Two of the top three teams in Prep2Prep’s newest CCS boys basketball rankings will meet on Tuesday night in one of the best games across a solid midweek slate of action. While almost every league has top games on tap for Friday, the best Tuesday and Wednesday games are not quite as high in quantity, but there’s more than enough quality basketball to go around.
No. 1 Serra (11-2, 3-0 WCAL) @ No. 3 Bellarmine (12-1, 2-1), Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.
Every good team seems to have a “glue guy,” the player who might not put up the big stats or make the highlight reels but keeps the team together by doing the little things that don’t show up on the stat sheet. The Padres and Bells both seem to have entire rosters of these players that most teams are lucky to have one of, and it’s why they’ve gotten off to such great starts this year. Yes, both teams have their share of excellent players, but the multitude of guys who do the little things make both Serra and Bellarmine exceptionally tough to prepare for. The key plays might not necessarily be made by the impact players, meaning there’ll be tons of guesswork to be done as coaches Brian Carson and Patrick Schneider try to prepare for each other.
No. 8 St. Francis (10-3, 2-1 WCAL) @ No. 12 St. Ignatius (5-8, 0-3), Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.
A win over Bellarmine has given the Lancers tons of attention, but even if they weren’t coming off a three-win week, Tuesday’s battle in the Sunset District would be a particularly captivating one as six sophomores and a freshman will all be getting their first chances to duke it out with each other on the varsity stage. While the players in the WCAL typically become quite familiar with each other after facing off at the freshman and JV levels, very few have the opportunity to compete on the varsity stage for three years, so when players as talented as the ones on the SI and St. Francis rosters meet on Tuesday, it’s a special occasion. Both these teams recently graduated players who had gotten to trade blows for three years, with point guards Logan Johnson and Darrion Trammell going at it in multiple great games.
No. 4 Mitty (11-2, 2-1 WCAL) @ No. 10 Sacred Heart Cathedral (4-7, 1-2), Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.
Not only will the Monarchs be looking to bounce back from a loss to Bellarmine, they’ll be looking to avenge last year’s stunning CCS Open Division Quarterfinal loss, which came after sweeping the regular-season series with the Fightin’ Irish. Tuesday will be the first game back in San Francisco for Nigel Burris, who spent his freshman and sophomore years at Stuart Hall before moving down to San Jose. Last year, his Knights lost to SHC in the NorCal Tip-Off Classic.
No. 2 Riordan (11-2, 2-1 WCAL) @ No. 17 Valley Christian (8-5, 0-3), Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.
Not only will the Crusaders be making a long trip on Tuesday, they’ll be shorthanded when they do so. Sophomore center Mor Seck is expected to miss the game after receiving two technical fouls on Friday while point guard Bryce Monroe continues to deal with a hip flexor injury that has left his status up in the air. Unfortunately for the Warriors, they’ll likely also take the floor at less than full strength as illness has torn through the Valley Christian campus.
No. 24 Mountain View (10-5, 1-2 SCVAL De Anza) @ No. 16 Palo Alto (9-4, 2-0), Wednesday, 7 p.m.
Defenses have performed at unbelievable clips in the SCVAL so far this season, with Palo Alto’s 39-29 win over Los Gatos the most extreme example thus far. The Vikings have yet to score 50 points in a game since the calendar turned to 2020, and Mountain View snapped a five-game streak under 50 on Friday with a 51-45 victory over Los Gatos. Both teams should take the court close to full strength on Wednesday, with the Spartans only missing Jailen Daniel-Dalton while Jamir Shepard’s status is questionable for the hosts.
Santa Cruz (8-7, 2-0 SCCAL) @ Aptos (7-7, 2-0), Tuesday, 7 p.m.
It seems the Cardinals and Mariners always meet up in the postseason, so to call Tuesday’s contest the first of two meetings between the rivals would imply there isn’t a third battle in store. Last year, Santa Cruz swept the regular season series, but it was Aptos getting revenge in the SCCAL Tournament Championship.
Wilcox (8-7, 3-0 SCVAL El Camino) @ Santa Clara (9-3, 2-0), Wednesday, 7 p.m.
Crosstown rivals meet with the top spot in the SCVAL El Camino Division at stake, a battle that’s ramped up in significance with Wilcox’s victory over Gunn and Santa Clara’s dispatching of Saratoga. Chargers guard Isaiah Frazier always seems to have the ball in his hands for big moments, so when the pressure mounts, it’ll likely be up to him to decide which side of a packed gym will erupt.
No. 14 Half Moon Bay (9-4, 2-0 PAL North) @ El Camino (5-8, 1-1), Tuesday, 5:30 p.m.
On the surface, this matchup looks like an easy road win for the Cougars, but El Camino has the talent to beat anyone, which showed last year in a win at Half Moon Bay. If the Colts can get Christian Viana hot from outside, they’ll have a chance to pull off a major upset, even if Mykola Ediger plays his absolute best in his first game as a 17-year-old.
