State finals feature high-octane clashes
The first six of 12 high school state-championship basketball games will be played Friday at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento (all games streamed on the NFHS Network). Division 4 girls (10 a.m.) Shalhevet-Los Angeles (25-2) vs. San Domenico-San Anselmo
(27-7): This is a state title rematch. The Panthers, who beat Shalhevet 38-27 last season for the Division 5 championship, are led by Maja Cykowska, Mattie Greenstone, Avery Conklin and Summer Jenkins. San Domenico coach Mike Fulton also led Branson-Ross to Division 5 state titles in 2007 and ’08. Division 5 boys (noon) Lynwood (26-11) vs. Sierra-Tollhouse (31-5):
Lynwood’s Jason Crowe Jr. is the state’s leading scorer (36 points per game) and California’s freshman record-holder for points in a season (1,259). Division 3 girls (2 p.m.) Los Osos-Rancho Cucamonga (28-5) vs. Colfax (34-2): Colfax, which won Division 3 state titles in 1983 and ’84, has won 22 straight games. Division 3 boys (4 p.m.) Buena-Ventura (31-5) vs. Oakland (26-8):
Money Williams, a 6-4 senior guard who has signed a letter of intent with Montana, leads Oakland (17.4 ppg). Buena is the first Ventura County public school to play for a state championship. Oakland, the alma mater of Damian Lillard, is playing in its first state title game. Division 1 girls (6 p.m.) Santiago-Corona (26-9) vs. Oakland Tech
(29-5): Tech is after its fifth state title (Division 1 in 2004 and ’05, Division 4 in 2019, and Division 3 in 2022). The Bulldogs had five double-digit scorers in their 82-71 NorCal title win over St. Mary’s-Stockton, led by OAL MVP Erin Sellers (25). Santiago, making its first finals appearance, is led by McKinley Willardson, who had 24 points in the 52-39 win over Del Norte-San Diego in the Southern California final. Division 1 boys (8 p.m.) Notre Dame-Sherman Oaks (26-10) vs. Granada-Livermore (26-10): Granada, led by 7-foot St. Mary’s-bound Andrew McKeever and 6-8 wing Tyler Harris, will have its hands full with the Notre Dame trio of Duke signee Caleb Foster, Gonzaga-bound Dusty Stromer and Houston commit Mercy Miller, the son of rapper Master P.
SBLive Sports senior editor Mitch Stephens covers high school sports for The San Francisco Chronicle.