CIF NorCal basketball regionals: Ten storylines heading into tonight’s semifinals
The Northern California significant college basketball playoffs keep on this night with teams in all brackets now just two wins from regional championships and a journey to Sacramento’s Golden1 Heart for up coming weekend’s point out finals.
Four teams in the Bay Place News Group’s coverage space — two boys, two girls — are alive in the Open Division, the ideal-of-the-finest bracket.
And four other people — two boys, two women — are in contention in Division I.
In all, there are 20 nevertheless playing across the 6 divisions that will feed into Sacramento.
Below are 10 storylines for tonight:
No. 1: Can the Campolindo boys keep their outstanding operate likely? The Moraga school is 46-1 due to the fact February 2020 heading into the semifinals towards Archbishop Riordan and has by no means finished a time with a decline in the Aidan Mahaney period. The Cougars gained a point out championship in 2019 and a NorCal title in 2020 when the pandemic shutdown finished the period just ahead of the condition finals. Last spring, Campo concluded 15- when there had been no playoffs for North Coastline Part teams.
No. 2: How large is that chip on Riordan’s shoulder? In scenario you did not know, the Riordan boys ended up not delighted that they only gained the fifth seed in the NorCal Open immediately after winning the Central Coastline Area Open title. The Crusaders had to gain a street activity Wednesday at De La Salle to arrive at the semifinals.
No. 3: Really don’t deliver up 2020 all-around Riordan. The San Francisco school simply cannot aid but glimpse at Campo’s NorCal Division I title that year without the need of wondering what could have been. Riordan was the No. 1 seed in that bracket but experienced to withdraw heading into the semifinals in opposition to De La Salle simply because of COVID-19 difficulties. Campo not only beat DLS in the closing, but it also hung a 2020 co-point out championship banner in its gymnasium — which will fly in front of Riordan’s eyes all night.
No. 4: Forward of timetable? Supplied Kelly Sopak’s stage of accomplishment as the Miramonte ladies coach, we all understood that his transfer to Concord personal university Carondelet right before the 2021 period would have a key influence on the girls’ recreation. But this swiftly? The rise has been swift — 10-1 last spring and the No. 1 seed in the Open up this time heading into tonight’s dwelling activity from Oak Ridge.
No. 5: It’ll be a point out championship rematch at Archbishop Mitty in the NorCal ladies Open when Clovis West pays a take a look at. Depending on have to have, the California Interscholastic Federation reserves the suitable to put the Fresno-place educational facilities in the North or the South. In 2017, Clovis West won the South location, then held Haley Jones-led Mitty to 32 points under its period scoring normal in a 44-40 victory for the point out crown.
No. 6: Again at home for the Sacred Coronary heart Prep boys? Following needing two fitness centers — its own and Menlo School’s upcoming doorway — to defeat Oakland Tech in the Division I quarterfinals Thursday, SHP will be on its dwelling court docket tonight to participate in Clovis North.
No. 7: SHP is the best seed in the bracket, but seeds have intended very little to Clovis North. In the first spherical Tuesday, the 13th-seeded staff traveled to Orinda and shocked No. 4 seed Miramonte 70-68 in additional time. Thursday, it received a road sport, 45-43 at No. 5 seed Folsom.
No. 8: St. Ignatius experienced a decisive residence-court docket advantage in its auxiliary fitness center Thursday versus Lincoln of Stockton, winning 53-38 (The San Francisco school’s primary faculty was being ready for a fundraising auction). Now No. 3 seed St. Ignatius will journey for the to start with time in the NorCal regionals, participating in tonight at No. 2 seed Inderkum of Sacramento. SI is 6-4 on the highway this season, but Inderkum is 12- at home and 28-2 over-all.
No. 9: The 3rd-seeded SI women also will strike the road for the first time in these NorCals D-I playoffs, traveling to Stockton to perform No. 2 seed St. Mary’s. When the teams performed at Carondelet in late January, St. Mary’s rolled 71-52.
No. 10: Because Salesian’s gymnasium does not fulfill the bare minimum capacity requirement to host a regional semifinal, the Pride’s property sport tonight towards Bishop O’Dowd will be performed on the west facet of the Richmond-San Rafael bridge at Dominican University as part of a doubleheader. In the 6 p.m. opener, the Branson boys will face St. Patrick-St. Vincent in a D-II semifinal. The women recreation is scheduled to get started at 8.
