High school basketball: 2026 Sac-Joaquin Section boys and girls playoff pairings revealed
The CIF Sac-Joaquin Section on Saturday released its 2025-26 boys and girls basketball playoff brackets via a selection show. Sacramento Bee veteran reporter Joe Davidson, Modesto Bee reporter Quinton Hamilton and section assistant commissioner Will DeBoard broke down who’s in and who’s out of this year’s postseason in the annual selection show.
The 2026 postseason begins with play-in games Monday, Feb. 16, for girls and Tuesday, Feb. 17, for boys. Girls first round matchups in all six divisions begin Tuesday, Feb. 17, while first round matchups for the six boys divisions are Wednesday, Feb. 18. For the boys, Modesto Christian earned the top spot in the section’s top division. The Crusaders lost to Folsom in last season’s title game but have reloaded under new head coach Chris Teevan, led by breakout star Trevor Dickson, table-setter point guard Siincere Hudson, 6-foot-9 freshman from Bahrain, Somto Patrick and steady senior Cole Martin.
In the girls brackets, sleeping giant Central Catholic is in the midst of a record-setting season. They are 24-1, won their first-ever Valley Oak League championship and were rewarded with the No. 1 overall seed in Division IV. In a loaded bracket for Stanislaus District teams, Escalon was given the No. 4 seed and Riverbank was the seven-seed in D-IV. Undefeated CCAL Champion Gregori is the No. 14 seed and hosts Stagg in an outbracket game. Enochs and Pitman also earned outbracket matchups Monday.
CIF Sac-Joaquin Section basketball playoffs
Boys basketball playoffs
Outbracket games: Feb. 17
Openers: Feb. 18
Section finals at Golden 1 Center: Feb. 27-28
Division I
Downey/Tokay at No. 1 Modesto Christian
No. 9 Mountain House at No. 8 Vanden
No. 12 Oak Ridge at Lincoln-Stockton
No. 13 Rodriguez at No. 4 Franklin-Elk Grove
No. 14 Gregori at No. 3 Folsom
No. 11 Monterey Trail at No. 6 McClatchy
No. 10 Enochs at No. 7 Inderkum
No. 15 Edison at No. 2 Sheldon
Outbracket: No. 16 Downey vs. No. 17 Tokay
Division II
Atwater/Johansen at No. 1 Jesuit
No. 9 Tracy at No. 8 Merced
No. 12 Rio Americano at No. 5 Whitney
No. 13 Lodi at No. 4 Woodcreek
No. 14 St. Mary’s at No. 3 Sacramento
No. 11 Weston Ranch at No. 6 Antelope
No. 10 Grant at No. 7 Del Oro
Rocklin/Buhach Colony at No. 2 Destiny Christian
Outbracket: No. 18 Buhach at No. 15 Rocklin; No. 17 Johansen at No. 16 Atwater
Division III
Burbank/Lathrop at No. 1 Placer
No. 9 Roseville at No. 8 Central Catholic
No. 12 Del Campo at No. 5 Christian Brothers
No. 13 Pioneer at No. 4 Oakmont
No. 14 Will C Wood at No. 3 Twelve Bridges
No. 11 Nevada Union at No. 6 East Union
No. 10 Oakdale at No. 7 Beyer
Ponderosa/Foothill at No. 2 Casa Roble
Outbracket: No. 17 Lathrop at No. 16 Burbank; No. 18 Foothill at No. 15 Ponderosa
Division IV
Highlands/Delhi at No. 1 Natomas
No. 9 Union Mine at No. 8 Ripon Christian
No. 12 Escalon at No. 5 West Campus
No. 13 River Islands at No. 4 Colfax
No. 14 Dixon at No. 3 Marysville
No. 11 Sonora at No. 6 Sutter
No. 10 Calaveras at No. 7 Liberty Ranch
No. 15 Hilmar at No. 2 Venture Academy
Outbracket: No. 17 Delhi at No. 16 Highlands
Division V
Able Charter/Golden Sierra at No. 1 Bret Harte
No. 9 Adams Academy-EDH at Big Valley
No. 12 Hughes Academy at No. 5 Woodland Christian
No. 13 Denair at No. 4 Bradshaw Christian
No. 14 Leroy Greene at No. 3 Stone Ridge
No. 11 Vacaville Christian at No. 6 Fortune
No. 10 Western Sierra at No. 7 Westlake Charter
Futures/Vanguard College Prep at No. 2 Argonaut
Outbracket: No. 17 Vanguard at No. 15 Futures; No. 17 Golden Sierra at No. 16 Able
Division VI
No. 9 Stockton Christian at No. 8 Turlock Christian
No. 10 Forest Lake at No. 7 Lodi Academy
Byes: No. 1 Sacramento Adventist Academy, No. 2 Sacramento Waldorf, No. 3 Victory Christian, No. 4 Elite, No. 5 Valley Christian
Girls basketball playoffs
Outbracket games: Feb. 16
Openers: Feb. 17
Section finals at Golden 1 Center: Feb. 27-28
Division I
Edison/Pitman at No. 1 St. Mary’s
No. 9 Sheldon at No. 8 Inderkum
No. 12 Granite Bay at No. 5 Vanden
No. 13 Monterey Trail at No. 4 Lincoln-Stockton
No. Gregori/Stagg at No. 3 Folsom
No. 11 Cosumnes Oaks at No. 6 McClatchy
No. 10 Davis-Davis at No. 7 Laguna Creek
Pleasant Grove/Enochs at No. 2 Oak Ridge
Outbracket: No. 17 Pitman at No. 16 Edison, No. 19 Stagg at No. 14 Gregori, No. 18 Enochs at No. 15 Pleasant Grove
Division II
Pacheco/Bear Creek at No. 1 Antelope
No. 9 Lodi at No. 8 Atwater
No. 12 Merced at No. 5 Woodcreek
No. 13 Patterson at No. 4 El Capitan
No. 14 Ponderosa at No. 3 Del Oro
No. 11 St. Francis at No. 6 Colfax
No. 10 Whitney at No. 7 Grant
No. 15 Fairfield at No. 2 Christian Brothers
Outbracket: No. 17 Bear Creek at No. 16 Pacheco
Division III
No. 16 Florin at No. 1 Placer
No. 9 Rio Linda at No. 8 Los Banos
No. 12 Pioneer at No. 5 Lincoln-Lincoln
No. 13 Oakmont at No. 4 Twelve Bridges
No. 14 Oakdale at No. 3 Lathrop
No. 11 Ceres at No. 6 Sierra
No. 10 El Dorado at No. 7 Nevada Union
No. 15 Yuba City at No. 2 East Union
Division IV
Ripon/River Islands at No. 1 Central Catholic
No. 9 Valley Christian at No. 8 Sutter
No. 12 Sonora at No. 5 Calaveras
No. 13 Venture Academy at No. 4 Escalon
No. 14 Hilmar at No. 3 West Campus
No. 11 Bear River at No. 6 Union Mine
No. 10 Amador at No. 7 Riverbank
No. 15 Sacramento at No. 2 Liberty Ranch
Outbracket: No. 17 River Islands at No. 16 Ripon
Division V
Vanguard College Prep/Leroy Greene at No. 1 Bret Harte
No. 9 Vacaville Christian at No. 8 Millennium
No. 12 Western Sierra at No. 5 Mariposa County
No. 13 Westlake Charter at No. 4 Woodland Christian
No. 14 Denair at No. 3 John Adams Academy
No. 11 Fortune at No. 6 Destiny Christian
No. 10 Rio Vista at No. 7 Ripon Christian
No. 15 Golden Sierra at No. 2 Faith Christian
Outbracket: No. 17 Vanguard College Prep at No. 16 Leroy Greene
Division VI
No. 9 Stockton Christian at No. 8 Turlock Christian
No. 10 Victory Christian at No. 7 Sacramento Country Day
Byes: No. 1 Sacramento Adventist, No. 2 Sacramento Waldorf, No. 3 Forest Lake Christian, No. 4 Foresthill, No. 5 Stone Ridge Christian, No. 6 Lodi Academy
