My picks for NorCal finals

[kiddman32]

First of all, a big ups to Campolindo for giving me a very compelling reason to skip going to Arco Barn and head instead to American Canyon this Saturday! GO COUGARS!!

Anyway, here are my picks for Saturday's NorCal games:

Open : O'Dowd 64-55, powerhouse rolls on
Div 1: Woodcreek 70-66, continuing magical season
Div. 2: Mitty 57-53 in slugfest
Div. 3: Campo 63-57, gets 'em back for Dec. 20 game
Div. 4: St. Mary's 71-63... or maybe the other way 'round, who knows? But I'll stick with the SM guess
Div. 5: Brookside Chr. 73-70 (but they'll need their legs to recover after that 3OT win Tuesday)

 

[larry legend33]

I think you really have some outstanding games lined up that could easily go one way or another. After seeing ODOWD dismantle Folsom I think they win the most comfortably but MC will make them earn it.

Open- ODOWD 74 and MC 63
D1 - SRV 58 and Woodcreek 55
D2 - Mitty 62- and Sac High 60
D3- Campo 55 and Drake 54
D4- Capital Christian 75 and SM 70
D5- I will go with Brookside too.

 

[Bitter Branson Fan]

since we like predicting games of teams we have never seen play, I will take University because I like Bessolo

 

[27-0]

Am I the only one who thinks since the open started the NorCal finals games are kind of a farce? U will have 7 of the best teams sitting at home while there games are big time watered down. How does wood creek who couldn't win league or even make it to the section finals get a shot. It's embarrassing that pleasant grove hangs a state championship banner in their gym when Sheldon didn't get the same chance. I think thr CIF continues to make some rotten decisions.

 

[BBC04ch]

I agree with you 27-0 but how would you like to be in SoCal, win your section and not be allowed to play in those regional playoffs because two open teams that lost but were ranked higher than you bumped you out. Horizon girls (San Diego) "won" their section and weren't selected. Now that's some bs. Either way I don't think this current system is in the best interest of high school basketball in California.

 

[Fentons Cream]

Ive always said make every section have a "Open Division" in their section playoffs. If you don't make it to the Finals (in bigger sections the semi-finals) then you fall back to your enrollment division. This allows teams that really had no chance to win the open, have a shot at divisional titles.

To me that fixes everyones issues. It allows for more games (and more money) and allows publics to still win lower division section titles.

 

[paul_johnson884]

The Open is the best thing to happen to CA basketball. The best playing the best. Winning the Open in CA is the most prestigious title in the country.

Too bad football does not follow.

 

[frencheezy]

That Horizon situation was all the fault of San Diego section. They weren't selected for the Open division for their section because the Open teams were decided by a ridiculous power ranking system. They were then placed in the D1 bracket for their section even though they are a D5 team.....they then WIN the D1 Section title, but get bumped by D1 Open teams who received an automatic bid. Then Horizon wasn't put into D5 SoCal tourney because they didn't compete in D5 sectional tourney, because they were busy winning the D1 title. LOL. A real mess...... Really dumb. That will most definitely be fixed next year.

 

[NorCalScout]

Open- O'Dowd 67 and MC 54
D1- Woodcreek 62 SRV 59
D2 - Mitty 58- and Sac High 54
D3- Campo 67 and Drake 60
D4- Capital Christian 70 and SM 68

 

[dilbertw]

Most team thinks this. They should just have a 4 team open division rather than 8 teams. It's usually one of the top 4 teams will win open anyway.

 

[BBC04ch]

What they should have is a truly Open division. Private schools that, of course have open enrollment. Public schools that want it, should be allowed to have open enrollment and bring in student-athletes without boundary restrictions. Charter schools and other boutique academies that want to be sport specific in training with the only caveat being that they all must meet stringent academic guidelines. Those schools can be in an Open Division from beginning to end of season and compete accordingly. The very best getting to compete without the facade that is now in place. Any school under standard CIF guidelines - bound by enrollment and boundary restrictions - on an upswing in their competitive cycle, can petition for inclusion in Open Division playoffs if they choose but only at their choosing and not be "picked" as sacrificial lambs on an uneven field. This should give everybody what they want.

 

[larry legend33]

I like the current situation. The Open is the best of the best. Like somebody said its almost gotten to be the national champ game. Throw out some of the Academy schools and its usually a top 10 if not top 5 matchup.

Emberrassing that Pleasant Grove hangs a state banner in the rafters? Really. I was at that game with a sea of red faithful from PG when they dismantled a very good Santa Monica team. Tell that too Cole Nordquist, Marquis Christ, Matt Hayes, and Malik Thames. That was a helluva a team and they played an incredible game. When they are old it won't matter. State champs.

What about Monte Vista last year? 32-1 and arguably the best team in Norcal when season ended.

 

[bingobob]

Open-Bishop O'Dowd
Div 1-Woodcreek
Div 2-Archbishop Mitty
Div 3-Sir Francis Drake
Div 4-Capital Christian
Div 5University S.F

 

[passfirst]

Open- O'Dowd- on a mission
Div 1- Woodcreek- looks like they learned from mistake of section semis
Div 2- Sac Hi- not going to keep them in the 50's
Div 3- Campo- Hansen is too much
Div 4- CC- Gritty win last at MC proves their ready
Div 5- Who ever wins should celebrate as a state title. Sierra Canyon next on menu, really unfair.

 

[Coach FJ]

Will Davis II goes 14 pts 9 rebs today

odowd
woodcreek
sac high
-----------
cap christian
B christian

 

[27-0]

Disagree with you... Both of those teams that year were not even top 20 in state level teams going into the game. Why does Sheldon not get that opportunity? As a fan I want to see a great d2 state final game not a consolation game. Woodcreek is maybe a top 35 team in the state.

 

[H.E.A.T.]

Heres some food for thought...... Of the 8 teams remaining in D1-D4 in the North , 6 of those lost in their respective semis and Sac lost in the Finals. Only Capital Christian won their section title. Down south Both D1,D3 and D5 teams left in the Finals all played in the Southern section open.

In the North all teams should play in their section in a section open. Like the CCS each could havee an open.The winner of the NCS,SJS,And CCS could go to the North open with the next highest rated team making the 4th pick. Then let all other teams go back and compete for a state title in their respective division like the south does.

In the south if you lose in the Southern section open you still play in a consolation bracket. there fore you are playing quality games. TAke for example PRICE. They lost to Mater dei in opening game then lose 2nd game to long beach poly now playing for D5 championship. Same path could be said for Damien in D3.

Say for example Modesto won The SJS open . Folsom could still be playing D1 title, El Cerrito D2, Moreau D3

This post was edited on 3/20 11:34 PM by H.E.A.T.

 

[Amttbo]

@larry,

How can u like the current situation? Several people have made compelling arguments why the current system is very flawed, yet u like it. Both Heat and 27-0 are correct in their assessments of the current open playoff system. I like Heats idea on how to fix it as well. Btw Larry, u think a team should be able to play for a watered down state championship when they can't even win their own league or even play in their own section championship?? How does that make sense?? Let's hang a state championship banner up, however, we couldn't hang those elusive league or section championship banners. Yeah Larry, that makes complete sense. Go smoke whatever it is that u and g61 smoke and realize that u aren't anywhere near as knowledgeable as 27-0, Heat, and several other real basketball people. As far as the new pea is concerned, he has forgotten more about basketball then u or g61 will ever know. Most people on this board suspect u and g61 are the same person anyway.

 

[131Pressman]

Has anybody else thought its kind of ironic that the open helped Folsom in football but hurt them in basketball? Too g's credit I haven't seen him complain about that. I like max of 4 teams with non repeat champs given option to decline invite.

 

[Dgdollaz]

no games are televised or online today?

 

[NorCalSportsFan]

Open- ODOWD +14
D1 - SRV +3
D2 - Mitty +3
D3- Drake +2
D4- Capital Christian +8
D5- Brookside Christian+1