HS basketball semifinals: Sheldon boys top Folsom as section title games are set
These titans of high school boys basketball met at the start of the season in a CIF Foundation Game that raises scholarship money for athletes across the Sacramento valley.
The Sheldon Huskies won that game over the Folsom Bulldogs in overtime, which did not go down as an official victory or defeat — just a warm-up act to a season of great promise for both programs. On Tuesday night in south Sacramento’s Vineyard neighborhood, the teams met again, this time for real, and The Sacramento Bee’s top two ranked teams this season looked the part and did not disappoint.
Folsom impressed in the first half of this Sac-Joaquin Section Division I semifinal with ball movement and 3-point shooting, leading 27-11 after the first quarter, but Sheldon’s defensive mastery and relentless offensive attack keyed a 72-65 victory that sends the Huskies to Golden 1 Center on Saturday night against powerhouse and top-seeded Modesto Christian.
Baron Sabir scored 30 for Sheldon and backcourt-mate Tae Carter had 15. Ryder Daniels added 11 points and Zech Beatty scored 10 points and had nine rebounds as Sheldon moved to 27-4 on the season in winning for the 19th time in 20 outings.
Sabir has been one of the section’s top players this season, a 6-foot-5 junior guard with great range and energy. He snatched four rebounds and made all nine of his free throws against Folsom.
Carter is a blur of a 6-1 guard, excellent with the dribble and drive, and he had seven assists, six rebounds and five steals. Role players such as Beatty, Daniels, KJ Brooks, David Williams and a host of others solidify the outfit, a staple for this program seemingly forever.
Under longtime coach Joey Rollings and right-hand assistants in Michael Bradley, Rich Manning and Rich Viano-Nitschke, Sheldon is in its 13th section final and seeks its eighth championship. Sheldon won its first section title in this sport in 2001 under program founding coach Scott Gradin.
Folsom’s season is not over. The Bulldogs (25-6) will be in the CIF Northern California Division I bracket that starts next week as all section finalists advance to the NorCals. Jack Shull scored 18 for Folsom, Joven Dulay had 14, Alec Day 13 and Parks Weaver 12.
Rollings said of his team’s effort in the jubilant locker room, “I love it!”
He especially appreciates that Sheldon has not lost its identity as a basketball force. The gym had an overflow crowd, alums from the early days of the school from the late 1990s were on hand and everyone had to speak up because the award-winning band was on its game.
“It’s like the old days,” Rollings said. “This is what it should look like very day here. We’re getting back to that, and we know we have to win games like this to get people to come back.”
In his backcourt, Rollings sees two players who have emerged as playmakers, leaders and winners.
“Tae makes the right pass, makes the right shot, the right decisions,” Rolling said. “He and Baron are our nuts and bolts of the team, and when they work together like this, they’re hard to beat. I think Baron’s the area’s Player of the Year.”
Manning is Sheldon’s 6-foot-11 unassuming assistant coach who was The Bee’s Player of the Year in 1988 for Center High in North Sacramento. He raved about Sheldon’s defensive tenacity and such efforts can define a season.
“Speed kills,” Manning said. “With all the deflections we get and the way we get after it, it helps a lot. That’s how we play.”
CIF Sac-Joaquin Section boys basketball playoffs
All championship games will be played at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.
Division I semifinals
Sheldon 72, Folsom 65
Modesto Christian 73, Franklin 68 (OT)
Saturday’s championship
Sheldon vs. Modesto Christian, 8 p.m.
Division II semifinals
Jesuit 51, Woodcreek 43
Destiny Christian 61, Sacramento 44
Friday’s championship
Jesuit vs. Destiny Christian, 8 p.m.
Division III semifinals
Placer 83, Christian Brothers 78
Beyer 55, East Union 53
Saturday’s championship
Placer vs. Beyer, 4 p.m.
Division IV
Natomas 85, Colfax 45
Venture Academy 54, Marysville 53
Friday’s championship
Natomas vs. Venture Academy, 4 p.m.
Division V semifinals
Bret Harte 65, Woodland Christian 50
Argonaut 90, Fortune 67
Saturday’s championship
Bret Harte vs. Argonaut, noon
Division VI semifinals
Sacramento Adventist Academy 75, Valley Christian 66
Victory Christian 54, Sacramento Waldorf 49
Friday’s championship
Sacramento Adventist Academy vs. Victory Christian, noon
CIF Sac-Joaquin Section girls basketball playoffs
All championship games will be played at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.
Division I semifinals
St. Mary’s 77, Vanden 35
McClatchy 48, Oak Ridge 42
Saturday’s championship
St. Mary’s vs. McClatchy, 6 p.m.
Division II semifinals
Antelope 75, Woodcreek 58
Christian Brothers 57, Del Oro 51 (OT)
Friday’s championship
Antelope vs. Christian Brothers, 6 p.m.
Division III semifinals
Placer 52, Twelve Bridges 39
East Union 47, Lathrop 37
Saturday’s championship
Placer vs. East Union, 2 p.m.
Division IV semifinals
Central Catholic 54, Escalon 41
West Campus 63, Liberty Ranch 53
Friday’s championship
Central Catholic vs. West Campus, 2 p.m.
Division V semifinals
Bret Harte 51, Woodland Christian 45
Faith Christian 61, Adams Academy-EDH 41
Saturday’s championship
Bret Harte vs. Faith Christian, 10 a.m.
Division VI semifinals
Sacramento Adventist Academy 51, Foresthill 33
Forest Lake Christian 52, Sacramento Waldorf 34
Friday’s championship
Sacramento Adventist Academy vs. Forest Lake Christian, 10 a.m.
This story was originally published February 24, 2026 at 10:56 PM.