With no Northern California basketball playoffs this year, the Central Coast Section’s playoffs offer a unique win-or-go-home situation that has never been seen before, including in the Open Division. Every game is a do-or-die affair, and while the teams in the field have some familiar faces, there are some notable storylines to look out for in the 2021 postseason.
Open Division
For the first time since 2018, there’s a newcomer to the Open Division. While all of the entrants in the past two seasons had been there before, Priory (14-1) makes its Open debut after winning the West Bay Athletic League title. The Panthers are the first boys Division V team to play in the Open, and the school’s girls program will also be competing in the tournament for the first time.
Capuchino (10-0) is also making its first appearance on the girls side, but the Mustangs have drawn the unenviable task of visiting Mitty. Perhaps the most intriguing matchup in either field is the clash between St. Ignatius and Serra, where the sixth-seeded Padres will face their bitter rivals in the postseason for the first time ever, looking to avenge a regular season sweep.
Division I
The Division I field has a heavy Blossom Valley Athletic League presence, but don’t sleep on 7 seed Menlo-Atherton (4-6). The Bears took a while to get going with a heavy football presence on their roster, and it looked like their district wasn’t even going to enter the playoffs. A late reversal of that decision has M-A playing cutthroat basketball again, and the Bears are a serious sleeper entering the playoffs. Los Altos (11-3) is the top seed on the girls side.
Division II
St. Francis (4-8) has a misleading record after playing much of the season without guards Harlan Banks and Isaiah Kerr. With the duo healthy, the Lancers go from an afterthought to a team that was in consideration to play in the Open Division. After getting tasked with the eighth seed in the Open Division last year, Lynbrook (13-3) has the top seed in the girls field.
Division III
Santa Cruz (17-0) has the top seed after crushing local competition, but a weak schedule prevented the Cardinals from earning an Open Division bid. After losing three straight Division IV championship games, perhaps a return to Division III will be a better fit for the Cardinals. Fourth-seeded Live Oak (10-2) is enjoying one of its best seasons in recent memory, while Santa Cruz (16-1) is also the top seed on the girls side. The only private school in either Division III field is fourth-seeded Notre Dame-San Jose (5-5).
Division IV
The top three seeds all hail from the West Bay Athletic League, with Sacred Heart Prep (12-7) entering as the favorite. King’s Academy (6-4) and Menlo (6-9) both gave the Gators a run for their money during the regular season. The girls from Half Moon Bay (8-4) played a terrific schedule and were rewarded with the top seed.
Division V
Both Division V brackets have just five teams, with the top seed coming from the WBAL in both. Pinewood (6-8) is the top dog on the boys side, while Crystal Springs Uplands (7-1) has the top seed in the girls field.
