Girls Sac-Joaquin Section Basketball Playoff Brackets | News

SACRAMENTO, CA - The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Sac-Joaquin Section released the postseason schedule and bracket for Girls basketball - where the defending state champion St. Mary's Rams of Stockton are going for their fifth straight Section title.

The Rams return as the top seed in Division II and will be expected by many to return to Power Balance Pavilion on Saturday, Mar. 3 to defend their Section Championship.

Below is a look at each Division bracket and the first round matchups to begin the Section playoffs.

Division I:  CIF SAC-JOAQUIN GIRLS DIVISION I BRACKET:

The top seeded Pleasant Grove Eagles (19-8) head into the playoffs on after dropping the final game of the season to the No. 7 Sheldon Huskies (20-7). The loss was the only Eagles loss in the Delta River League.

On Monday, Feb. 20, Chavez of Stockton and Pitman of Turlock will play for the rights to face the Eagles in the opening round of the playoffs. The winner faces Pleasant Grove the next night on Tuesday at Pleasant Grove High School in Elk Grove.

Fairfield's Armijo Indians (21-6), who average 58.8 points per game, secured the second seed in the D-I bracket. No. 3 Lincoln Trojans (21-5, 10-0) of Stockton and No. 4 Kennedy Cougars (19-8) round out the top teams of the bracket.

The D-I semifinals will be held at the Spanos Center in Stockton on Feb. 28 before concluding with the Section title game at Sacramento's Power Balance Pavilion on Mar. 3.

Division II:  CIF SAC-JOAQUIN GIRLS DIVISION II BRACKET:

The Rams (24-3, 10-0) may be the favorite to come out of Division II's bracket, but they will meet some steep competition form the likes of No. 2 El Camino (23-4, 10-0), who are riding a seven-game winning streak, and No. 3 McNair (24-3). The Florin Panthers secured the fourth seed after a 22-5 overall record.

The Rams only defeats came against Orlando's Dr. Phillips, Illionois Bolingbrook high school - one of the nations top teams, and La Jolla's Country Day - one of the state's best teams.

The D-II semifinals will be played on Tuesday, Feb. 28 at the Spanos Center in Stockton before the Section Championship game on Saturday, March 3.

Division III:  CIF SAC-JOAQUIN GIRLS DIVISION III BRACKET:

The Sacramento Lady Dragons will hold the familiar No. 1 seed in Division III after wrapping up the season 21-6 and 14-0 in Metro League. Last season, the Dragons beat Vanden to win the Section title. This season, the expectations are the same.

Giving the Dragons trouble could be Christian Brothers, who locked the No. 2 seed after a 21-6 record and No. 3 Modesto Christian (22-5, 12-0) will look to make noise in the bottom of the bracket - they were Division IV's Section Championship after defeating Calaveras.

Vanden returns to the playoffs as the fourth seed following a 19-7 overall record. They hope to meet the Dragons in the semifinals, which will be held at Cosumnes River College on Feb. 28. The Section title game will return to Power Balance Pavilion on Mar. 2.

Division IV:  CIF SAC-JOAQUIN GIRLS DIVISION IV BRACKET:

The Calaveras Redskins return to the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs as the Division IV top seed. Looking to avenge their loss to Modesto Christian in the Section title game last season. Luckily for the Redskins, Modesto Christian moved up to D-III, therefore their top competition will come from No. 2 Colfax (16-8) or, even possibly No. 3 West Campus, who finished the season 20-5 and undefeated in league play.

The semifinals will be held at Tokay High School in Lodi on Feb. 29 before the Section title game at Power Balance on Saturday, March 3.

Division V:  CIF SAC-JOAQUIN GIRLS DIVISION V BRACKET:

The Brookside Christian Knights come in as the top seed in Division V. The Knights (23-4) will come in as the heavy favorites led by a sophomore. The sensation known as Tiara Tucker who leads the team and the Sac-Joaquin Section with 25.8 points per game.

The Knights, who played only five girls, lost in the D-V finals last season to Bradshaw Christion 44-32.

No. 2 Turlock Christian Eagles (24-3) will challenge for the title, led bu junior Haile Bergam who is third in the Section in scoring at 24 points per game. Both the Knights and the Eagles will have first round byes.

The semifinals for D-V will be played at Galt High School on Wednesday, Feb. 29 and the championship game will be held on Friday, Mar. 2 at Power Balance Pavilion.
 
Division VI: CIF SAC-JOAQUIN GIRLS DIVISION VI BRACKET:

Carmichael's Victory Christian Vikings (17-6) earned the top seed in the Section's new Division VI. The Wilton Christian Patriots will head into the postseason as the No. 2 seed.

The Section championship game will be played on Mar. 1 at Galt High School.

By Sean Cunningham, SCunningham@News10.net
Twitter: @News10Sean