Section semifinals full of headline matchups
High school basketball doesn’t get much better than Wednesday; section semifinals abound. Here are the 10 best games to attend:
San Leandro boys (24-4) at De La Salle-Concord (26-3), 7 p.m.:
In this North Coast Section Division 1 game, San Leandro coach Darnaryl Stamps wasn’t real pleased with the fourth seed, especially compared with De La Salle’s No. 1. His team, loaded with talent and size, led by 6-foot-7 forward Keshad Johnson, the Bay Area’s top senior recruit who has signed to San Diego State, will play with a chip on its collective shoulder. De La Salle, led by 6-foot senior point guard Thomas Gregorios, is tested, having won five of its previous seven games by an average of 4.1 points.
Sacred Heart Cathedral boys (11-14) vs. Menlo-Atherton (22-3) at Independence-San Jose, 5:30 p.m.:
SHC’s record hurts the eyes, but the eighthseeded Irish slayed top-seeded Mitty in a first-round Central Coast Section Open game and now have their eyes on the only non-West Catholic Athletic League entry in the eight-team field. That gives both teams a Cinderella feel. Fourth-seeded M-A is after its 21st straight win.
Bellarmine (19-6) vs. Riordan (18-7) at Independence, 7:30 p.m.:
The other CCS Open semifinal figured to unfold this way, though Bellarmine gritted out a first-round win over St. Ignatius despite missing two starters to injury. Riordan won both regular-season games, 54-42 and 63-52. The Bells simply had little answer for the dynamic, quick junior backcourt of Bryce Monroe (16.8 points per game) and Je’Lani Clark (16 ppg). Bellarmine’s two leading scorers also are its starting guards, Quinn Denker and Kiran Kruse.
Valley Christian girls (17-8) vs. Pinewood-Los Altos Hills (23-2) at Piedmont Hills-San Jose, 7:30 p.m.:
In this CCS Open semi, most fans want to see the rematch of top-seeded Mitty against Pinewood after the teams split two meetings last year — Mitty won the CCS title, but Pinewood turned it around with a triple-overtime victory for the Northern California Open title. Valley Christian, which lost to Mitty by just 10, is capable of pulling the upset with Fallon Dexheimer (13.8 ppg) and Nyah Willis (13.7). St. Ignatius, which faces Mitty in the other semifinal, has been playing well, but lost to Mitty by 19 and 44 points. James Logan-Union City boys (23-5) at Dublin (25-4), 7 p.m.: This D1 semifinal features two fearless teams who love to go up and down the court. Don’t be surprised if the teams combine for at least 150 points. Logan boasts the fantastic guard tandem of cousins Brett and Brahjon Thompson, who combined for 86 points in two NCS wins. Dublin has one of the best scorers in Northern California, junior guard Robby Beasley, who’s a three-year starter.
Five others to watch:
Redwood-Larkspur boys at Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland, 7 p.m. (NCS D2); St. Joseph Notre DameAlameda boys (19-6) vs. Salesian-Richmond (29-0) at Albany, 7 p.m. (NCS D3 boys); St. Patrick-St. Vincent-Vallejo boys (20-10) at Campolindo-Moraga (21-6), 7 p.m. (NCS D3 boys); St. Joseph Notre Dame girls (21-6) at Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa (24-4), 7 p.m.; San Ramon Valley-Danville girls (26-3) at Heritage-Brentwood (25-3), 7 p.m. (NCS D1).