This week’s slate of games may be the best yet, with WCAL rivalries highlighting a phenomenal set of contests that should have major implications in league title races.
No. 2 St. Francis (14-2, 6-0 WCAL) at No. 1 Bellarmine (14-2, 6-0), Tuesday, 7:30 pm
As detailed in an extensive separate preview, this should be one for the ages. One of two enormous streaks, Bellarmine’s 22 consecutive WCAL wins or St. Francis’ 14 straight wins overall, will come to an end while the winner takes sole possession of first place in the WCAL. Both teams have ascended to the top with excellent versatility and can beat opponents in a variety of ways. With such flexible teams, it’s uncertain what form this matchup will take and who will gain the upper hand.
To read our full preview on this elite matchup, click here.
No. 3 St. Ignatius (11-5, 4-2 WCAL) at No. 7 Riordan (11-5, 2-4), Tuesday, 7:30 pm
Fans that are closer to San Francisco can enjoy this classic rivalry between teams that pushed the WCAL co-leaders to the brink on Friday night. Even with James Chun hobbling and Watida Mukukula battling illness, Riordan took Bellarmine down to the wire before losing on Jake Wojcik’s buzzer-beater putback. St. Ignatius shot just 7-of-23 on 3-pointers, yet was tied with St. Francis in the final minutes before ultimately falling 63-56. The Wildcats will be looking to get back into the WCAL title race, while the host Crusaders will try to snap a three-game losing streak.
No. 12 Half Moon Bay (13-3, 5-0 PAL North) at No. 22 Jefferson (10-6, 3-1), Tuesday, 5:30 pm
Not only is Jefferson the top challenger to Half Moon Bay in the PAL North, the Grizzlies are also the Cougars’ toughest matchup on paper. Rodney Lawrence is one of the only players that can slow down HMB star Ethan Menzies in the post. However, the Cougars ran away with the first meeting, a 54-36 triumph in the league opener for both teams. It’s quite early for teams to be meeting for a second time in league play, but these two will do just that as Jefferson looks to snap Half Moon Bay’s 29-game PAL North winning streak.
No. 8 Sacred Heart Cathedral (11-5, 2-4 WCAL) at No. 10 Serra (9-7, 1-5), Tuesday, 7:30 pm
With each team dropping a pair of games last week, both will be in desperate need of a win. SHC couldn’t handle Valley Christian’s size on Friday, but that shouldn’t be an issue in a matchup that should feature excellent guard play on both ends. The matchup between Serra’s Parker McDonald and SHC’s Bryce Monroe should be phenomenal. The Padres are on their longest losing streak since 2009, having dropped five straight, and only one of those five came by more than nine points. Friday’s 62-57 loss to Mitty took two overtimes, and sent Serra to a third consecutive home loss. One advantage the Padres should have on Tuesday is depth, though the Irish have been tapping deeper into their bench as of late to alleviate some of the pressure from their stars.
No. 13 Valley Christian (10-6, 1-5 WCAL) at No. 14 Mitty (4-12, 2-4), Tuesday, 7:30 pm
Things are looking up for both the Monarchs and Warriors, and the winner could soon be propelled towards the upper part of the league standings. Just three teams in the WCAL have winning league records, so a whoever comes out on top Tuesday night has a chance to emerge from that scrum towards the bottom. Mitty’s tremendous guard play and Valley Christian’s size should make for an exciting contrast. With each team being so strong in its specific area, the difference may come down to who can match up with the other’s strengths the best. The Monarchs could win if they can defend larger players, while the Warriors will need solid play out of their guards. Justin Kidd and Jaylon Bryant have played well as of late for Mark DeLuca’s team, and they’ll have a chance to do big things against Mitty’s talented cast.
No. 16 Los Gatos (12-5, 3-2 SCVAL De Anza) at Los Altos (11-6, 4-1), Wednesday, 7 pm
Los Gatos has been extremely up-and-down, but Los Altos has been as consistent as they come, save for one ugly loss to Palo Alto. So long as the Eagles can avoid a letdown like that, it’ll come down to which Los Gatos team shows up. With Dylan Belquist averaging 28.6 points per game, it’ll be fascinating to see how Los Altos tries to match up with the USF commit. It’ll be one of the toughest tests yet for a Los Altos defense that has allowed more than 60 points just twice on the season.
No. 25 Monterey (12-5, 4-1 MBL Gabilan) at Palma (9-8, 3-2), Wednesday, 7 pm
As Palma head coach Kelley Lopez predicted after his team’s loss to Salinas, the Gabilan Division is anyone’s game. Monterey currently sits in a three-way tie for first with Alisal and Salinas, both of whom have beaten the Chieftains. In addition to maintaining that tie for first place, the Toreadores are also looking to snap a seven-game losing streak to Palma. Last year, the Chieftains won both meetings by 17 points, but dominated the games much more thoroughly than the scores suggest.
No. 9 Piedmont Hills (15-1, 6-0 BVAL Mount Hamilton) at Evergreen Valley (11-4, 4-2), Wednesday, 7 pm
If there’s a team that could pose a serious threat to the Pirates, Evergreen Valley may be the one. So far, the closest test Piedmont Hills has seen in league play came from Westmont, a team that the Pirates led 47-34 at the half en route to a 14-point win. The Cougars went to overtime with Westmont and have played tight games against Leland and Willow Glen, but Piedmont Hills rolled through both the Rams and Chargers, meaning Evergreen Valley will need a phenomenal performance to have a chance to unseat the top dogs in the BVAL.
Woodside Priory (10-6, 3-3 WBAL) at No. 4 Menlo (14-1, 6-0), Tuesday, 6:30 pm
Nobody has stood much of a chance against the Knights in league play, but Ayo Aderoboye and the Panthers are a well-put together team. Menlo seems to look better and better every time out, though. Joe Foley (17.1 ppg, 5.3 apg) and Riley Woodson (12.8 ppg, 12.3 rpg) are a consistent threat, and Thomas Brown (13.1 ppg) seems to have found his shot after a cold start to the year to round out Menlo’s big three.
Mountain View (11-6, 2-3 SCVAL De Anza) at No. 5 Palo Alto (14-2, 5-0), Wednesday, 7 pm
Though the Vikings haven’t lost since mid-December, the rest of the league seems to be getting a feel for Palo Alto’s style. Homestead lost to the Vikings by just 13, and Los Gatos nearly took down Peter Diepenbrock’s team before falling in the second overtime period. Mountain View has a win over Los Gatos, so if the Spartans can channel that performance, they may have a serious chance at a major upset. Sam Tobin (13.9 ppg) leads the way for Mountain View, but he has three teammates averaging between eight and 11 points as well, making for a deep attack that can beat teams in a variety of ways.
