The Sports Informant

Two rounds down and six teams remain in the 2010 CIF State Boys Basketball Championships Presented by Farmers. With better-seeded teams hosting first, second and third-round games, a few local teams had to travel for matchups, while others hosted. All encountered tough battles along the way, and while many local teams went home after a fantastic season, some are still alive for that coveted state championship.

Division I

Sac-Joaquin Section champion Sheldon remains the surprise of the tournament. After shocking the section with its run to the title, it has won its first two games of the state playoffs. On March 9, Sheldon hosted Castro Valley, squeaking by in an intense double overtime thriller, 85-82. Upon advancing, Sheldon was forced to travel to face No. 2 seeded Bellarmine on March 11, and again keeping its dream season alive, overcame in a tight battle, winning to advance again, 59-57.

Sheldon is one of four teams left in the Northern California bracket, just one game from NorCal Regional Finals. It will have to travel again in a hostile away game atmosphere go through No. 3 seed Newark Memorial on Saturday at 7 p.m.

The rest of the bracket saw other Sac-Joaquin Section teams fall short. Section runner-up Franklin lost to Oakland in Round 1, 72-62. Turlock lost to Castlemont in Round 1, 77-53. And Merced lost to San Ramon Valley, 65-53.

Division II

Section title winner Woodcreek High is one of two Sac-Joaquin Section teams left in the Division II bracket.

After earning a first round bye, Woodcreek, seeded No. 4, hosted and beat Chico in Round 2 on March 11, 72-62, to advance to the final four of the Northern California bracket. It will have a tough test with No. 1 seeded Archbishop Mitty of San Jose on Saturday, as Woodcreek will travel for the matchup. A win puts Woodcreek in the NorCal Regional Finals.

Woodcreek isn’t alone in Round 3, though. Section runner-up Oakmont won its first-round game over Montgomery on March 9 at home, 69-54. More impressively, though, it knocked off No. 3 seeded Redwood on its own court, storming through to the NorCal semifinals with a 59-45 win. It will face No. 2 seeded St. Francis on March 13 in Mountain View.

Fairfield, meanwhile, traveled to and won its first-round game over Pinole Valley on March 9, 58-41, but fell just two points short against Mitty on March 11, 43-41, ending its season. Rocklin also traveled and won its first-round game, beating Pleasant Valley on March 9 with ease, 73-44. But on March 11, St. Francis proved a little too tough, edging Rocklin in Round 2, 75-72.

Division III

Two Division III Sac-Joaquin Section teams are still alive in the Northern California bracket.

No. 2 seeded Sacramento High, the defending NorCal Regional champion, earned a first-round bye before beating Miramonte in Round 2 in Sacramento on March 11, 87-84.

Center High School, meanwhile, hosted and won its first-round game over Analy on March 9, 74-58, before traveling to and beating No. 3 seeded Enterprise on March 11, 68-55.

Sacramento and Center will now meet in the NorCal semifinals on March 13, this time at Sacramento High.

Vista del lago, meanwhile, earned a first-round bye with its No. 4 seed, but couldn’t contain El Cerrito on March 11, ending its season with a 64-57 loss. St. Mary’s of Stockton traveled to and won its first-round game over Foothill, 53-50, but lost to No. 1 seeded Bishop O’Dowd of Oakland on March 11, 55-31.

Division IV

Only section champ Modesto Christian remains for the Sac-Joaquin Section in the Division IV bracket. The Crusaders, despite being a No. 3 seed, had to play in the first round against Orland. It proved no challenge, as the host Crusaders cruised to a 104-79 victory on March 9.

In the second round on March 11, though, things weren’t so easy. A visiting Arcata squad gave Modesto Christian all it could handle before the Crusaders came out on top again, this time narrowly in a 66-63 overtime affair. Modesto Christian now heads to the NorCal Regional semifinals, set to travel to Pinole Valley High School to face No. 2 seeded Salesian.

Colfax won its first-round game after traveling to face Sutter, 69-57, but traveling to St. Mary’s proved too tough and Colfax bowed out after a 67-54 second-round loss. Capital Christian traveled to Mission for a first-round matchup, but came up just short in a 58-55 overtime loss. Calaveras lost its first-round matchup with St. Patrick’s/St. Vincent’s, 65-35.

Division V

Section champ Victory Christian hosted its first round game March 9, but couldn’t overcome Head Royce, losing, 49-43. Runner-up Ripon Christian met a similar fate, hosting a visiting Liberty Christian in Round 1 only to fall short, 76-73, in overtime.

Bradshaw Christian traveled to and lost to Pinewood on March 9, 55-42, while Valley Christian traveled to and lost to University San Francisco, 88-67.