Semi-sweet: Modesto Christian, Sheldon lock horns in D-I basketball penultimate game

When the Sac-Joaquin Section brackets were released, Modesto Christian High School boys basketball coach Richard Midgley played a quick mental game of “what if.”

What if the second-seeded Crusaders won their first two games and advanced to the Division I tournament’s medal rounds, as they have?

And what if the rest of the bracket played out as expected, as it has?

Well, you’re left with this: two semifinal games with statewide appeal played on an NBA stage.

Does it get any better or brighter? Midgley doesn’t think so.

Modesto Christian (28-1) faces No. 3 Sheldon of Sacramento (22-4) on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at Sleep Train Arena, the home of the Sacramento Kings. Top-seeded Folsom (26-3) meets parochial power and No. 4 seed Jesuit (25-4) in the nightcap.

Programs of this caliber aren’t content to reach the semifinals, thus clinching a berth in the CIF Northern California Regional tournament. Victories are all that matter.

A loss, Midgley said, would shatter the Crusaders.

“When the brackets came out, you don’t want to overlook an opponent,” said Midgley, whose team beat West of Tracy and Oak Ridge of El Dorado Hills to reach this stage. “But it gets real this game. Going in, there are no moral victories for Sheldon. If you lose, you’ve failed – and it’s the same for us.”

Few programs are as accomplished as Modesto Christian and Sheldon, an established Northern California power.

Coached by Joey Rollings, Sheldon has made a habit of appearing in the Division I final. The Huskies have played in seven of the last 12 championship games, winning five titles in seven seasons from 2007-13.

Those five titles are tied with Jesuit, which has nine overall, for the most D-I banners in section history. Sheldon nearly added a sixth title last season but was edged by Folsom 50-49 in the final seconds. At their height, the Huskies won four consecutive titles (2010-13).

Sheldon is powered by a cast of explosive guards, including 6-foot-6 wing Matthew Manning, who is averaging 19.4 points. Manning also is a coveted baseball player whose 95-mph fastball has tantalized about 20 major-league scouts.

In an era of uptempo basketball, the Huskies set a frenetic pace with a starting lineup that features three point guards. Yes, three point guards: Isaiah Brooks (14.7 points, 4.2 assists), Elishja Duplechan (14.7/3.3) and Devin Greene (8.9/3.1).

“They’re all creative, great shooters and even better off the dribble,” Midgley said.

Drew Cobb is the glue guy, a 6-3 junior capable of guarding the post and the perimeter. Cobb had 18 points, eight rebounds and five assists in a 104-59 victory over Granite Bay on Friday.

“It’s an interesting matchup,” Midgley said. “They’ve got some size, but they’re a five-guard offense to start the game. The (question) is how do we match up with five guards, and in turn, how do they match up with our size? We’ll do some things to slow them down.”

Try as it might, the section hasn’t slowed Modesto Christian’s success.

The 17-time section champion was elevated to D-I this season after winning the Division II title last year. The Crusaders are making their 17th consecutive semifinal appearance and boast a 63-1 playoff record in that stretch.

What’s more, Modesto Christian has won 28 consecutive games, the second-longest streak in the section behind unbeaten Liberty Ranch of Galt (29-0).

Midgley believes even a streak of that length gets lost in the magnitude of Wednesday’s meeting. To give you an idea of the level of attention this game is generating: Cal-Hi Sports has Modesto Christian ranked No. 6 in the state, while Sheldon is 14th.

“There’s added pressure because it’s a section semifinal against one of the top teams in the state,” Midgley said. “That’s the pressure.”

Modesto Christian has won its last two meetings with Sheldon, a regular summertime combatant. The Crusaders beat the Huskies 83-78 last season and 61-50 in 2013-14.

“We seem to play them more than anyone,” Midgley said. “We always seem to bump into each other. They’re always a competitive game for us. Our guys are familiar with them, as they are with us.”

This story was originally published March 1, 2016 at 2:29 PM with the headline "Semi-sweet: Modesto Christian, Sheldon lock horns in D-I basketball penultimate game."