CIF section basketball playoffs: Boys, girls Division I are wide open for Sacramento teams
After months of conditioning, tryouts, preseason games, holiday tournaments and a whirlwind league scramble, the postseason has arrived for high school boys and girls basketball teams across the Sacramento region and beyond.
The CIF Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs start Tuesday for girls at home sites and Wednesday for the boys with everyone determined to make a run for the finals at Golden 1 Center on Feb. 27-28. Seven current or retired CIF staffers or athletic directors/coaches on Saturday crunched mounds of data and paperwork in the governing body’s Elk Grove office, comparing head-to-head matchups, strength of schedule and more.
There were plenty of debates and back-and-forth discussion, but the results show that the brackets should provide some stirring showdowns.
The large-school boys bracket is especially intriguing with two-time defending champion Modesto Christian earning the top seed, followed by No. 2 Inderkum, No. 3 Folsom, No. 4 Lincoln of Stockton, No. 5 Monterey Trail, No. 6 Vanden and No. 7 Sheldon leading the charge and each seemingly capable of winning the bracket.
It’s about as balanced of a bracket as any of the regional coaches can recall.
▪ Inderkum is top-ranked in the region by The Sacramento Bee, the winner of 20 consecutive games and boasting a 26-1 record under 300-game winning coach Fred Wilson and star guard Siincere Hudson.
▪ Folsom won the Sierra Foothill League under longtime coach Mike Wall and star guard Chase Rawlins.
▪ Lincoln of Stockton pushed Modesto Christian in league play; Monterey Trail and coach Robert Fields are guard heavy with Rashawn Inglemon and Derron White with a star freshman forward in Devaughn Dorrough, the team’s leading scorer and rebounder.
▪ Vanden and coach Michael Holloway have championship pedigree at lower divisions and are in D-I for the first time.
▪ Sheldon is a classic dark horse with a 14-game winning streak under longtime coach Joey Rollings. The Huskies include versatile guards/wings Sebastian James, Chadwick Johnson and Zion Johnson. If the higher seeds prevail, Sheldon will visit Inderkum in a titanic second-round game on Friday.
“The top teams are nails in Division I,” Wall said. “It’s a battle royale with all those teams. I like our chances.”
In other boys divisions:
▪ Destiny Christian is the top seed in D-II with star guard Jaylen Valdez.
▪ Christian Brothers is the top seed in D-III behind leading scorer Stephan Hewitt.
▪ Natomas is the top seed in D-IV after a spirited Northern California playoff run last season behind top scorer Manno Jenkins, who is back for more.
▪ Woodland Christian tops the D-V bracket behind the section’s leading scorer in Romello Bruhn, averaging nearly 30 points.
Folsom tops D-I girls
Folsom, top-ranked by The Bee all season, is the top seed in D-I, seeking its second section crown in three years, followed by No. 2 St. Mary’s of Stockton, No. 3 McClatchy and No. 4 Lincoln of Stockton.
Oak Ridge is the No. 5 seed under 700-game winning coach Steve White, Antelope and 500-game winning coach Sean Chambers is the No. 6 seed and Vanden is the No. 7 seed after winning titles in lower divisions.
“Us, McClatchy, St. Mary’s, Antelope, Vanden — we all have a shot,” Folsom coach Lynn Wolking said. “We have a great group, a lot of experience, and as long as we play hard and smart, we’ll be fine.”
In other girls divisions:
▪ Christian Brothers is the top seed in D-II under longtime coach Shandyn Foster and star guard Aleyah Harmon.
▪ Colfax is the top seed in D-III after reaching the previous two CIF state finals in D-IV, and the Falcons are led by coach Rexanne Simpton and an stars Juliette James, Madalyn Sigrist and Kaia Diederichs.
▪ Liberty Ranch of Galt is the top seed in D-IV under coach John Williams and record-setting junior guard Haley Smith, whose team has a 23-game winning streak.
▪ Faith Christian of Yuba City is the top seed in D-VI behind the section’s leading scorer in star guard Lauren Harris, averaging nearly 30 points. The No. 2 seed is Sacramento Adventist, coached by interim coach Scott Tedmon, who led the boys program to championship success. Sac Adventist is the defending champion.
Sac-Joaquin Section basketball playoffs
BOYS
Openers at home sites, 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19
Division I
Pitman/Tokay at No. 1 Modesto Christian
No. 9 Oak Ridge at No. 8 Franklin
No. 12 Edison at No. 5 Monterey Trail
No. 13 Gregori at No. 4 Lincoln-Stockton
No. 14 Enochs at No. 3 Folsom
No. 11 Mountain House at No. 6 Vanden
No. 10 Weston Ranch at No. 7 Sheldon
Central Valley/Turlock at 2 Inderkum
Division II
Tracy/Grace Davis at No. 1 Destiny Christian
No. 9 Antelope at No. 8 Atwater
No. 12 Merced at No. 5 Lodi
No. 13 at No. 4 Jesuit
No. 11 Elk Grove at No. 6 Grant
No. 14 at No. 3 Woodcreek
No. 10 Sacramento at No. 7 Rio Americano
Rodriguez/West at No. 2 Rocklin
Division III
Los Banos/Oakdale at No. 1 Christian Brothers
No. 9 Lincoln at No. 8 Fairfield
No. 12 River Valley at No. 5 Central Catholic
No.13 East Union at No.4 Twelve Bridges
No.14 Foothill at No. 3 Roseville
No. 11 Nevada Union at No. 6 Burbank
No. 10 El Capitan at No. 7 Beyer
No. 15 Oakmont at No. 2 Placer
Division IV
Linden/Highlands at No. 1 Natomas
No. 9 West Campus at No. 8 Sonora
No. 12 Liberty Ranch at No. 5 Venture
No. 13 Dixon at No. 4 Marysville
No. 14 Sutter at No. 3 Ripon Christian
No. 11 Escalon at No. 6 Colfax
No. 10 Union Mine at No. 7 Ripon
No. 15 Calaveras at No. 2 Casa Roble
Division V
Vanguard/Mariposa at No. 1 Woodland Christian
No. 9 Bradshaw Christian at 8 No. Western Sierra
No. 12 Golden Sierra at No. 5 Futures
No. 13 Adams-EDH at No. 4 Bret Harte
Adams-Roseville/Leroy Green at No. 3 Fortune
No. 11 Hughes at No. 6 Westlake
No. 10 Big Valley at No. 7 River Islands
Summerville/Denair at No. 2 Argonaut
Division VI
No. 16 TBA at No. 1 Stone Ridge
No. 9 Creative Con at 8 Sac Adventist
No. 12 TBA at No. 5 Elite
No. 13 TBA at No. 4 Victory Christian
No. 14 TBA at No. 3 Vacaville Christian
No. 11 Valley Christian at No. 6 Stockton Christian
No. 10 Elliot Christian at No. 7 Foresthill
No. 15 TBA at No. 2 Sacramento Waldorf
Byes: Stone Ridge, Elite, Victory Christian, Vacaville Christian, Sacramento Waldorf.
GIRLS
Openers, Feb. 18
Division I
No. 17 Enochs/No. 16 Edison-Stockton at No. 1 Folsom
No. 9 Inderkum at No. 8 Monterey Trail
No. 12 Kennedy at No. 5 Oak Ridge
No. 13 Pleasant Grove at No. 4 Lincoln-Stockton
No. 14 Gregori at No. 3 McClatchy
No. 11 Davis at No. 6 Antelope
No. 10 Mountain House at No. 7 Vanden
No. 18 Downey/No. 15 Tokay at No. 2 St. Mary’s
Play-in games: No. 18 Downey at No. 15 Tokay, No. 17 Enochs at No. 16 Edison-Stockton
Division II
No. 17 Lodi/No. 16 Merced at No. 1 Christian Brothers
No. 9 Patterson at No. 8 Woodcreek
No. 12 Laguna Creek at No. 5 Whitney
No. 13 Grace Davis at No. 4 El Capitan
No. 14 West Park at No. 3 Del Oro
No. 11 Rocklin at No. 6 Grant
No. 10 Vista del Lago at No. 7 St. Francis
No. 18 Kimball/No. 15 McNair at No. 2 Atwater
Play-in games: No. 18 Kimball at No. 15 McNair, No. 17 Lodi at No. 16 Merced
Division III
No. 17 Lindhurst/No. 16 Roseville at No. 1 Colfax
No. 9 Fairfield at No. 8 Pacheco
No. 12 Beyer at No. 5 Rio Linda
No. 13 Sierra at No. 4 Placer
No. 14 Pioneer at No. 3 East Union
No. 11 Twelve Bridges at No. 6 Lincoln-Lincoln
No. 10 Ceres at No. 7 Los Banos
No. 18 Burbank/No. 15 Oakmont at No. 2 Ponderosa
Play-in games: No. 18 Burbank at No. 15 Oakmont, No. 17 Lindhurst at No. 16 Roseville
Division IV
No. 17 Venture Academy/No. 16 Natomas at No. 1 Liberty Ranch
No. 9 Ripon at No. 8 Sutter
No. 12 Central Catholic at No. 5 Bear River
No. 13 Orestimba at No. 4 West Campus
No. 14 Union Mine at No. 3 Marysville
No. 11 Calaveras at No. 6 Sacramento
No. 10 Escalon at No. 7 Valley Christian
No. 18 Ben Holt College Prep/No. 15 Amador at No. 2 Riverbank
Play-in games: No. 18 Ben Holt College Prep at No. 15 Amador, No. 17 Venture Academy at No. 16 Natomas
Division V
No. 16 Le Grand at No. 1 Bret Harte
No. 9 Mariposa at No. 8 Adams Academy-El Dorado Hills
No. 12 Summerville at No. 5 Delta
No. 13 Millennium at No. 4 Fortune Early College
No. 14 Westlake at No. 3 Argonaut
No. 11 Rio Vista at No. 6 Ripon Christian
No. 10 WSCA at No. 7 Destiny Christian
No. 15 Hughes Academy at No. 2 Woodland Christian
Division VI
No. 9 Stockton Christian at No. 8 Stone Ridge Christian
No. 10 Turlock Christian at No. 7 Foresthill
Byes: No. 1 Faith Christian, No. 2 Sacramento Adventist, No. 3 Sacramento Waldorf, No. 4 Forest Lake Christian, No. 5 Vacaville Christian, No. 6 Lodi Academy
This story was originally published February 15, 2025 at 2:42 PM.