This pattern has played out almost every year in the WCAL, except for the years when SHC was "untouchable". The top three or four teams beat each other up, while the other good NorCal teams sleep through their league schedule. It usually has a slightly negative impact on the teams' rankings, and a vastly positive impact on their playoff readiness. Good trade off I'd say. Just to stir the pot, here's what I think the final WCAL standings will be:
Mitty (11 - 1) - They lost by 2 at SI, but will run the table with the deciding game being at Mitty Feb 20 (mark your calendar)
Saint Ignatius (10 - 2) - Winner-take-all game at Mitty in last league game. SI players intimidated by the banners.
Sacred Heart Cathedral (7 - 5) - Good win over SI, but will lose at SI. Will also lose twice to Mitty and at Valley Christian.
Valley Christian (7 - 5) - Good team, would be the champion in half of the leagues in NorCal.
Saint Francis (5 - 7) - No disrespect intended, but Coach Harrigan misses Oscar.
Presentation (1 - 11) - Great coach, but most elite players don't want to attend an all-girls school.
Notre Dame Belmont (1 - 11) - Another great coach, but most elite players... oh you know the rest.
P.S. There are no WCAL playoffs this year. Along with countless others, I will miss the WCAL championships at Foothill College. That was always the highlight of the basketball season for the WCAL teams that made it there. The atmosphere was significantly more energetic than any NorCal or State Championship game at Arco. In Aaron Gordon's senior year, there were hundreds of people lined up to get in when they reached (exceeded?) maximum capacity. Archbishop Mitty won both games that night. Alas, maybe we can petition the WCAL to bring it back in the future?
Prediction - Pinewood will avoid NorCal Open by losing to SI and SHC in the CCS Open tournament. That will allow them to win their 123rd Div 5 state championship. Doc Sheppler will resign, to take the head coaching position at USF. Wade Nakamura will be named the new girls head coach at Pinewood, and the train will keep on rolling. (I'm just having some fun here, and don't mean to imply that I know anything, or that any coaches are unhappy in their current situation.)