CIF NorCal basketball 2025: The matchups are set. Right here’s what to know

Boys Open Division storylines

– Nathan Canilao

Archbishop Riordan’s Andrew Hilman (2) goes up for a dunk in opposition to St. Ignatius within the second half of their CCS Open Division boys basketball championship sport at Santa Clara College in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. Archbishop Riordan defeated St. Ignatius 64-38. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Space Information Group)

Ladies Open Division storylines

High seeded Archbishop Mitty is aiming for a fifth consecutive NorCal Open title, and a sixth in 10 appearances because the Open’s inception in 2013. A Mitty championship victory isn’t any digital assure, not like the previous few years. The Monarchs have been with out celebrity ahead McKenna Woliczko since early January, when she tore her proper ACL. As Pinewood confirmed in an in depth 59-51 loss within the CCS Open Division title sport, Mitty is beatable. After all, the Monarchs are nonetheless the highest seed for a cause. Corridor of Fame coach Sue Phillips has adjusted her scheme to suit her new and extra athletic personnel. Phillips stated, “I thought we were tested down the stretch.” Ze’Ni Patterson is a terrific three-level scorer, guard Tiera McCarthy overwhelmed Pinewood together with her burst, and middle Maliyah Hunter confirmed off vary and shot-blocking in Woliczko’s absence. … San Ramon Valley was given the No. 3 seed after demolishing Acalanes 76-43 within the NCS Open title sport. Regardless of not rostering a single senior and graduating each starter from final 12 months’s staff, the Wolves are much more formidable than final season. Guard Ella Gunderson and ahead Alyssa Rudd headline a bunch that begins 4 gamers who’re all able to scoring 20 factors in a sport if required. Rudd stated, “It’s going to be some great competition, and we’re excited for it. We’re ready to play some really tough teams.” … Rudd is one hundred pc right about that, as a result of SRV’s first opponent is a sixth-seeded Pinewood staff that very effectively might have been two spots increased after outplaying Mitty for many of the Open Division remaining. Pinewood, led by longtime coach and capturing guru Doc Scheppler, was the final non-Mitty staff to win the Open, going back-to-back in 2018 and 2019. Excessive-volume shooters equivalent to Vallory Kuelker, Jolyn Ding and Katherine Garr make the Panthers some of the unpredictable groups within the bracket. If Pinewood is hitting its long-range pictures, the Los Altos Hills college is nearly unbeatable. … The winner of Pinewood and SRV must journey to No. 2 Clovis West. The Central Valley energy is 32-0 and even higher than the staff that made it to the NorCal remaining final season. Clovis West represented the South and gained the state Open title over Mitty in 2017. … Which Acalanes staff will present up when the No. 4 seeded Dons play host to No. 5 McClatchy within the Lafayette college’s first-ever NorCal Open look? The staff that scored 80-plus factors at will with an up-tempo offense led by senior stars KK Lacanlale and Dulci Vail? Or the squad that seemed overwhelmed by San Ramon Valley on Saturday? Coach Margaret Gartner stated, “What happens after this will show our character.” … Ought to Acalanes rebound and take down McClatchy, they’ll should face top-seeded Mitty.

– Joseph Dycus

MORAGA — San Ramon Valley gamers Maya Knapp (left) and Cailyn Reed (proper) have fun after the sport. San Ramon Valley defeated Acalanes 76-43 within the 2025 North Coast Part (NCS) women Open Division basketball championship at Campolindo Excessive College in Moraga, Calif. on March 1, 2024 (Joseph Dycus/Bay Space Information Group)

Boys luck of the draw

Dougherty Valley breezed by the competitors throughout the NCS Division I playoffs and have been rewarded effectively by the CIF. The Wildcats got the No. 6 seed, forward of No. 14 Liberty and No. 16 California – two groups that have been within the NCS Open Division. Seymour defined the choice to place Dougherty Valley above these groups, saying “Once Dougherty Valley played extremely well in Division I, and Cal high and Liberty were early exits out of the NCS Open, the North Coast Section saw that and said, ‘Hey, you know what, this is an opportunity to go ahead and put a team that’s playing really well right now up above.’” The San Ramon College will host NCS Division II champion Moreau Catholic. Dougherty Valley beat the Mariners 70-49 on the NorCal Final Problem with out star Jalen Stokes. … Valley Christian was additionally given a good seed regardless of dropping two of three video games within the CCS Open Division playoffs. The Warriors have been positioned in Division II and given the No. 4 seed, the place they are going to host No. 13 Oakland. Ought to VC win on Tuesday, it’s going to play both Future Christian – a staff that’s 1-4 in opposition to Bay Space groups – or Menlo-Atherton, a college VC has cut up the season sequence with however most lately defeated by 14 within the CCS Open Division playoffs. … The King’s Academy, contemporary off its thrilling win over Carmel within the CCS Division IV title sport, was awarded the highest seed within the NorCal Division III bracket. The Knights may have residence court docket benefit if they might get all the best way to the NorCal finals. If seeds maintain, TKA will see Sacramento’s Christian Brothers Excessive within the regional finals.

– Nathan Canilao

Dougherty Valley’s Jalen Stokes (2) and teammates have fun their 64-55 North Coast Part semifinal playoff win over Clayton Valley at Dougherty Valley Excessive College in San Ramon, Calif., on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Space Information Group)

Ladies luck of the draw

– Joseph Dycus

Salesian guard Janiya Sawyer (11) tries to launch a shot in a sea of Carondolet fingers throughout the fourth quarter of a NorCal Open Division women’ highschool basketball playoff sport, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025 in Richmond, Calif. (D. Ross Cameron for the Bay Space Information Group)

Girls and boys: Brief finish of the stick

Profitable your part doesn’t all the time assure an amazing seed. Bishop O’Dowd, which many believed was worthy of a NCS Open slot, gained the D-I women bracket as an alternative. Whereas Open participant Salesian was positioned in D-II, Malik McCord’s Dragons must go on the highway as a No. 11 seed in D-I. … Los Gatos was the highest seed in CCS Division I women and captured the part crown over Menlo-Atherton, however the Cats have been nonetheless seeded simply No. 12 down in Division II. … Castilleja beat Summit Shasta to win CCS, however there isn’t a query which staff bought the higher attract regionals. Castilleja is the No. 13 seed in Division IV, however no less than they’ll have high-scoring guard Antonia Vlahos (20PPG) main the assault. … Pinewood gave Mitty all the things it might deal with – outscoring the San Jose powerhouse 44-32 over the ultimate three quarters – within the CCS Open Division title sport. However that wasn’t sufficient to sway the CIF to place sixth seed Pinewood over No. 5 seed McClatchy or fourth-seeded Acalanes within the NorCal Open Division. Scheppler’s band of gunners must go on the highway to No. 3 SRV because the No. 6 seed on Wednesday. … On the boys facet, California was given the ultimate spot within the Division I bracket. After stunning De La Salle on its residence ground, Cal struggled within the NCS Open Division playoffs, shedding to San Ramon Valley and Liberty by no less than 16 factors or extra. The Grizzlies are nonetheless ready to see if star Dane Wallace will return to the ground after he didn’t play in opposition to Liberty on Wednesday. The San Ramon college will journey to prime seeded Inderkum on Tuesday. … In Division III, Sacred Coronary heart Prep will journey because the No. 15 seed to No. 2 Christian Brothers. The 119-mile trek from Atherton to Sacramento will probably be a roughly two-hour journey for SHP. The Gators got an at-large bid from the CCS after falling to TKA within the part semifinals.

– Joseph Dycus and Nathan Canilao

Pinewood’s Vallory Kuelker (3) reacts after scoring a 3-point basket in opposition to Archbishop Mitty within the second half of their CCS Open Division women basketball championship sport at Santa Clara College in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. Archbishop Mitty defeated Pinewood 59-51. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Space Information Group)

Buzzer beaters

– Joseph Dycus and Nathan Canilao

Oakland Tech’s Ardarius Grayson (0) dribbles previous Fremont’s Zaire Albert (13) throughout a basketball sport at Fremont Excessive College in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group)