The Sports Informant

Now that the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs are complete, with champions crowned and runners-up looking for revenge, the 2010 CIF State Basketball Championships Presented by Farmers can begin. With an eye now on the ultimate prize, athletes gear up for the first round of the state bracket tonight.

Each division’s bracket is split into two sides: a Northern California bracket and a Southern California bracket. The champion of each bracket, and ultimately each half of the state, will meet in the overall California state championship at the end of March.

The first, second and third rounds of either bracket will be played at the home school sites of better-seeded teams. The fourth round, which is the NorCal and SoCal Championships, will be played at much bigger venues. The NorCal Championships will be played at Arco Arena for Divisions I-III, and at Folsom High School for Divisions IV-V. Those games will be played on March 20.

Both Sheldon, left, and Franklin, right, will be competing in this week for a shot at the NorCal and eventual state titles. (Photo courtesy Tom Paniagua)

Below is a list of Sac-Joaquin teams participating in each tournament. For a complete view of the brackets, click here.

Division I Boys

Sac-Joaquin Section champion Sheldon High (26-5) will face off in the first round against Castro Valley (23-6) on March 9 at 7 p.m. Sheldon is the home team and will host the game.

Section runner-up Franklin (26-5) will also host its first game, as a visiting Oakland High (17-11) team comes to town tonight at 7 p.m.

Turlock (24-6) and Merced (25-5) also qualified for the tournament. Turlock will travel to Oakland Tech to face Castlemont (16-12) tonight at 7:30 p.m. and Merced will travel to Monte Vista to face San Ramon Valley of Danville (26-3).

Division I Girls

Section champ Oak Ridge (28-3) took the No. 2 seed in the state bracket, earning a first-round bye. The Trojans will face the winner of tonight’s matchup of Oakland Tech (17-8) and Castro Valley (17-12) on March 11 at Oak Ridge at 7 p.m.

Section runner-up Kennedy (27-4) will host tonight’s first-round game against Skyline (21-7) at 7 p.m.

McClatchy (23-6) will host tonight’s game against Heritage (21-8), and Franklin of Elk Grove (25-5) will travel to Deer Valley (23-7).

Division II Boys

Section champ Woodcreek (26-5) is the No. 4 overall seed in the tournament, thus earning a first-round bye. It will host the winner of Chico (22-6) and Alameda (19-10) in the second round on March 11.

Runner-up Oakmont (22-7) will host a matchup tonight with Montgomery of Santa Rosa (22-7).

Fairfield (24-6) will travel to face Pinole Valley (20-10) tonight, while Rocklin (21-9) will travel to face Pleasant Valley (18-10) tonight.

Division II Girls

Section champ Vallejo (25-6) earned a first-round bye with the No. 4 seed, and on March 11 at 7 p.m. will host the winner of tonight’s Northgate (25-4) and Pleasant Valley (20-6) game.

Section runner-up St. Francis (22-8) will host Montgomery of Santa Rosa (24-7) tonight.

Bella Vista (25-5) will travel to Dublin (21-7) tonight for a 7 p.m. game, while Woodcreek (21-9) will travel to Chico for a game tonight at 6 p.m.

Division III Boys

Defending NorCal champ and section champ Sacramento High (24-6) earned a No. 2 seed in the tournament, earning a first-round bye. The Dragons will host the winner of tonight’s Miramonte (17-13) and Burlingame (21-9) matchup on March 11 at 7:30 p.m.

Section runner-up Vista del Lago (28-3) earned a first-round bye as the No. 4 seed, and will host the winner of tonight’s Sacred Heart Cathedral of San Francisco (14-14) and El Cerrito (25-4) matchup on March 11 at 7 p.m.

Center (26-3) will host Analy (28-2) at Antelope High School tonight at 7 p.m., while St. Mary’s of Stockton (22-8) will travel to Foothill of Palo Cedro (18-10) tonight.

Division III Girls

Section champ St. Mary’s (29-1) earned the state tourney’s top seed, also earning a first-round bye. On March 11 it will face the winner of tonight’s Enterprise (24-4) and Miramonte (21-7) game.

Section runner-up Sacramento (25-6) got the tourney’s second overall seed, earning a first-round bye. On March 11 it will face the winner of tonight’s St. Ignatius (19-9) and Campolindo (20-9) game.

Vanden (25-5) will host tonight’s game against Paradise (22-6), while Del Oro (25-5) will travel to face Daugherty Valley of San Ramon (26-3).

Division IV Boys

Section champ Modesto Christian (22-8) earned a No. 3 seed and will earn a first-round bye. It will host the winner of tonight’s first-round matchup between Sutter (18-11) and section runner-up Colfax (26-5) on March 11 at 7:30 p.m. Colfax will travel to Sutter tonight.

Capital Christian (14-14) will travel to Kezar to face Mission of San Francisco (21-10) at 7:30 p.m. tonight. Calaveras (23-7) will travel to face St. Pat/St. Vin. Of Vallejo (23-6) tonight.

Division IV Girls

Section champ Modesto Christian (27-4) earned the tourney’s No. 2 seed, earning a first-round bye. On March 11 it will face the winner of tonight’s Justin-Siena (27-4) and Lassen (14-12) matchup.

Section runner-up Argonaut (30-1) also earned a first-round bye as the No. 4 seed. On March 11 it will host the winner of tonight’s Santa Cruz (24-5) and Piedmont (23-8) matchup.

Christian Brothers (19-11) will travel tonight to face Mercy (21-8), while Colfax (18-12) will travel to Central Valley (19-10).

Division V Boys

Section winner Victory Christian (27-3) will host Head Royce of Oakland (24-4) tonight at 7 p.m. Runner-up Ripon Christian (22-7) will host Liberty Christian of Redding (21-8) tonight.

Bradshaw Christian (22-8) will travel to Los Altos Hills to face Pinewood (19-7), while Valley Christian of Roseville (25-5) will travel to City College of San Francisco to face University San Francisco (25-7).

Division V Girls

Section champ Bradshaw Christian (22-8) earned a first-round bye. On March 11 it will host the winner of Hamilton (27-3) and University San Francisco (19-12).

Section runner-up Turlock Christian (26-5) will host St. Joseph Notre Dame (23-6) tonight at Calvary Baptist Gym.

Ripon Christian (12-15) will travel to Oakland to face Head Royce (27-5), while Sacramento Waldorf (20-9) will travel to Durham (27-3).