champion and winners of 21 banners overall, and the Crusaders are again deep and talented. They are the top seed, led by star guards Gavin Sykes and Myles Jones, but this is a wide-open bracket. Title contenders Monterey Trail, seeded second, fell to Lincoln and prolific Weston Ranch of Stockton had its 20-game winning streak halted by Inderkum, the tallest team in all of these playoffs with a front line of 6-foot-8, 6-9 and 6-10, not to mention gritty guards Siincere Hudson and Jermaine Butler.
Rocklin impressed in its win over Sheldon, showcasing balance and 3-point shooting with Kanyon Rice and Josiah Andrews, and the interior muscle of Mark Lavrenov. It will take bulk in the middle to help plow on to the finals.
Division II
Friday’s quarterfinals
Jesuit 70, Burbank 49
Del Oro 76, St. Mary’s 74
Vanden 69, Woodcreek 54
Capital Christian 58, Whitney 51
Monday’s semifinals
No. 4 Del Oro at No. 1 Jesuit, 7 p.m.
No. 3 Vanden at No. 2 Capital Christian, 7 p.m.
Finals: Wednesday at Golden 1 Center, 4 p.m.
The skinny: The top four seeds are still standing, setting up some terrific showdowns. Both games are tossups. Vanden is athletic and experienced, having reached the D-II finals last season with returning 6-5 guard Tyler Thompson. Capital Christian is similarly tough and skilled, led by terrific junior guard Jaylen Valdez, who has keyed the team’s 14-game winning streak.
Jesuit seeks its 19th trip to a section final and 12th banner, having reached the D-I title game last season. Senior guard Kevin Haupt has been on a tear. Basking in a stellar senior season, Caden Pinnick is the engine for Del Oro. His quarterback heroics ended Jesuit’s football season on the Marauders’ home turf last fall and he aims to jolt another Marauders season here.
Division III
Friday’s quarterfinals
Sacramento 69, Nevada Union 53
Central Catholic 53, Twelve Bridges 46
Christian Brothers 74, Placer 69
West Park 51, Manteca 47
Monday’s semifinals
No. 4 Central Catholic at No. 1 Sacramento, 7 p.m.
No. 6 Christian Brothers at No. 2 West Park, 7 p.m.
Finals: Wednesday at Golden 1 Center, noon
The skinny: Sacramento is the defending champion, headed by stars Kendahl Hearne, SirMarius Jones and the bulky and formidable Shabol Barksdale. The Dragons face a Central Catholic program used to these sorts of games and challenges. The Raiders of Modesto have a 17-game winning streak with the 6-6 Wesley Payne averaging 14.4 points and football/baseball/hoops star Tyler Wentworth putting up 14.1.
Christian Brothers is battle tested from the rigors of the Capital Athletic League, won by Capital Christian, including a win over Sacramento. CB is balanced and motivated, led in scoring by junior wings Shawn Underwood (13.8 ppg) and Stephan Hewitt (12.3 ppg). West Park is new to all of this, and the rising-fast Panthers of Roseville feature the tallest guy in the bracket in 6-10 post Tallis Toure.
Division IV
Tuesday’s semifinals
No. 4 Ripon at No. 1 Venture Academy, 7 p.m.
No. 3 Natomas at No. 2 Union Mine, 7 p.m.
Finals: Friday at UC Davis, 8 p.m.
The skinny: The top four seeds held up, and each of the teams has potential to win this thing. Top seeded Venture Academy of Stockton is 27-3 and led by star guard Mario Williams, who is averaging 21.1 points.
Union Mine of El Dorado County is 28-2 and riding a 12-game winning streak, thanks to the scoring of Nate Sweet, the passing of Ethan Gines and the interior work of Isaac Zmerzlikar. Natomas has a nine-game winning streak and has impressed in the playoffs behind star sophomore guard Manno Jenkins, averaging 18.3 points. Ripon is led by senior guard Landon Gillespe, averaging 12.3 points.
Division V
Tuesday’s semifinals
No. 4 Bradshaw Christian at No. 1 Ripon Christian, 7 p.m.
No. 6 Futures at No. 2 Fortune, 7 p.m.
Finals: Friday at UC Davis, 4 p.m.
The skinny: Ripon Christian, a 12-time section champion, is 9-0 at home this season and big all over, including 6-3 sophomore guard Jake Vander Veen, averaging a team-best 16.7 points. Bradshaw Christian of Sacramento held off a late rally by Woodland Christian to get here, thanks to more superb work by star guard Josh O’Neal, who leads the team in scoring at 17.5 points per game.
Futures and Fortune are newer Sacramento programs who arrived in this sport in a hurry. Senior guard Jabari Pugh leads Fortune in scoring at 13.4 points, and senior guard Daniel Kozlov leads Futures with a 20.8 average as his team has a 17-game winning streak.
Division VI
Tuesday’s semifinals:
No. 5 Sacramento Waldorf at No. 1 Stone Ridge, 7 p.m.
No. 3 Foresthill at No. 2 Valley Christian, 7 p.m.
Finals: Friday at UC Davis, noon
The skinny: Waldorf stunned Stone Ridge last season in the playoffs. A repeat effort would be equally as monstrous for classy coach Dean Stark, who has won more than 720 career games. Valley Christian Academy of Roseville is the defending champion under longtime coach Brad Gunther Jr., and his Lions are led by multi-sport star Chase Clary, a senior guard averaging 19.7 points. Foresthill is the dark horse here and capable of an upset behind senior guard Ben Mercado, who leads his club in scoring (11.8 ppg) and rebounding (6.1 rpg).
Girls
Division I
Friday’s quarterfinals
Folsom 72, Monterey Trail 44
McClatchy 70, Davis 23
Oak Ridge 57, Antelope 56
St. Mary’s 86, Kennedy 47
Monday’s semifinals
No. 3 Oak Ridge at No. 2 St. Mary’s, 7 p.m.
No. 4 McClatchy at No. 1 Folsom, 7 p.m.
Finals: Wednesday at Golden 1 Center, 6 p.m.
The skinny: These are the matchups everyone anticipated, and it’s a storied lot of achievers. St. Mary’s of Stockton has won a record 21 section crowns. Folsom won its first last season, topping St. Mary’s, and Oak Ridge beat Folsom for the title two years ago under coach Steve White, a 600-game winner. McClatchy is the last of the Sacramento-area teams in this bracket to win a CIF state title, doing so in 2015, and the Lions lost only 64-57 to Folsom early this season.
Folsom and McClatchy have been Sacramento Bee-ranked No. 1 and 2 all season with Oak Ridge third. Folsom is powered by Cal-bound forward Kamryn Mafua; Oak Ridge by guard/forward Liv Yergensen; St. Mary’s by Texas-bound McDonald’s All-American guard Jordan Lee, a 2000-point career scorer; and McClatchy by junior forward Nina Cain, a national recruit whose team has a 17-game winning streak.
Division II
Friday’s quarterfinals
Whitney 68, Rocklin 37
Grant 61, Del Oro 49
Atwater 64, Christian Brothers 50
Vanden 64, St. Francis 49
Monday’s semifinals
No. 4 Grant at No. 1 Whitney, 7 p.m.
No. 6 Atwater at No. 2 Vanden, 7 p.m.
Finals: Friday at UC Davis, 2 p.m.
The skinny: Whitney is the defending champion and playing like it behind Stanford-bound star forward Harper Peterson and teammates who are similarly motivated to repeat. Grant is athletic and storied with its best team in years, and the Pacers pushed D-I power McClatchy late in the Metro League season. Atwater is coming off a 61-50 upset of a Christian Brothers team that reached the finals last season. Vanden won the D-III bracket last season under coaches Allison and Jake Johnson, a wife-husband combo who make it a habit of crediting the other for the program’s success.
Division III
Friday’s quarterfinals
Vista del Lago 67, Rio Linda 41
Lincoln 55, Ponderosa 42
Wood 62, East Union 58
Monday’s semifinals
No. 4 Lincoln at No. 1 Vista del Lago, 7 p.m.
No. 11 Wood at No. 2 Manteca, 7 p.m.
Finals: Friday at UC Davis, 10 a.m.
The skinny: Vista del Lago of Folsom has a nine-game winning streak and a star junior guard in Ella Skrzyniarz, averaging 21.6 points and a team-best 8.2 rebounds. The Lincoln Zebras are led by senior guard Maya Hodge (19.4 ppg), making for a fun guard showdown. Wood of Vacaville is the lowest seed left in boys or girls, thanks in large part to senior guard Natalia Sanchez, averaging 16.8 points. Manteca is balanced on offense, led by senior guard Jada Ikharo (13.4 ppg).
Division IV
Tuesday’s semifinals
No. 4 Riverbank at No. 1 Colfax, 7 p.m.
No. 7 West Campus at No. 2 Escalon, 7 p.m.
Finals: Friday at UC Davis, 6 p.m.
The skinny: The defending champion Colfax Falcons have 12 section crowns, second all-time to the 21 of St. Mary’s of Stockton. A bulk of the starters are back from last year’s section and CIF NorCal title team, including multi-sport star Kaia Diederichs (11 ppg) and leading rebounder Juliette James (9.3 rpg).
Riverbank is led by senior guard Chancis Gamez and Escalon is paced by senior guard Sammy Lang (15.1 ppg). And the upstart No. 7 seed here really isn’t an upstart program. West Campus of the Sacramento City Unified School District has three section and two CIF state titles in recent years under coach John Langston, whose star guard, Leilani Edinburgh, has keyed an 11-game winning streak, including a quarterfinal win at No. 2-seeded Marysville. She averages 20.6 points.
Division V
Tuesday’s semifinals
No. 4 Ripon Christian at No. 1 Bear River, 7 p.m.
No 3 Valley Christian at No. 2 Woodland Christian, 7 p.m.
Finals: Friday at UC Davis, 2 p.m.
The skinny: The top four seeds held steady. Defending champion Valley Christian of Roseville will take its 8-1 road record this season into Yolo County against Woodland Christian with the hope that leading scorers Janet Donkor and Mariah Contreras outlast WC’s scoring of guards Teagan Hayes and Elena Ganyo. WC has a 17-game winning streak. Bear River of Lake of the Pines has 11 section titles, the last in 2022, and the Bruins are led by senior guard Krissy Kelly, a 1,000-point career scorer. Ripon Christian is led by senior guard Maddie Yonker, averaging 15.4 points.
Division VI
Tuesday’s semifinals
No. 5 Stone Ridge Christian at No. 1 Faith Christian, 7 p.m.
No. 3 Foresthill at No. 2 Sacramento Adventist, 7 p.m.
Finals: Friday at UC Davis, 10 a.m.
The skinny: Faith Christian of Yuba City is the defending champion, having edged Foresthill 50-46 last season in the finals. FC is led by the dynamic and prolific Lauren Harris, a 5-10 sophomore guard averaging 31 points and 14.4 rebounds. Foresthill is led by senior Addy Aldrich, averaging 16.5 points. Sacramento Adventist is paced by junior forward Victoria Fowler, averaging 15.1 points. This is the school’s best team in school history.
For complete brackets and online ticket information, visit the section’s website.