Friday’s Open Division games will take the spotlight, but all of this weekend’s games have the potential to go down to the wire. Last year, three games were decided in the final moments, with three on the last play, including two in overtime and a buzzer-beater.
Boys Open: #7 Mitty (11-15) vs. #1 Bellarmine (23-3), Friday, 8 pm @ Santa Clara University
As detailed in a separate piece, both of these teams have clearly proven their legitimacy on their respective paths to Friday’s championship game. It’s two of the most dominant programs in the section in recent years, and there’ll be no shortage of storylines to follow. One of the questions is what type of pace the game will take on. The regular-season meetings were 60-49 and 67-56, but both teams are coming off of dynamic offensive performances in the semifinals, though both sides have also performed well in lower-scoring games.
Girls Open: #2 Pinewood (25-1) vs. #1 Mitty (26-0), Friday, 6 pm @ Santa Clara University
For the third year in a row, it’s Mitty and Pinewood, and this one will likely be the best yet. Mitty is ranked as the top team in the nation by every credible outlet, while Pinewood is in the top five or ten in the state depending on which source is consulted. Both won their semifinal games by 27.
Boys Division I: #2 Los Gatos (20-6) vs. #1 Piedmont Hills (24-2), Saturday, 5 pm @ Santa Clara University
It’s unfinished business for Los Gatos, as the Wildcats will try to erase memories of last year’s buzzer-beater loss to Palo Alto in another do-or-die championship game. Dylan Belquist and Alex Braken-Guelke’s successes this year have been well-documented, and Piedmont Hills’ defense will be a great test for the dynamic tandem. It may come down to if Cade Taormina or Robert Nelson can come up with a few big points in order to deny Demarri Floyd and Piedmont Hills a second section title in three years.
Girls Division I: #6 Silver Creek (16-11) vs. #1 Menlo-Atherton (21-7), Saturday, 3 pm @ Santa Clara University
Out of nowhere, the Raiders have rattled off nine straight wins to improbably reach the Division I title game and secure a state tournament bid. M-A, on the other hand, was expected to be in a game of this nature, led by Greer Hoyem and Carly McLanahan. A section title would be the Bears’ first since a three-peat from 1991 to 1993. Since then, they’ve appeared in four title games, but lost them all.
Boys Division II: #3 Aragon (16-9) vs. #1 Valley Christian (13-13), Saturday, 3 pm @ Independence HS
These two matched up for the 2014 Division III Championship, a game Aragon won 61-55. The Warriors haven’t won a section title since 2005, losing their three most recent appearances, including last year against Mountain View. Valley should have the upper hand inside with Cameron Fini and Jay Allen-Tovar, but Aragon’s talent at the other positions, headlined by Sam Manu and Donaven Robinson, should make for a tight matchup.
Girls Division II: #2 Aragon (23-5) vs. #1 Valley Christian (12-14), Saturday, 1 pm @ Independence HS
The same matchup that comprises the boys’ championship will be played on the girls’ side as well. Valley was roughed up in the WCAL but has rolled to 36- and 25-point playoff victories, while Aragon got past Wilcox and Oak Grove to reach the final. The Dons get it done on defense, allowing just 36.4 points per game, but Valley Christian has four scorers averaging double-figures.
Boys Division III: #4 Monterey (19-7) vs. #2 Riordan (15-11), Saturday, 7 pm @ Independence HS
One way or another, there will be a new banner in a historic old building after this one. Either Monterey, which had never won a section title before last year, will hang a second in Randall Gym, or Riordan will put a 14th in the rafters at the recently-renovated Crusader Forum. The Crusaders were in a low-scoring duel with Mills on Wednesday, but with Monterey pushing the pace, they’ll need to be much more prolific offensively in order to take home the title.
Girls Division III: #2 Aptos (25-3) vs. #1 South San Francisco (25-4), Saturday, 5 pm @ Independence HS
Even though Brittney Cedeno injured her ankle in practice on Tuesday, South City still rolled to a 62-40 win over Soquel in Wednesday’s semifinals. Now the Warriors will face a team that knows a thing or two about Soquel, as Aptos beat the Knights four times this season. Stopping the Mariners’ 3-point assault will be difficult, as it’s a three-headed monster of Natalia Ackerman (15.3 ppg), Gabby Giuffre (14.4) and Hannah Hocom (14.8). The Mariners won the Division III title last year, and considering that Hocom is a junior while Ackerman and Giuffre are only sophomores, they likely won’t be going away anytime soon.
Boys Division IV: #2 Santa Cruz (24-4) vs. #1 Half Moon Bay (23-5), Saturday, 7 pm @ Santa Clara University
For the fourth time in seven years, Half Moon Bay will be playing for a section title. The Cougars haven’t won one since 1996, but are always in the hunt. The three times in this stretch that they haven’t played for a title, they’ve been in the Open Division instead. It’s one last chance for the core of Ethan Menzies, Sam Treanor, Gavin Tomberlin and Danny Mack to bring home a title. Santa Cruz’s core of Max DeHart and Robert Bishop is tough to stop, and the Cardinals posted a 66-55 win on Tuesday over Jefferson, Half Moon Bay’s co-champion in the PAL North.
Girls Division IV: #2 Notre Dame-Belmont (14-11) vs. #1 Sacred Heart Prep (15-10), Saturday, 1 pm @ Santa Clara University
It’ll be the third time this year the WBAL Foothill rivals have met. The home team was triumphant both times in the regular season, with SHP winning 53-41 on January 12 and NDB returning the favor with a 32-31 win on January 30. Defense is the strength of both teams, as each are allowing just a hair over 40 points per game.
Boys Division V: #4 Pinewood (14-11) vs. #2 Woodside Priory (16-10), Friday, 7:30 pm @ Harker School
The only certainty in this one is that the Panthers will win, as the two are among the three teams with such a mascot in the WBAL. The teams split regular-season meetings, with Pinewood winning 57-51 at home and Woodside Priory coming out with a 59-52 win just under a month later. In theory, it’ll be another game played in the mid-50s. Look for Pinewood’s Cache Fields and Priory’s Ayo Aderoboye to excel, as it’ll be the final time either senior can win a section title.
Girls Division V: #6 Castilleja (13-14) vs. #1 Woodside Priory (12-14), Friday, 5:30 pm @ Harker School
It’s an all-WBAL final on the girls side as well in Division V, but nobody expected Castilleja, in the league’s lower Foothill Division, to get there. The Gators have knocked off Anzar, Notre Dame-Salinas and Pacific Collegiate to reach the final, an unexpected path as Pacific Collegiate took down second-seeded Alma Heights in the quarterfinals. The defending champion Panthers blasted KIPP San Jose and beat St. Francis SCP 68-55 to reach their third consecutive championship game. They lost to Eastside College Prep in 2016 and beat St. Francis SCP last year.
