By Damien Barling
MaxPreps.com
Girls Basketball: El Camino vs. Sacramento II
A familiar sight is going to take over Galt High School this Wednesday when the 25-4 El Camino Eagles take on the 25-3 Sacramento High Dragons.
These two teams met twice last year with El Camino winning both times. But it was Sacramento who had the last laugh, advancing to the state championship game while El Camino fell in the quarterfinals.
The Dragons went on to lose in the state championship game to two-time defending champion Bishop Amat of La Puente. Sac star Vicki Baugh says the memory of the loss remains with her team.
"We're going to have to change that," Baugh said.
The Dragons marched into the semifinals this past week by crushing the Manteca Buffaloes of the Valley Oak League, 91-50. Baugh led a balanced attack with 18 points, 13 rebounds, 6 blocks, and 5 assists. Kyra Dunn threw in a double-double of her own scoring 15 points and pulling down 10 rebounds.
El Camino's road to the semifinals wasn't as easy.
The Eagles defeated Placer High School in a thrilling 66-63 contest that saw both teams have the opportunity to win in the final seconds.
El Camino led 64-63 with 8.3 seconds left when Placer's Kasey Riecks went to the free throw line. With the El Camino crowd going crazy, Riecks missed both free throws, forcing Placer to foul.
With just over six seconds remaining, Lisa Peterson went to the line and nailed both free throws, giving El Camino the victory.
Peterson finished with a game-high 25 points, while Christina Frantz chipped in 15.
The Hillgals' Michelle Dadigan scored 15 points, including a basket with 47.4 seconds left that cut the Eagles' lead to 64-63. Riecks had 13 points and Madison Meade 12 for Placer (25-4).
"That was a great game," Eagles coach Bill Baxter said. "All I can tell you is that I'm too old for this."
The stage is set for two of the highest-profile girls programs to go at it in the playoffs. The key players are healthy and the cameras will be flashing. Baugh continues her quest to win that allusive state championship before heading to the University of Tennessee. Lisa Peterson will step on the court and state her case as one of the top players in the area. Baxter, who has won over 500 games in his coaching career, will look to add to his legacy.
The winner of the Sacramento-El Camino showdown will advance to the Sac-Joaquin D-III finals at ARCO Arena.
Other Girls Notes
Grant advanced to the D-II semifinals by defeating Casa Roble, 65-60, and Ponderosa, 60-47. Grant will take on Oak Ridge this Wednesday for a spot in the D-II finals.Jesuit and Rocklin will meet in D-I section semis.
Boys Basketball: Jesuit, Rocklin Set to Battle at ARCO
The most anticipated matchup of the basketball year is about to take place at ARCO Arena, and no, it doesn't have anything to do with the NBA's struggling Kings team that frequents the building.
It has everything to do with the two state-ranked teams about to battle for a spot in the D-I section championship.
Jesuit, 28-1 and No. 3 in the MaxPreps.com California State rankings, will take on Rocklin, 26-3 and No. 12 in the MaxPreps.com California State rankings, Thursday night at ARCO.
Rocklin, once ranked as high as No. 7 in the state rankings, fell out of the top 10 after suffering a pair of one-point losses.
Jesuit hasn't lost since Dec. 2, winning an amazing 26 games in a row since. A victory over Rocklin could help the Marauders improve upon their No. 12 national ranking by MaxPreps.
19th-Straight Victory Lifts Natomas into Semifinals
Friday night, the third-seeded Natomas Nighthawks won their 19th-consecutive game, 80-52 over visiting and sixth-seeded Foothill (23-6) in the Sac-Joaquin Section quarterfinals.
Natomas will play Weston Ranch of Stockton, an 85-78 winner over El Camino, in Wednesday's semifinals at Galt High School in its drive to win the school's third section boys basketball title next Friday.
Natomas dominated Friday even though its two stars, 6-foot-7 Justin Baker and 6-6 Zach Nelson, had little impact because of foul trouble. Baker, who finished with 13 points, fouled out at the start of the fourth quarter, and Nelson, who had four fouls and only four points, departed soon thereafter because of a leg injury.
