REDWOODS TO HOST PLAYOFF OPENER
The College of the Redwoods officially has their opponent for the Corsairs’ home playoff game on Saturday at 7 p.m. after Cosumnes River beat West Hills Lemoore 8471 on Wednesday in the opening round. Cosumnes River was the favorite in that matchup after winning the Big 8 conference, and will be a difficult challenger for the Corsairs in their postseason opener.
Cosumnes River, out of Sacramento, posted a solid 20-9 record this year as they cruised to a conference title in the Big 8. If their resume is an accurate indication, the Hawks are certainly a tough opponent but are also clearly a tier below the Corsairs. Cosumnes River played five games against teams from the Golden Valley Conference, beating Siskiyous twice and splitting their two games against Butte while also losing to Feather River.
For comparison, the Corsairs won both games against Butte and Siskiyous while also losing one of their two games against Feather River. Redwoods also beat Sacramento City and Santa Rosa, two teams that got wins against Cosumnes River in the Big 8 conference season. The Corsairs also beat Contra Costa, another team that beat Cosumnes River.
On the offensive side, the two teams are evenly matched from a statistical standpoint. The Corsairs are averaging 75.8 points per game as a team compared to 74.9 for the Hawks. But Redwoods appears to have a considerable edge defensively. Their defense is 10th in the state of California holding opponents to 66.8 points per game. Cosumnes River is at 69.3 points per game allowed. The Corsairs also hold a slight edge in the rebounding category.
Another aspect of the matchup is the roster construction of both teams. Redwoods is statistically more reliant on the star power of Treyson Neff and Jon Nchekwube to maintain their offensive success, whereas Cosumnes River has a more balanced approach with more roster depth. The overall size of the Hawks could pose a threat to the Corsairs. Cosumnes River has five players listed at 6-foot-5 or taller, including their top scorer Brandon Scott. Redwoods only has two players, Nchekwube and Kai Purcell, listed at that height or taller.
With a home-court advantage on their side, the Corsairs should be well-positioned to secure the home victory. But Redwoods will need to play at an elite level to overcome the challenges posed by Cosumnes River on Saturday.
If the Corsairs win, they will play the winner of College of the Sequoias and College of San Mateo. Sequoias is the heavy favorite at home, potentially setting up a “battle of the trees” against Redwoods for a spot in the final eight of the state playoffs.