S.F. teams to meet in playoff semifinal
Niamey Harris, left, is the leading scorer for the fourth-seeded Mission boys (32-1), who visit top-seeded St. Ignatius (23-6) in a Northern California Division 3 semifinal Tuesday night. The game features two San Francisco schools, with Mission representing the public schools and St. Ignatius the private schools. For more on the high school basketball playoffs, including a full schedule of Northern California semis, see
St. Ignatius boys basketball coach Rob Marcaletti poured over the stat sheet late Saturday night and found it familiar.
Brandon Beckman ,a 6-foot-3 All-West Catholic Athletic League junior guard, had drilled eight three-pointers in a 65-55 Northern California Division 3 quarterfinal win over visiting Placer-Auburn.
Someone asked if it was a school record. Marcaletti immediately knew it wasn’t.
“Nope,” he said. “Cassidy Raher had nine in 1996.”
The second-year coach was positive because he was there that night at Kezar Pavilion. Marcaletti was a senior reserve guard for the eighthseeded Wildcats, who upset the nation’s highest-scoring team, top-seeded Balboa, 80-74 in overtime in a first-round Northern California game.
“The place was packed,” Marcaletti said. “The atmosphere was electric. (Raher) couldn’t miss. I think most people would agree it was one of the greatest high school games ever played in the city.”
Beckman’s three-point barrage brought Marcaletti back to that game and Tuesday’s opponent, Mission, kept him planted there ahead of what might be the most-anticipated game between a San Francisco public school and a private school since then.
This time, St. Ignatius (23-6) is a slight favorite. The Wildcats are the top seed in the bracket. Mission (32-1) is seeded fourth.
The seeds have to do largely with the reputations of the leagues in which the schools play. The WCAL — with D2 top-seed St. Francis and Open Division’s Mitty still playing — is regarded as one of the state’s top leagues.
The Academic Athletic Association, in which Mission resides, invariably fights for respect.
Mission coach Arnold Zelaya, a 1987 Sacred Heart Cathedral graduate, has earned more than that with three straight San Francisco Section crowns, five in six years and an 86-15 record over the past three seasons.
“I think Mission has built something special for city basketball that people can be proud of,” he said. “I know naysayers are going to say a city team doesn’t have a chance against a private school at this stage. I just say, ‘Bring it on.’ ”
There’s no bad blood between these two programs or coaches. Quite the opposite. When Marcaletti took over the S.I. program two years ago, he made a point to include Mission in a summer open league. The two have similar guardoriented, high-intensity approaches.
Their players simply come from different backgrounds.
“Arnold is one of my favorite people,” Marcaletti said. “I have so much respect for him. He’s tough and gritty and loves the game so much. He puts so much time and effort.”
Said Zelaya: “He’s a good guy and done a great job. There’s no elitist energy with Rob. He opened their facility to our guys. We had a feeling this could happen.”
They played last year, a 73-44 St. Ignatius wipeout on the same court where Tuesday’s game will be played.
“They played well and we played terrible,” Zelaya said. “That game was an aberration.”
Marcaletti agreed. He has gone to small ball this season, led by three junior guards: Beckman, 5-9 Darrion Trammell and 6-1 Matt Redmond.
Mission counters with senior guards: 6-2 Niamey Harris (15.2 points per game), 5-9 Jayden Foston (13.3) and 5-11 Jamion Wright (12.6).
“They’ll want to speed it up, but we like to play fast, too,” Marcaletti said.
This Mission team can play a half-court game and can stifle opponents’ offenses.
It has shown in wins over Bay Area-ranked Menlo-Atherton and Northern California semifinalists James Logan-Union City (D1) and Central Catholic-Modesto (D4).
“This is really a meaningful game not just because of where we are in the playoffs, but also because it’s two bigtime city teams playing for high stakes,” Marcaletti said.
Said Zelaya: “This is really exciting. The kids are really looking forward to it. No matter what, one San Francisco team will be playing for a NorCal title.”