Playoff Previews!
For the 11th straight season...here are my capsule summaries of playoff teams/matchups!
I probably don't know as much about "your" team as you do but this gives you the chance to learn at least a little about whoever you would like to know more about (such as the team your team is playing!).
I've mentioned the results of any games I saw the teams play, some prominent players and some overall observations. Remarks like "won, 75-70", "averaged 7.5 asts" or "scored 30 pts" refer to stats from the game or games I attended.
Friday, February 28 - Regional Quarterfinals:
South:
#5 Saddleback vs. #11 (12) Pasadena:
NOTE: this game has been postponed until SATURDAY 5 PM due to the weather.
Pasadena: Went 3-3 with wins over Victor Valley, Compton and LA Trade Tech and losses to East LA, Long Beach and Mt. San Antonio. PF Taj Spencer (26.7 pts, 10.8 rebs) is one of the best players in the state, and his 43-point, 20-rebound effort against Victor Valley might have been the top single-game performance of the state this season. PG Jeffrey Dockett (16.8 pts, 4.3 rebs, 4.7 asts, 2.8 stls) is spectacular and is a master of the tap-away steal. Everyone else pretty much plays off those two. SF Adrian Miles (8.5 pts, 10 total threes, 3.7 rebs, 3.0 asts, 2.2 stls) is quite productive while sometimes starter SG Brandon Joseph (1.7 pts, 4.2 rebs) is more of a defensive specialist. Ctr Faruk Oyalade (8.2 pts, 5.5 rebs) is solid. SF Jon Henderson (3.2 pts, 2.6 asts) and SG Jevon Shields (3.4 pts, 3.2 asts), C/PF Bryce Clifton and PF Rashad Smith are productive back-ups.
Saddleback: Went 2-1 with wins over Antelope Valley and Barstow and a conference loss to Irvine Valley. This loaded team seems the most likely SoCal squad to win it all, despite the collapse against IVC. PG Dalante Dunklin (5.7 pts, 3.0 rebs, 3.3 asts. 1.3 stls) is the floor leader, SF Dayton Boddie (9.3 pts, 3.3 rebs) is the designated slasher and SG D.J. Feitl (6.3 pts, 3 total threes) is the designated shooter. The trio of bigs – PF Andre McPhail (7.3 pts, 4.7 rebs), UOP-bound Ctr Eric Thompson (10.3 pts, 3.7 rebs) and back-up Rashad Davis (4.3 pts, 6.0 rebs) is the best tandem in the state. Reserves PG De’Corrius Sampson-Young (5.3 pts, 4.0 asts, 1.7 stls), SG Andrew Bournes (3.7 pts, 2.7 rebs, 1.7 asts), PF Bryan Fisher (4.0 pts, 2.5 rebs, 3.0 asts) and Davis would start for most teams. And they’re huge, with pretty much everyone except Feitl, Young and Bournes a couple inches taller than their typical match-ups.
Bottom Line: Saddleback has to be the big favorite, especially at home. The Gaucho front line will make Spencer work for his points, and the D will force a lot of jumpers from the rest of the Lancers. Pasadena needs a crazy-good shooting night to pull the upset here.
#6 East LA vs. #12 (11) Citrus:
East LA: Went 2-1 with wins over Mt. San Jacinto and at Pasadena after an early-season setback to Cuyamaca. That line gives notice that consistency hasn’t been the Huskies’ hallmark this season. Ctr Aaron Cheatum (12.3 pts, 6.7 rebs, 3 total threes) and PF Zach Hinton (12.3 pts, 7.3 rebs, 2.7 stls) are the top players, but the key is often talented-but-erratic SG Marcus Romain (9.7 pts, 2.7 asts, 5.0 turnovers); when he’s playing well ELAC plays well. PG Davian Wilson (5.0 pts, 3.3 asts) is solid if unspectular and SF Te’Shon Burton (13 pts, 7 rebs, 3 asts, 5 stls vs. Cuyamaca) is a gifted athlete and usually guards the opposition’s top scorer. SG Frankie Aguilar (4.7 pts, 3 total threes) adds shooting and SG Je’Ron Primus (15 pts vs. MSJC) adds scoring.
Citrus: Went 1-2 with a blowout win over Glendale and blowout losses to Chaffey and Antelope Valley. St. Mary’s bounceback Ctr Chris Reyes (16.7 pts, 11.3 rebs, 5.0 blks) is big time in the middle, and his 28-pt, 20-reb, 8-blk performance against AVC was one of the best I saw this season. But the Owls got blown out anyway, and depth is the issue. SF Daniel Cheek (12.3 pts, 5.0 rebs), a Northern Arizona bounceback, is the Owls’ second gun and Loyola HS grad PG Justin Childress (7.3 pts, 2.3 rebs, 2.0 asts, 2.7 stls) is a quality floor leader. But then it drops off significantly. SF John Roach had 20 pts and 4 threes vs. Chaffey but 7 points in the other two games combined. SG Jordan Jefferson averaged 5.7 pts and SF Dominique Walker averaged 3.0 pts, 2.0 rebs and 2.7 asts. And it drops off from there.
Bottom Line: East LA rates the favorite here, but needs to get good guard play. And Citrus will have the best player on the floor in Reyes. But the Huskies are deep and should be able to wear down Citrus' supporting cast.
#7 Glendale vs. #10 LA Harbor:
Glendale: Went 3-2 with wins over SD Mesa, Victor Valley and Santa Monica, and losses to Antelope Valley and Citrus. The two losses were probably Glendale’s two worst games of the entire season. Ctr Gor Plavchyan (17.8 pts, 12.3 rebs) is one of the best players in California; his absence (broken hand) in the Citrus game was a huge factor, and when he battled foul trouble against SMC the Vaqueros almost lost a big lead. PF Emmett Duvall (13.2 pts, 8.6 rebs) is the other inside force, and he struggled in the loss to AVC. But when everyone is present and going well, Glendale is among SoCal’s top teams. PG Jalen Etienne (8.4 pts, 6.8 asts, 2.0 stls) is solid and has improved as the season has progressed, SG Emerson Castaneda (12.8 pts, 16 total threes) is an outstanding shooter and PF Sammy Darling (8.6 pts, 6.8 rebs) is versatile and smart. SF Sontiago Grady (5.6 pts, 3 total threes) provides some shooting and combo G Jason Moore (15 pts vs. VVC) provides support off the bench.
LA Harbor: Lost, 99-80, to Long Beach in January and beat Cerritos, 76-58, in February. The Seahawks are a very solid well-coached, virtually position-less team that lacks D-1 talent but plays fundamentally sound basketball and lets other teams beat themselves. They force tough shots on defense; Long Beach made the shots anyway and won while Cerritos missed them and lost. It seems so simple. As for the Harbor lineup, PG Brandon Boyd (5.0 pts, 5.5 rebs, 5.5 asts) is a pass-first point who has SG Jamar Cannon (12.0 pts, 3.0 asts, 5 total threes), SF Anthony Foster (14.5 pts, 3 total threes, 5.0 asts), PF Elliot Morris (11.5 pts, 9.0 rebs) and Ctr Andre Foster (11.0 pts, 9.0 rebs) to choose from for those passes. Combo G Kenneth Greene (12.0 pts) and SF Dushone Brown (5.5 pts, 3.5 rebs) are the key reserves.
Bottom Line: What an intriguing match-up! This is Glendale coach Brian Beauchemin's best team since his state quarterfinalist team of 2001. But Harbor is a solid, veteran team that doesn't beat itself. Beauchemin is one of California's top strategists, particularly in the offensive end; Harbor coach Tony Carter-Loza is a very strong defensive coach. Neither team is particularly deep so keeping key guys like Plavchyan, Duvall, Cannon and the Fosters out of foul trouble will be a huge factor. In any event, I'll be there to see how it all plays out.
Mel says I have to pick a winner, so I'll go with the home team. With the severe rain in the area today, they'll have a shorter swim to the gym.
#8 Cerritos vs. #9 Cuesta:
Cerritos: Beat LA Trade Tech, 88-85, in January and lost to LA Harbor, 76-58, in February. The Falcons were much-hyped entering the season but struggled early and discarded highly-touted SF Anthony January (“practice? we’re talking about practice???”)…and then came together as the conference season started. Multi-talented Ctr Jarion Henry (19.5 pts, 10.5 rebs, 4.0 asts, 1.0 blks, 1.0 stls) signed with Oklahoma out of HS and is the main weapon, but there’s a solid supporting cast in PG Austin Pope (8.5 pts, 6.0 rebs, 4.5 asts), SG Micah Winn (12.0 pts, 4 total threes, 2.5 asts), SF Victor Jones (8.0 pts, 6.0 rebs) and PF T.J. Traylor, who is better than these stats (7.0 pts, 2.5 rebs). SG Kevin Conrad (6.5 pts), PF Josh Bell (5.5 pts, 4.0 rebs) and long-distance shooter SG Jordan Reise (5.5 pts, 2 threes) add support off the bench. And Russ May is an excellent coach.
Cuesta: Beat Canyons, 70-69, in February. The Cougars beat the Cougars despite serious foul trouble that sent their best player, SF Oscar Pedroso (9 pts, 5 rebs, 5 asts) to the bench halfway through the second half. But SG Alex Igual (23 pts, 4 3pt, 3 rebs, 3 asts) took up the slack and even had the game-winning free throw. PG Valentin Bauer (7 pts, 3 asts) doesn’t shoot much but is accurate, and Ctr Brett Hartshorne (9 pts, 4 rebs) is an excellent jump-shooter. SF Kyle Geer (7 pts, 6 rebs, 2 asts), SF Dmitry Utolin (5 pts, 4 rebs) and Ctr Mohammed Ali Ben Ammar (5 pts, 6 rebs, 3 asts) are the other rotation players.
Bottom Line: Cerritos has to be the solid favorite here. They're better in the backcourt, deeper and tougher. And Cuesta has a long drive just to get to the game. But Cuesta has a lot of shooters and shocked Chaffey in the playoffs under similar circumstances a couple of years ago. If the shots are going in, the Cougars will have a puncher's chance.
North:
#5 Yuba vs. #12 Cabrillo:
Yuba: Lost to Columbia, 82-82, in OT in December. The Claimjumpers made 16 three-pointers that day, seemingly continuing my curse on Yuba (the 49ers are 4-8 all-time under my watch). But this is a very good team. PG Darrell Polee Jr. (11 pts, 3 rebs, 2 asts, 1 turnover) is solid and SG Chris Smith (13 pts, 8 rebs, 3 asts, 2 stls) is a big-time scorer. SF Desmond Butler (14 pts, 7 rebs, 5 asts, 4 stls) and PF Desmond Wormely (6 pts, 7 rebs, 5 asts, 2 stls) are big-time athletes. Ctr Jaysen Williams (32 pts, 18 rebs) had a huge game when I saw Yuba this year; Ctr Jeremy Bubier (12 pts, 6/7 fgs, 6 rebs, 2 blks) had a big game when I saw them last year in Santa Rosa.
Cabrillo: Lost to San Francisco, 78-55, in December. Amazingly, this was a 4-point game with 9 minutes to go before CCSF found another gear and flew away. PG Warren Jackson (15 pts), SG David Albittan (6 pts, 2 3pt) and SF Alan Wilcher (7 pts) are the starting perimeter guys, with PG Latrell Wilson (10 pts, 2 3pt, 3 asts) and SG A.J. Wright (7 pts) providing quality support off the bench. PF Jake Harrell (9 pts, 7 rebs) and Ctr Zavon Jackson (1 pt, 6 rebs, 3 blks) started.
Bottom Line: Well...I saw Cabrillo lose by 23 to CCSF, and Yuba handed CCSF its only loss in November, so...yep, Yuba seems a heavy favorite here. The one wild card is if Cabrillo starts draining threes...like Columbia did.
#6 Ohlone vs. #11 Sequoias:
Ohlone: Lost to Diablo Valley, 80-60, in December. That was probably Ohlone’s worst result of the season, mainly a result of DVC playing a near-perfect first half. The Renegades want to run and DVC succeeded in slowing them down. PG Casey Norris (16 pts, 5 rebs, 3 asts, 1 stl) is one of the state’s best, but after that it’s largely an ensemble cast. SG Andy Mitchell managed 13 pts in the loss to DVC, but SG Johan Stenberg (3 pts), PF Marcellus Clay (3 pts, 2 rebs) and Ctr Almir Hadzieshovic (3 pts, 2 rebs) were non-factors. SG Isaiah Omomogho (8 pts, 4 rebs, 3 asts), PG Ryo Tawatari (7 pts, 3 asts) and Ctr Javier de la Blanca Ausere (2 pts, 2 rebs) got plenty of time off the bench.
Sequoias: Lost to LA Pierce, 68-58, in December. That might have been COS’ lowest point of the season, dropping the Giants’ record to 2-8 while losing to a Pierce team that would lose 7 of its next 8 games. SF Jordan Batts (18 pts, 5 rebs), PG Chris Ross (10 pts, 3 asts) and Ctr Chris Smith (12 pts, 5 rebs, 3 blks, 3 stls) were COS’ top performers. PF Brantley Bynum had 9 pts. SG Cameron Peck (6 pts, 2 3pt vs. West Hills in January 2013) missed that game due to a sprained ankle but is a good outside threat.
Bottom Line: I think I saw each team at its low point this season. Norcal coaches I talked to early on said Ohlone was the best team - not the best prospects, just the best overall squad - in the North aside from the star-laden CCSF. Rusty Smith and his staff did a marvelous job turning things around, but unless COS plays perfectly (as DVC pretty much did in December) Ohlone seems a strong favorite here.
#7 Cosumnes River vs. #10 Lassen:
Cosumnes River: Beat Reedley, 72-64, in December. Ctr Jaycob “Big Jake” Velasco (16 pts, 18 rebs) is a mountain in the middle, and SG A.J. Bridges (13 pts, 4 asts, 5 stls) is a scorer from the perimeter. PF T.J. Williams (17 pts, 7 rebs) and sharpshooter SG Brenden Glapion (15 pts, 2 3pt) can also score. PG Rodney Cook (5 pts, 6 asts, 1 turnover) is solid and SG Michell Love (6 pts, 2 3pt) provides punch off the bench.
Lassen: Beat Foothill, 81-70, in December. SG Tyler Watts (20 pts, 9-for-10 from the floor) had a spectacular game off the bench that afternoon in the consolation final of the West Valley tournament. PF Dashun Johnson (15 pts, 6 rebs) and SF Marvin White (11 pts, 7 rebs, 6 asts) were also outstanding. PG Marshawn Beard (8 pts, 4 asts, 2 stls, 1 turnover) is solid, and SG Lawrence Otis, (5 pts) a CCSF transfer, provides support. Perhaps Lassen’s best athlete, Ctr Denzel Famble had just 1 point but grabbed 9 rebs before leaving with a minor ankle injury.
Bottom Line: Cosumnes River seems a pretty heavy favorite here. And the reason is Big Jake. Lassen doesn't have anyone who can deal with him physically, and he's really good.
#8 Butte vs. #9 San Jose:
Butte: I didn't see Butte this season, and haven't for a few seasons now as they're just too far away. They ran the table in the GVC behind the ultra-productive Arthur Caldwell, who averaged 20.2 pts & 6.6 rebs per game.
San Jose: I didn’t see San Jose during the season, but saw them race past Canyons, 82-67, at the San Gabriel Valley JUCO Showcase in July. PG Bobby Gray was outstanding with 18 pts and 7 asts, PF Andre Russell had 16 pts, 11 rebs and 4 asts, SF Josue Salaam had 16 pts, 4 rebs, 2 asts and a block, and Ctr Maurice Joiner had 19 pts, 8 rebs and 2 blocked shots. That’s 69 of those 82 points, and that foursome is averaging about 58 points per game this season. SF Deven Patterson came off the bench for 2 pts and 4 rebs, and SF Stevinair Young came off the bench for 2 rebs and 2 asts against COC.
Bottom Line: Well I really don't know enough to make much of a prediction, other than to say SJCC looked really impressive this summer. SJCC coach Percy Carr has like a bazillion wins in his career. Of course Oroville, where Butte is located, is a long ways from San Jose...it's a long ways from pretty much everywhere, actually. If SJCC survives the trip with its legs intact I'll give them the edge.
