The CCS Semifinals in Division IV is on Tuesday and in Divisions III and V are on Wednesday. Branham is the closest team to a Cinderella, coming in as a sixth seed in Division III. It’s hard to say which teams will advance to the finals, but it should be a lot of fun seeing who does.
DIVISION III – Wednesday at Mills High School, 5:30/7:30
No. 6 Branham (19-7) vs. No. 2 Notre Dame-San Jose (13-12)
Second round: Branham def. #11 Live Oak, 58-52.
Quarterfinal: Branham def. No. 3 Saratoga, 48-45; Notre Dame def. No. 10 Sobrato 63-54.
Notable: Regina Sankey scored 34 points against Saratoga and 32 versus Live Oak.
Outlook: Sankey has the capability to carry the team on her back so slowing her down will be an objective for Notre Dame. Branham had a much better time against Presentation—a three-point win versus a 32-point loss—but the Bruins’ matchups with Silver Creek (10-point win, 11-point loss; Notre Dame 11-point win against the same team) are more of a push.
No. 5 Gunderson (18-8) vs. No. 1 Hillsdale (19-8)
Second round: Gunderson def. No. 12 Del Mar, 44-25.
Quarterfinal: Gunderson def. No. 4 Mills, 43-39; Hillsdale def. No. 8 Terra Nova, 32-24.
Notable: Lira Ndifon scored 17 points for Gunderson in the win over Mills and 14 in the second round game. In Hillsdale’s game, Marissa Otonari had 14 as well.
Outlook: Hillsdale won the head-to-head back on January 2, but only by five, and it’s likely to be another close one in the semifinal. Earlier in the season, Gunderson beat Mills while Hillsdale lost, but the margin differential was only eight, and Hillsdale had a more impressive win against Santa Cruz.
DIVISION IV – Tuesday at Menlo School, 5:30/7:30
#4 King’s Academy (22-4) vs. No. 1 Notre Dame-Belmont (12-13)
Quarterfinal: King’s Academy def. No. 5 Half Moon Bay, 49-45; Notre Dame def. No. 8 Monte Vista Christian, 40-31.
Notable: Carissa Mills led King’s Academy with 16 points.
Outlook: With just a single common opponent to go by (Carlmont; King’s Academy won by two, Notre Dame by 11) there’s not enough to go on. But Notre Dame played in such a superior league a King’s Academy would have to be considered an upset.
No. 3 Soquel (18-7) vs. No. 2 Menlo School (17-8)
Quarterfinal: Soquel def. No. 6 Sacred Heart Prep, 62-40; Menlo School def. No. 7 Castilleja, 49-34.
Notable: Natalie Diaz lit up the scoreboard with 31 points for Soquel — exactly half the team’s total. Menlo was led by McKenzie Duffner paced the Knights with 13.
Outlook: This is about a dead heat as you can get when comparing common opponents (each is undefeated, and the margin differentials are not statistically significant).
DIVISION V – Wednesday at Del Mar High School, 5:30/7:30
No. 3 Stevenson (11-12) vs. No. 2 Notre Dame-Salinas (18-7)
Quarterfinal: Stevenson def. #6 KIPP Collegiate, 71-47; Notre Dame def. #7 Pacific Collegiate, 54-17.
Outlook: Notre Dame performed better against Pajaro Valley, Watsonville, and Greenfield so looks to be in a better position.
No. 5 Oakwood (14-6) vs. No. 1 St. Francis CCC (17-9)
Quarterfinal: Oakwood def. No. 4 Alma Heights Christian, 42-27; St. Francis CCC def. No. 9 G.B. Kirby, 78-37.
Outlook: Even though Oakwood is 6-2 against common opponents, the margins decidedly prefer St. Francis CCC (3-0).
