CIF NorCal basketball playoffs: Sheldon boys eliminated; full quarterfinals matchups
The end was swift and unforgiving for The Sacramento Bee’s top-ranked boys basketball team on a night in which only two Sacramento-area high school programs were triumphant in the 44th CIF State Northern California Regional tournament.
The Sheldon Huskies had won 18 of 19 games entering Saturday’s CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I championship game at Golden 1 Center, but the Elk Grove Unified School District program ended the season with a two-game skid. After falling to Modesto Christian at Golden 1 Center, Sheldon was placed in the top division in the state as the No. 6 seed but lost at No. 3 St. Ignatius in San Francisco in a NorCal Open Division opener, 72-54.
The Huskies left their offense in Sacramento, unable to find their rhythm as the Wildcats won their first Open game in program history. The CIF added the Open Division in 2013, a tournament in which Sheldon has won twice under coach Joey Rollings with the 2020 NorCal Open finals and the entire state tournament canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic after Sheldon had reached the finals.
On Wednesday in San Francisco, Raymond Whittey scored 14 for St. Ignatius and Ty Landers had 15. St. Ignatius made 11 3-points and moved to 25-4 on the season and will on Saturday play No. 2-seeded Salesian of Richmond in a semifinal.
Modesto Christian beat De La Salle of Contra Costa County 71-59 in the other Open game on Wednesday and will on Saturday play at top-seeded Riordan of San Francisco, which is 27-1 with a 23-game winning streak. That stretch includes three wins over St. Ignatius, two of those down to the wire.
Baron Sabir, Sheldon’s top player and one of the most prolific shooters in Northern California, had just 7 points and went scoreless in the second half. He averaged 24 as a junior this season. Zech Beatty led Sheldon with 8 points as the Huskies finished their season 27-6.
Forest Lake Christian girls, Victory Christian boys win
Fresh off of spirited section title efforts at Golden 1 Center, the Forest Lake Christian girls and the Victory Christian boys won their NorCal Division VI openers in their home gyms.
Forest Lake Christian topped St. Vincent de Paul 56-53 in its home gym in Auburn, a cozy venue that includes the program’s 2004 CIF State banner and last weekend’s section title banner. Abbie Stokes scored 22 for the Falcons, Kenzie Harrington had 16, and the team opened the second half with a 14-0 run to seize control in winning their 10th consecutive game to move to 19-8.
Forest Lake Christian on Saturday will play at No. 2-seeded Redding Christian, which beat Grace Christian Academy of Santa Rosa, 60-41. Redding Christian is 28-3 with a 19-game winning streak.
No. 3-seeded Victory Christian of Carmichael beat No. 6 Sacramento Adventist Academy to win the section D-VI title and held off San Francisco Waldorf 74-66 in double-overtime, outscoring the Wolverines 8-0 in the final quarter.
As they have been all season, the Vikings were led by Daniel Kapelkin, Luke Smith and Ben Milward to move to 25-3 and into Saturday’s semifinal at No. 2 St. Vincent de Paul of Petaluma, a 64-52 winner over No. 7 Biggs.
Wednesday was a double setback for Sac Adventist as the fifth-seeded boys lost at No. 4 Mendocino 55-48 and the girls dropped a 50-41 decision at Ferndale in Humboldt County as team stars Gwen Rosich scored 16 points and Kyla Friedrich 15.
CIF NorCal Regional Girls Basketball matchups
Open Division
Saturday’s semifinals
No. 5 San Ramon Valley/No. 4 Carondelet at No. 1 Mitty
No. 3 St. Mary’s at No. 2 Clovis West
Division I
Thursday’s quarterfinals
No. 9 St. Ignatius at No. 1 Clovis
No. 13 Clayton Valley Charter at No. 5 Priory
No. 6 Central East at No. 3 Piedmont
No. 15 Bishop O’Dowd at No. 7 Saint Francis
Division II
Thursday’s quarterfinals
No. 8 Salesian at No. 1 McClatchy
No. 12 Del Oro at No. 4 Oakland Tech
No. 14 Vanden at No. 6 Woodcreek
No. 10 Folsom at No. 2 Sierra Pacific
Division III
Thursday’s quarterfinals
No. 16 Notre Dame at No. 8 Scotts Valley
No. 12 Los Gatos at No. 4 Valley Christian
No. 14 St. Bernard’s at No. 11 Menlo-Atherton
No. 7 West Campus at No. 2 East Union
Division IV
Thursday’s quarterfinals
No. 8 Miramonte at No. 1 Faith Christian
No. 5 West Valley at No. 4 Liberty Ranch
No. 6 University Prep at No. 3 Lathrop
No. 10 Benicia at No. 2 Bret Harte
Division V
Thursday’s quarterfinals
No. 9 Marin Academy at No. 1 Modoc
No. 5 Durham at No. 4 Escalon
No. 6 Woodland Christian at No. 3 Palma
No. 10 Lowell at No. 2 John Adams-EDH
Division VI
Saturday’s semifinals
No. 4 Ferndale at No. 1 Cornerstone Christian
No. 3 Forest Lake Christian at No. 2 Redding Christian
CIF NorCal Regional Boys Basketball matchups
Open Division
Saturday’s semifinals
No. 4 Modesto Christian at No. 1 Riordan
No. 3 St. Ignatius at No. 2 Salesian
Division I
Thursday’s quarterfinals
No. 16 Jesuit at No. 9 King’s Academy
No. 13 Oakland at No. 5 Clovis North
No. 6 Franklin at No. 3 Folsom
No. 7 Dougherty Valley at No. 2 Clayton Valley Charter
Division II
Thursday’s quarterfinals
No. 9 Woodcreek at No. 1 Memorial
No. 13 Clovis West at No. 5 University
No. 14 Clovis at No. 6 Oakland Tech
No. 7 Amador Valley at No. 2 Sacramento
Division III
Thursday’s quarterfinals
No. 9 San Lorenzo at No. 1 Natomas
No. 5 Branson at No. 4 Priory
No. 6 Palma at No. 3 Cornerstone Christian
No. 7 Los Gatos at No. 2 Willow Glen
Division IV
Thursday’s quarterfinals
No. 8 Marysville at No. 1 Chico
No. 13 Sanger West at No. 5 Half Moon Bay
No. 14 Bret Harte at No. 11 Burlingame
No. 10 Soquel at No. 2 Sacred Heart Prep
Division V
Thursday’s quarterfinals
No. 8 Oroville at No. 1 Mission San Jose
No. 13 Weed at No. 5 Eureka
No. 6 Woodland Christian at No. 3 San Marin
No. 7 Sonoma Academy at No. 2 Rancho Cotate
Division VI
Saturday’s semifinals
No. 4 Mendocino at No. 1 Redding Christian
No. 3 Victory Christian at No. 2 St. Vincent de Paul