Northern California championship game playoff capsules

A brief glance at the 10 Northern California championship basketball games played at two venues:

Division I
No. 4 Jesuit (Carmichael) (27-6) vs. No. 2 Sheldon (Sacramento) (28-5) at Power Balance Pavilion, 8 p.m.

Noteworthy: First-ever large-school meeting of two Sac-Joaquin Section schools and first not involving Bay Area squad. … Sheldon has won three previous meetings this season between teams. ... Jesuit, the last Sacramento-area team to represent the SJS in the Division I championship in 1993 and 1994, is led by the talented trio of Akachi Okugo, Bryce Pressley and Parker Uu. It pulled off a stunning 44-41 win at top seed De La Salle on Tuesday, finishing off the game with a 14-3 run. ... Sheldon is a talented, deep and athletic squad led by Kyi Thomas, D'erryl Williams, and Armani Hampton. Predicted winner: Sheldon.

Division II
No. 1 Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) (29-3) vs. No. 2 Newark Memorial (Newark) (28-4) at Power Balance Pavilion, 4 p.m.



Noteworthy: Mitty beat visiting Newark Memorial 60-40 on Dec. 16. … NM has won 21 straight, Mitty 18. … Mitty is defending state champion. … NM won the 2010 Div. I NorCal title. … Many similar pieces but no one matches up with Mitty's 6-7 junior Aaron Gordon. Newark Memorial is led by senior Casey Norris, who scored a game-high 21 points including 15 straight at one point, in 48-46 semifinal win over Serra. Winner: Mitty.

Division III
No. 1 Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco, Calif.) (27-5) vs. No. 2 Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland, Calif.) (26-5) at Power Balance Pavilion, noon

Noteworthy: SHC beat Jesuit 67-51 on Dec. 22, BOD lost at Jesuit 74-64 on Dec. 2. … This will be the fourth straight year SHC or BOD will win the D3 title. … Though BOD's front line that goes 6-7 (Richard Longrus), 6-7 (Ivan Rabb) and 6-6 (Terrence Daniel) dwarfs SHC, key to game will be the backcourt of both squads. BOD has NorCal record seven regional titles. ... Sacred Heart Cathedral is led by dynamic 6-5 forward duo of Taylor Johns and Joshua Fox. ... Winner: Bishop O'Dowd.

Division IV
No. 1 Salesian (Richmond) (32-2) vs. No. 3 Sacred Heart Prep (Atherton) (23-6) at Folsom HS, 7 p.m.

Noteworthy: Salesian, led by 6-5 junior guard Jabari Bird, bent on winning state title after losing in last year's state finals. … Remarkably coaching job by SHP's Tony Martinelli, who lost seven of his top eight scorers to graduation off last year's 25-3 team. … SHP 6-5 guard Cole McConnell has scored 58 points the last two games. Winner: Salesian.

Division V
No. 1 St. Joseph Notre Dame (Alameda) (28-4) vs. No. 2 Pinewood (Los Altos Hills) (27-2) at Folsom HS, 3 p.m.

Noteworthy: SJ graduated its top three players from last season's NorCal champion, but coach Don Lippi (700 wins) has re-tooled quickly behind 6-6 sophomore Temidayo Yussef and senior Gemeny Givens . … According to the ESPN CalHiSports.com record book, Lippi is the third winningest active coach in the state (No. 1 in Northern California) and No. 8 all-time in the state. ... Pinewood, led by 6-4 senior Solomone Wolfgramm, averages healthy 71 ppg. Winner: St. Joseph.



GIRLS

Division I
No. 1 Berkeley (28-2) vs. No. 3 Kennedy (Sacramento) (25-8) at Power Balance Pavilion, 6 p.m.

Noteworthy: Berkeley has won NorCal record 10 regional titles. … Yellowjackets are led by Arizona State-bound Elisha Davis. ... Since last loss – 54-49 to St. Mary's-Berkeley Jan. 21 – Berkeley has won 11 straight by average margin of 36. … Two NorCal wins over SJS teams by just 15 and 11. … Kennedy is led by Lynette Johnson (18.8 ppg). Winner: Berkeley

Division II
No. 1 St. Mary's (Stockton) (30-3) vs. No. 3 Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) (26-5) at Power Balance Pavilion, 2 p.m.

Noteworthy: St. Mary's has nine regional titles, Mitty eight but the two programs have never faced off in title game. … St. Mary's eliminated Mitty 67-64 in the 2010 NorCal quarterfinals, the last time the teams met. … Mitty point guard Vanessa Garner (knee) is questionable after injury Tuesday against Carondelet-Concord. … Sophomores Kelli Hayes (Mitty) and Charise Holloway (St. Mary's) have been top scorers for both teams lately. ... Great match-up of two of the state's, if not nation's, top coaches, Mitty's Sue Phillips and Tom Gonsalves, of St. Mary's. Winner: St. Mary's.

Division III
No. 1 Bishop O'Dowd (28-3) vs. Miramonte (Orinda) (31-1) at Power Balance Pavilion, 10 a.m.



Noteworthy: Rematch of NCS finals, a 73-49 BOD win on March 3. … Second-chance points were key for much-taller BOD in that game. … BOD is led by one-two inside game of Kendall Waters (6-2) and Oderah Chidom (6-4). … Miramonte, led by 6-1 shooter Janine Loutzenhiser, has refocused nicely since loss to BOD Winner: Bishop O'Dowd.

Division IV
No. 1 Salesian (30-4) vs. No. 2 St. Mary's (Albany) (26-7) at Folsom HS, 5 p.m.

Noteworthy: Fifth meeting of season between BSAL rivals, with Salesian winning for the first time in NCS finals 49-42 on March 3. … Game features three of nation's top sophomores, Mariya Moore (Salesian) and the St. Mary's tandem of Gabby Green and Mikayla Cowling. SM is defending champ. Winner: St. Mary's.

Division V
No. 1 Brookside Christian (Stockton) (28-4) vs. No. 2 Eastside College Prep (East Palo Alto) (17-13) at Folsom HS, 1 p.m.

Noteworthy: BC 5-6 sophomore Tiara Tucker has scored 112 points in her last three games and is averaging 26.3 per game. … BC beat Pinewood by 23 in semifinals. EP split four games with Pinewood this season. … EP is led by 6-foot junior Hashima Carothers. Winner: Brookside Christian.