The second season is here.
With the opening of the Southern Section playoffs this week, the girls basketball season in California has officially hit full stride.
The two to three weeks in January tend to be rest periods for the best in the state, with decisive league margins being the norm.
That’s not the case now, especially in the Open Division of the Southern Section, which doesn’t utilize bracket play. It has gone to pool play now for several years. It makes for some terrific games as eight of the best teams in the state, if noth the nation, will be in the top devision of Southern Section.
While the Southern Section will battle it out for three weeks, the rest of the nine sections in the state will be position for good playoffs seeds.
Top-seeded Knights face Sage Hill (19-8) in opening round of Southern Section Pool A Open Division play.
The Monarchs got the third seed in the Southern Section Open play and open Pool B play Saturday against Windward.
The Eagles closed the season with an 87-61 win over Los Osos. They are the second seed overall in Southern Section Open Division play and open Pool B play Saturday against Fairmont Prep.
The Trailblazers closed the regular season with their 20th straight win, 91-24 over Notre Dame Sherman Oaks. They haven’t had a truly competitive game since a 69-56 win over Coeur d’Alene (Idaho) on Dec. 20. Sierra Canyon opens Pool A play Saturday against fifth seed Bishop Montgomery.
The Monarchs won two lopsided games last week over Presentation (70-21) and St. Ignatius (63-37) and close the regular season with three WCAL games, starting with formidable Riordan at home on Tuesday.
The Golden Eagles had a good competitive game at Clovis on Friday, pulling out a 67-48 win to clinch their remarkable 20th straight TRAC championship. During that 20-season run, Clovis West is 192-5.
Two more blowout wins, both at home, 69-36 over Del Oro and 72-42 against Whitney. The Bulldogs have outscored foes 1,763 to 961 this season.
The Knights closed the regular season with a tough 63-42 win over St. Mary’s Academy, their second win over the Belles in a little over a week. The Knights won the first meeting at St. Mary’s Academy, 67-60. Bishop Montgomery is the fifth seed in Pool A and open Sierra Canyon on Saturday.
Nobody wants to play the Wildcats who have played one of the toughest scheduled in the state. They also enter the Southern Section’s Open Division on a 10-game win streak and open Pool B play Saturday at Mater Dei, a team it lost to in the finals of the West Coast Jamboree.
The Eagles lost to Windward last week 75-62 and beat Palos Verdes. They open Southern Section D1 play Thursday vs. Heritage.
Earned the seventh seed in the Open Division and open Saturday at Etiwanda. The good news is that the Huskies advance to the regional round in two weeks.
Finished league play undefeated at 10-0 with a 80-76 win over Rancho Christian after previous wins last week over Heritage (74-35), Paloma Valley (86-20) and Beaumont (92-22). The Vikings open Division 1 Southern Section play Thursday at home against Rancho Cucamonga (21-5).
The Dons are in great need of a competitive game though got pretty good one on Saturday with a 72-49 victory at Vanden. They came with Monday to close out league play with a 81-8 win over College Park.
Three more lopsided wins for the Panthers, by remarkably scoring 70 points in each of the wins, over Notre Dame-Belmont (70-36), Menlo School (70-42) and San Domenico (70-38). That’s four wins in a row with 70 as on Feb. 1 it beat Alameda (70-39). Uncanny. Vallory Kuelker leads team with a 17.0 scoring average.
Three more wins, two easy in EBAL play but also a tough 52-39 win at home versus St. Mary’s-Stockton. The league playoffs and a battle with longtimne rival Carondelet seems inevitable.
The Cougars have won nine straight since a 59-55 loss to San Ramon Valley on Jan. 14. Carondelet won three games last week, handily over Liberty (78-18) and Los Gatos (85-47) but they had to battle to knock off California (57-50).
The good news is the Lightning ended the regular season with a 72-31 win over St. Margaret’s. Amalia Holguin led four girls in double figures with 13 points, Alyssa Cuff and Eve Fowler had 12 and Kam Klamberg chipped in 11. More good news is Sage Hill qualified for the Open Division and will automatically advance to the regionals. Bad news is they open the playoffs with national No. 3 Ontario Christian.
The Crusaders have won three straight before facing the tall task at Mitty on Tuesday. Riordan gave the Monarchs one of their toughest tests in years, losing at home 56-42 on Jan. 21.
The Lions hit triple digits for the first time this season, 100-23 over West Park and now close out the regular season at Grant.
The old cross-town Channel League rival Buena bit the Cougars just before heading into the Southern Section playoffs with a 64-61 overtime win. Ventura is still the top SS seed in Division 1 and host Thousand Oaks on Thursday.
Closed the regular season with a 67-61 loss to Marlborough and host Rialto Thursday in a Division 1 first-round game.
The Eagles open Division 1 Southern Section play against Mira Costa after not having a game for 10 days. The team lost back-to-back games to close the regular season but no shame in losing to Etiwanda (109-77) and Moreno Valley (70-76).
Like a lot of teams on the list, playing a competitive game heading into the playoffs might be a challenge for many of these teams. The Cardinals won games over Montgomery (70-18) and Analy (75-36) last week.
One of the two surprise teams on the state scene, the Panthers won three more easy games ofr Notre Dame of San Jose (56-22), Notre Dame of Belmont (67-41) and University (71-36). Priory plays a balanced brand of basketball as no players averages in double-digit scoring.
The Yankees’ got a forfeit win over University, a tough 68-50 win versus Palisades and they locked down on defense in a 66-21 victory over Fairfax.
