Games, predictions and key players

With a lot of general bickering and head-scratching over the Northern California basketball playoff seedings and competitive equity model, there is one positive consensus: All the games should be really close.

There are 81 Metro teams — 42 boys and 39 girls — still playing. Here’s a division-by-division snapshot of the tournament. The eight-team Open division begins Friday. All other divisions —16 teams each — begin Wednesday.

BOYS

Open Top (30-1) Sleeper: Best (28-3). seed: first-round at Division Modesto No. Salesian-Richmond 6 Bellarmine Christian game: Bellarmine (24-3) 5 Akinjo (Bishop players (Salesian), O’Dowd-Oakland), to watch: G Elijah G James Hardy F Kendall G Stubblefield Junior Ballard (Bellarmine), (Modesto Christian), F Jalen Green (San Joaquin Memorial-Fresno). Predicted result: San Joaquin Memorial has the most dynamic player in Green, rated one of the top three sophomore players in the country. Connecticut-bound Akinjo and Salesian handled SJM earlier in the season and appear rock solid. Salesian. Division 1 Top seed: Heritage-Brentwood (28-2) Sleeper: No. 7 Dublin (25-5) Best first-round game: No. 11 St. Ignatius (17-9) at No. 6 Berkeley (23-6) 5 players to watch: F Jonathan Ned (Heritage), G Logan Johnson (St. Francis), G Robby Beasley (Dublin), G Darrion Trammel (St. Ignatius), G Nathan Robinson (Las Lomas-Walnut Creek). Predicted result: Twelve of the 16 are Metro teams, including second-seeded Las Lomas. Ned and junior guard Ezra Manjon have Heritage rolling, but as many as 10 teams could win this bracket. Dublin, which was upset in league and NCS playoffs, has plenty of reasons — and ability — to win it all. Go with Dublin. Division 2 Top seed: Alameda (24-5) Sleeper: No. 13 Riordan (16-11) Best first-round game: Riordan at No. 4 St. Patrick-St. VincentVallejo (21-10) 5 players to watch: G-F Dylan Belquist (Los Gatos), G Je’Lani Clark (Riordan), G Trevin Kroichick (Campolindo-Moraga), G Tyler Vaughns (St. Joseph Notre Dame-Alameda), F Ziggy Lauese (Sequoia-Redwood City). Predicted result: The RiordanSPSV winner is going the distance. Division 3 Top seed: Branson-Ross (29-3) Sleeper: No. 6 Mission (21-8) Best first-round game: No. 12 Rio Americano-Sacramento (19-10) at No. 5 Half Moon Bay (24-5) 5 players to watch: G Alton Julian (Valley Christian), G Ben Knight (Mission), G Spencer Spivy (University), G Viktor Rajkovic (Branson), F Ethan Menzies (Half Moon Bay). Predicted results: Branson plays is versatile the best and defense, has something University to prove, Valley Christian has best combination of size and guards, but Mission is ready to defend its state championship. Division 4 Top seed: Santa Cruz (24-5) Sleeper: No. 6 Lick-Wilmerding (23-7) Best first-round game: No. 11 Sonora (23-2) at Lick-Wilmerding. Predicted winner: Santa Cruz. Division 5 Top seed: Argonaut-Jackson (25-5) Sleeper: No. 4 Urban (15-15) Best first-round game: No. 9 Hayward (11-15) at No. 8 Pinewood-Los Altos Hills (14-12) Predicted winner: No. 2 Gridley (23-6). GIRLS Open Division Top seed: Mitty (27-0) Sleeper: No. 5 Salesian (26-5) Best first-round game: Salesian vs. No. 4 Folsom (27-4) 5 players to watch: G Haley Jones (St. Mary’s-Stockton), (Mitty), G Aquira C Decosta Angel Jackson (Salesian), G Hannah Jump (Pinewood-Los Altos Hills), G Jada Holland (Bishop O’Dowd). Predicted results: In a repeat of the Nike TOC title game, the nation’s top-ranked team wins again. Division 1 Top seed: Presentation (21-5) Sleeper: No. 10 Sacred Heart Cathedral (11-14) Best first-round game: No 14 McClatchy-Sacramento at No. 3 St. Joseph Notre Dame (27-4) 5 players to watch: G Ava Williams (Presentation), G Clair Steele (Miramonte-Orinda), G Malia Mastora (St. Joseph Notre Dame), G Jordan Sweeney (Heritage-Brentwood), G Bailey Jones (Castro Valley). Predicted results: The Matadors should win it all. Division 2 Top seed: Pleasant Valley-Chico (21-4) Sleeper: No. 7 South San Francisco (26-4) Best first-round game: No. 12 Redwood-Larkspur at No. 5 Whitney (22-8) 5 players to watch: C Zoe Stachowski (Redwood-Larkspur), G Avery Lee (Menlo School-Atherton), G Nyah Willis (Valley Christian), C Jerlene Miller (South San Francisco), G Haylee Nelson (Newark Memorial). Predicted winner: No. 4 San Ramon Valley-Danville Division 3 Top seed: No. 1 Enterprise-Redding (25-4) Sleeper: No. 4 Piedmont (23-6) Best first-round game: No. 9 Campolindo (19-10) at No. 8 Sacred Heart Prep-Atherton (16-10) 5 players to watch: F Haley Van Dyke (Campolindo), G Grace Battles (Sacred Heart Prep), G Lesila Finau (Dublin), G Sydney Politzer (Marin Catholic-Kentfield), F Natalia Ackerman (Aptos). Predicted winner: Campolindo. Division 4 Top seed: Woodside Priory (1314) Sleeper: No. 13 Lincoln-San Francisco (25-7) Best first-round game: Lincoln at No. 4 San Joaquin Memorial (22-5) Predicted winner: Notre DameBelmont Division 5 Top seed: No. 1 University (20-9) Sleeper: No. 4 Lowell (16-11) Best first-round game: No. 16 Western Sierra vs. University at Kezar Predicted winner: University