The 2016 state tournament is this weekend!
Longtime readers will note that this is a slightly-modified version of "playoff previews" of seasons past.
Anyway, here are some thoughts. As in previous years, stats (such as 15.0 pts, 7.5 rebs, etc) are from the games I covered this year unless otherwise noted.
Saturday, March 12:
#1-South Saddleback: Went 2-0 with wins over Fullerton and Mira Costa. The Gauchos are huge and skilled with remarkable depth. PG T.J. Shorts (14.0 pts, 4.5 rebs, 7.5 asts, 1.5 stls), SG Devonte Klines (10.5 pts) and Josh Mishler (9.5 pts, 2.0 rebs, 2.0 asts, 2.0 stls) bring plenty of skill while Ctrs Breaon Brady (7.0 pts, 5.0 rebs) and Lyle Hexom (8.5 pts, 3.0 rebs, 2.0 blks) are a devastating tag-team tandem inside. PF Brandon Fagins (2.5 pts, 3.5 rebs, 1.5 blks, 1.5 stls) is one of the state’s best interior defenders while SG Jalen Hall (6.0 pts, 2.0 rebs, 2.0 asts, 1.5 stls), SF Maurice Jones (4.0 pts, 2.5 rebs) and SG Kevin Miller (11 pts vs. Mira Costa) all bring punch off the bench. And it’s all under the control of Andy Ground, who already has 2 state championships on his resume.
#3-South Chaffey: Went 4-0 with wins vs. Cypress (in double-OT), Riverside, Southwestern and San Bernardino Valley. SG Victor Joseph (24.7 pts, 9 total threes, 4.7 rebs, 3.3 asts, 2.0 stls) has vaulted himself into the elite level of guards in California and is the standout. But just as important has been the development of Ctr Chris Edward (16.3 pts, 12.0 rebs) who has turned into a double-double machine. PG Brian Beard (11.3 pts, 5.7 asts, 2.3 stls) is talented and SF ”Downtown” Alfred Brown (13.8 pts, 12 total threes) has unlimited range. Mateu Vilakazi (5.0 pts, 3.5 rebs, 1.8 asts), PF Donavan Taylor (6.0 pts, 5.0 rebs, 2.0 asts, 1.8 stls) and Ctr A.J. Kirkwood (4.8 pts, 4.5 rebs) provide quality depth. A true team…good players and the parts work well together.
#1-North San Francisco: Beat Mt. San Antonio, 80-60, in November. CCSF could hardly have been more impressive and could have won by twice that margin if so motivated (don’t snicker…they have won 4 different games by more than 40 points since then). Washington State bounceback PG Trevor Dunbar (12 pts, 8 asts, 4 stls) is a blur and Ctr Jalen Canty (17 pts 7 rebs) is an inside force. SF Shon Briggs (14 pts) had a strong game. The depth and score made for cameo appearances by the likes of PF Jerrod Nodar (4 pts but 29 pts in 2 games last season), SF Zachary Copeland (5 pts), PF Keandre Dew (7 pts) and SF Troy Thompson (8 pts but 22 pts vs. Sierra in Nov 2014).
#3-North Fresno: Went 1-1 with a loss to Santa Rosa in November and a 103-83 win over Monterey Peninsula on March 2nd. Ignore that first game; it was the 3rd day of a 3-day tournament and a third-place game, and a couple of prominent Rams got a "Popovich Holiday". Look at Wednesday when Fresno forced 16 first-half turnovers and then shot 53% in the second half. PF Mike Crawley (16 pts, 6 rebs, 4 stls), PF B.J. Shelton (15 pts), SG Evan Stillahn (15 pts, 5 threes) and SG Nick Hilton (9 pts, 3 threes) lead the attack but this is an ensemble cast. Loyola-Marymount-bound Ctr Josh Sykes doesn't score much (4 pts, 5 rebs, 4 asts) but is big and athletic in the middle and affects the game in a multitude of ways.
Bottom Line: This is the best and most evenly-matched field for a California JC state tournament that I can remember!
They are all quality teams and really any of the 4 teams could win it all.
CCSF seems bigger and deeper than Chaffey and is probably the favorite in the first semifinal.
And according to the folks at Saddleback, Fresno has a ridiculous 12-0 all-time record against the Gauchos so I guess they rate the advantage in the second game.
As for the potential championship, with the relocation of a certain NFL team back to California it looks like 2016 might be the Year of the Ram...but even that doesn't settle things as both CCSF and Fresno are the Rams.
I only know I'll be there Saturday...5 pm for CCSF vs. Chaffey and 7 pm for Fresno vs. Saddleback.
