CIF releases NorCal basketball brackets, MC gets top spot in Open
The next chapter of the 2022-23 basketball season is here: CIF State Playoffs.
The Northern and Southern California Regional Championships in Divisions I-IV and the NorCal Regional Championships for Division VI begin this week and end with respective finals games March 7. All games are at home sites. After a regional champion is named, the last team standing from the north and south will compete at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento for the state championship. Because there is no Southern California Division VI tournament, that division’s playoffs ends with a NorCal Regional Final.
All section finalists qualified for the state playoffs, and in most cases, teams that reached the semifinals advanced as well. Open division and Division VI tournament play begins Wednesday, while games for Divisions I-V start Tuesday. All games are at 7 p.m.
Modesto Christian captured its section-best 21st blue banner Saturday in a blowout victory over Jesuit, 79-53. There was little to no celebration postgame as the Crusaders were locked in on defending their Northern California regional crown and returning to Golden 1 Center for the state championship.
Head coach Brice Fantazia elaborated on why his team deserved to be a No. 1 seed in the Northern California Open Division, which comprises the best 10 teams California has to offer.
“I never advocate for seeding, but we should be the one seed in the Open (Division),” he said after winning the Division I section title. “Nobody in NorCal played a tougher schedule than us and nobody should be ranked ahead of us in NorCal. These boys earned the one seed.
Even with all of the Crusaders’ postseason success, this was a year of new accomplishments as in their eighth Open berth, they were awarded their first No. 1 seed. They will have a first-round bye and host the winner of No. 5 De La Salle at No. 4 Archbishop Mitty on Saturday, March 4 at 7 p.m.
Riverbank (26-4) gets the No. 13 seed in the Division IV girls NorCal playoffs after reaching the second section title game in program history. The Bruins lost to Colfax, which was moved up to D-III because of competitive equity, but qualified for their first NorCal tournament after reaching the semifinals. They face No. 5 Valley Christian of San Jose, which qualified after advancing to the Central Coast Section Division II semifinals.
Riverbank’s Sac-Joaquin Section semifinals opponent, fellow Trans-Valley League member Escalon (19-9), was bumped down to Division V and awarded the No. 8 seed. The Cougars host AIMS College Prep of Oakland, which lost in the Oakland Section championship to Oakland Tech.
Big Valley Christian (21-7) was bounced in the semifinals of the Division V girls section playoffs by No. 1 seed Bret Harte but made the Northern California Division V bracket’s last spot. The No. 16 team travels to No. 1 Fall River.
In the Boys Division V bracket, Ripon Christian (23-7) secured its 12th title at the section level, and now the Knights set their sights on a Northern California championship. They were awarded the No. 3 seed and host No. 14 Madera South, the Central Section Division V champion.
Central Catholic (21-10), a SJS Division III semifinalist, was dropped to Division IV and will host a first-round Northern California Regional Championships game as the No. 6 seed. The Raiders fell to Vanden last week and on Tuesday welcome No. 11 Jefferson of Daly City, a Central Coast Section semifinalist.
2023 NorCal Regional Schedule
Boys
Open Division
No. 1 Modesto Christian — BYE
No. 5 De La Salle at No. 4 Archbishop Mitty
No. 3 St. Joseph at No. 2 Dougherty Valley
Division I
No. 16 St. Ignatius at No. 1 Clovis West
No. 9 Granada at No. 8 Sacred Heart
No. 12 Dublin at No. 5 Inderkum
No. 13 Campolindo at No. 4 Archbishop Riordan
No. 14 University at No. 3 Jesuit
No. 11 Serra at No. 6 Salesian College Prep
No. 10 San Ramon Valley at No. 7 Clovis North
No. 15 Sacred Heart Prep at No. 2 Folsom
Division II
No. 16 Granite Bay at No. 1 Clayton Valley Charter
No. 9 Whitney at No. 8 Pleasant Valley
No. 12 Priory at No. 5 Vanden
No. 13 Bellarmine College Prep at No. 4 Moreau Catholic
No. 3 No. 14 California at No. 3 Sacramento
No. 11 Santa Cruz at No. 6 Memorial
No. 10 Menlo-Atherton at No. 7 Weston Ranch
No. 15 Saint Francis at No. 2 Branson
Division III
No. 16 Carlmont at No. 1 Las Lomas
No. 9 Oakland at No. 8 Ponderosa
No. 12 Placer at No. 5 Pinole Valley
No. 13 Ygnacio Valley at No. 4 King’s Academy
No. 14 Urban at No. 3 Oakland Tech
No. 11 Christopher at No. 6 Lincoln-San Francisco
No. 10 Los Gatos at No. 7 Justin-Siena
No. 15 Lowell at No. 2 Rio Americano
Division IV
No. 16 Enterprise at No. 1 Head-Royce
No. 9 Burlingame at No. 8 Marysville
No. 12 Calaveras at No. 5 Chico
No. 13 Kingsburg at No. 4 Monterey
No. 14 Oakwood at No. 3 Marin Catholic
No. 11 Jefferson at No. 6 Central Catholic
No. 10 Half Moon Bay at No. 7 San Domenico
No. 15 Union Mine at No. 2 Hillsdale
Division V
No. 16 Mt. Shasta at No. 1 Venture Academy
No. 9 Woodland Christian at No. 8 Colusa
No. 12 Gridley at No. 5 Sierra
No. 13 Trinity at No. 4 Fortune Early College
No. 14 Madera South at No. 3 Ripon Christian
No. 11 Vacaville Christian at No. 6 Kerman
No. 10 West Valley at No. 7 Cloverdale
No. 15 Weed at No. 2 University Prep
Division VI
No. 8 Sacramento Waldorf at No. 1 San Francisco Waldorf
No. 5 Cornerstone Christian at No. 4 Redding Christian
No. 6 Etna at No. 3 Napa Christian
No. 7 Averroes at No. 2 Valley Christian
Girls
Open Division
No. 1 Piedmont — BYE
No. 5 Salesian College Prep at No. 4 Folsom
No. 3 Clovis West at No. 2 Archbishop Mitty
Division I
No. 16 Heritage at No. 1 St. Mary’s
No. 9 Buchanan at No. 8 Bishop O’Dowd
No. 12 Vanden at No. 5 Clovis
No. 13 Palo Alto at No. 4 Cardinal Newman
No. 14 Sacred Heart Cathedral at No. 3 San Ramon Valley
No. 11 Antelope at No. 6 Carondolet
No. 10 Pinewood at No. 7 Acalanes
No. 15 McClatchy at No. 2 Oakland Tech
Division II
No. 16 Los Gatos at No. 1 Marin Catholic
No. 9 Christian Brothers at No. 8 Pinole Valley
No. 12 St. Ignatius at No. 5 Moreau Catholic
No. 13 St. Francis at No. 4 Central
No. 14 Branham at No. 3 Monte Vista
No. 11 Memorial at No. 6 Whitney
No. 10 Crystal Springs Uplands at No. 7 San Marin
No. 15 Vista del Lago at No. 2 No. Pleasant Valley
Division III
No. 16 Woodcreek at No. 1 University
No. 9 Caruthers at No. 8 Evergreen Valley
No. 12 Clovis East at No. 5 Granada
No. 13 Lincoln at No. 4 Chico
No. 14 Christopher at No. 3 Colfax
No. 11 Lassen at No. 6 McKinleyville
No. 10 Saint Francis at No. 7 Foothill
No. 15 Los Altos at No. 2 Branson
Division IV
No. 16 Priory at No. 1 San Domenico
No. 9 East Union at No. 8 Pierce
No. 12 Riverbank at No. 5 Valley Christian
No. 13 Marysville at No. 4 Menlo-Atherton
No. 14 Mills at No. 3 Kimball
No. 11 University Prep at No. 6 Hillsdale
No. 10 West Valley at No. 7 Menlo School
No 15 Summit Shasta at No. 2 Arcata
Division V
No. 16 Big Valley Christian at No. 1 Fall River
No. 9 AIMS College Prep at No. 8 Escalon
No. 12 Lincoln-San Francisco at No. 5 Half Moon Bay
No. 13 Bear River at No. 4 Washington
No. 14 Tulare Union at No. 3 Bret Harte
No. 11 Portola at No. 6 Upper Lake
No. 10 Mt. Diablo at No. 7 Valley Christian
No. 15 Reedley at No. 2 Santa Cruz
Division VI
No. 8 Foresthill at No. 1 Cornerstone Christian
No. 5 Rio Lindo Adventist at No. 4 Faith Christian
No. 6 Mendocino at No. 3 Weed
No. 7 Redding Christian at No. 2 Ferndale
This story was originally published February 27, 2023 at 12:12 PM.
