SAN FRANCISCO — Any hope Milpitas needed to make historical past once more was crushed by St. Ignatius on Monday evening.
The San Francisco faculty dominated from begin to end to beat No. 6 Milpitas 54-41 within the second recreation of the CCS Open Division pool play and clinch its spot within the CCS Open Division title recreation. The ultimate rating didn’t do that recreation justice.
No. 2 St. Ignatius led by as a lot as 26 factors within the second half and cleared its benches halfway by way of the fourth quarter. Milpitas was trying to notch its second win over a West Catholic Athletic League staff, 4 days after defeating Bellarmine and changing into the primary public faculty to beat a WCAL staff within the CCS Open Division pool play format.
However the Wildcats made it a degree to not turn into a part of what would have been a historic playoff run for Milpitas.
“We knew they were really excited because they were the first school in history to beat a WCAL school,” St. Ignatius coach Jason Greenfield mentioned. “We had to take away that confidence.”
St. Ignatius’ Shawn Boquiren (2) dribbles towards Milpitas’ Jordon North (1) within the first quarter at St. Ignatius in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)
Vince Crisp had a game-high 13 factors for the Wildcats, adopted by Shawn Boquiren with 11 and Alex Moore and Raymond Whitley who every had eight.
After taking a 10-point lead into the second quarter, the Wildcats blew the sport open halfway by way of the interval. A 9-0 run capped off by a Boquiren 3-pointer gave the Wildcats a 19-point lead halfway by way of the second.
At halftime, St. Ignatius led 36-18.
The Wildcats put the nail within the coffin early within the third quarter when Moore scored on an and-1 basket, pushing the rating to 47-21 – St. Ignatius’ largest lead of the evening.
Greenfield cleared his bench within the fourth quarter and Milpitas took benefit. The Trojans outscored the Wildcats 14-7 within the remaining interval, however it wasn’t sufficient as St. Ignatius cruised to a cushty win.
“I think we place a little bit more importance on this game than we usually do,” Milpitas coach Champ Wrencher mentioned. “We came out here like it was something extra, and that’s the wrong approach.”
St. Ignatius boys basketball head coach Jason Greenfield coaches towards Milpitas within the first quarter at St. Ignatius in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)
St. Ignatius has now received its first two pool play video games in dominant vogue, beating Serra and Milpitas by 13 factors.
“I think since our first CCS game against Serra, we kind of just locked in and knew it was playoff time and it was time to handle business,” Boquiren mentioned.
Although their spot has already been clinched, the Wildcats nonetheless intend to return out of their pool undefeated with a recreation towards Bellarmine on Wednesday. The Bells are out of the title recreation combine after losses to Milpitas on Friday and Serra on Monday.
“Regardless of the outcome for CCS, we can’t go 0-3 against Bellarmine,” mentioned Greenfield, whose staff dropped two video games to Bellarmine within the common season. “We owe them and so I think we’ll be up and ready for that game.”
Milpitas may have one other shot to beat a WCAL faculty when the Trojans play Serra on Wednesday to shut out pool play.
– Nathan Canilao
St. Ignatius’ Raymond Whitley (5) dribbles towards Milpitas’ Lamont Davis (15) within the first quarter at St. Ignatius in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)
MITTY GIRLS ONE WIN FROM ANOTHER FINAL
If Mitty is susceptible with out five-star junior McKenna Woliczko, who was misplaced for the season in early January with an ACL damage, any person forgot to inform the Monarchs.
Mitty cruised on Monday by way of one other playoff opponent, this time St. Ignatius, 81-49 at house to arrange a winner-take-all showdown when Archbishop Riordan pays a go to to the Monarchs’ fitness center on Wednesday.
Riordan, like Mitty, is 2-0 within the CCS Open Division’s Pool A. The winner Wednesday will transfer on to the Open remaining on Friday at SCU.
Mitty routed St. Ignatius 81-49 on Monday and flattened Valley Christian 75-19 on Friday. Riordan beat St. Ignatius 49-45 on Friday and Valley Christian 58-28 on Monday.
If these outcomes, plus two earlier conferences this season between Mitty and Riordan, are a sign, the Monarchs ought to roll into the ultimate.
Mitty received at Riordan 56-42 on Jan. 21 and at house over Riordan 71-50 on Feb. 11.
– Darren Sabedra
RIORDAN CRUSHES MENLO-ATHERTON
Riordan led 45-5 at halftime and didn’t let up within the second half.
Junior guard DJ Armstrong led Riordan with 12 factors. Texas A&M commit Jasir Rencher totaled 11 factors and Ryder Bush had 10.
Riordan can punch its ticket to the CCS Open Division title recreation with a win over No. 4 Valley Christian on Wednesday.
– Nathan Canilao
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PINEWOOD, PRIORY MEET AGAIN
Pinewood’s quest for a tenth journey to the CCS Open Division women remaining in 11 seasons should undergo a well-known foe – Priory.
The West Bay Athletic League groups have met 18 instances since 2017, with Pinewood successful 17 of them.
Every of the 17 victories have come by double digits besides essentially the most document one. On Jan. 31, Priory put up a battle on the street in Los Altos Hills earlier than falling 57-50.
That was fairly a turnaround from the groups’ earlier assembly 17 days earlier. In that one, performed at Priory, Pinewood dominated 63-38.
Now, after each groups prevailed by way of two rounds of CCS pool play, they’ll meet at Pinewood on Wednesday for first place in Pool B and the suitable to play for the part’s Open Division title on Friday evening at Santa Clara College, most definitely towards top-seeded Archbishop Mitty.
On Monday, Pinewood and Priory seemed the a part of title contender. Pinewood routed St. Francis 65-31. Priory thumped Sacred Coronary heart Cathedral 62-42.
– Darren Sabedra
MITTY BOYS STILL ALIVE AFTER GRITTY WIN
Regardless of scoring simply 37 factors, the Monarchs discovered a technique to win a street playoff recreation.
Mitty, the No. 8 seed within the CCS Open Division, topped No. 4 Valley Christian 37-36.
Mitty has been enjoying good basketball as of late. The Monarchs held Riordan to 59 factors on Friday in a 14-point loss – the closest recreation Riordan has had towards a WCAL faculty all season.
The victory units up a state of affairs for which the Monarchs might find yourself within the Open Division title recreation, however the San Jose faculty will want a number of assist.
Mitty might advance to the CCS Open finals with a win over Menlo-Atherton and a Riordan loss to Valley Christian on Wednesday.
– Nathan Canilao
