CIF San Diego Section Division 1 semifinals preview
After two rounds of play, the top four seeds have emerged in the Division 1 field. While all four of these teams qualify for the state playoffs by making it to the semifinals, there’s still a championship at stake. Who…
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Continue ReadingAfter two rounds of play, the top four seeds have emerged in the Division 1 field.
While all four of these teams qualify for the state playoffs by making it to the semifinals, there’s still a championship at stake.
Who advances to the championship? Here’s our take:
Semifinals No. 1: (1) Cathedral Catholic vs (4) La Jolla Country Day, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 19 at Cathedral Catholic
How they got here: Cathedral Catholic defeated (8) Christian 66-56. La Jolla Country Day defeated (5) El Camino 59-49.
Starting five for Cathedral: Alex Wade, PG; Scotty Prunty, G; Thomas Notarainni, G; Obinna Anyanwu, PF; Dillon Wilhite, PF/C
Starting five for La Jolla Country Day: Raymond Lu, PG; Ryan Langborg, SG; John Hapgood, G; James Hapgood, G; Jayson Taylor, C
The skinny:
These are teams that were headed in different directions at the end of the season. The Torreys, a preseason top-5 team, was beset with injuries and lost five straight games to end the reglar season. Cathedral Catholic defeated Mission Bay and St. Augustine during a stretch where it won five of its last six games.
But Country Day is finally healthy and this game looks like a war on paper, as the teams have very similar strengths.
The top seeded Dons are led by its trio of sophomores, Anyanwu, Notarainni and Wade, with fellow sophomore Wilhite and junior Prunty making valuable contributions. For Country Day, Langborg is capable of taking over a game with his hot shooting and three-level scoring. Taylor is one of the more underrated rim protectors and rebounders, which will be key in order for the Torreys to contain Anyanwu, a 6-7 beast in the paint.
The ex-factors:
As teams key on the high-scoring Notarainni and Anyanwu, Prunty’s ability to shoot the ball from deep becomes a big ex-factor. If he can keep the defense honest, it opens things up for Cathedral’s primary scorers.
For Country Day, it’s a healthy Lu. When he is right, Lu carves up defenses and creates easy scoring opportunities for guys like Taylor and the Hapgood twins. He has been in and out of the lineup with a sprained ankle, but if he’s there, the Torreys are tough.
Who wins:
Cathedral Catholic is a year ahead of schedule, as they project to be an elite team at the statewide level the next few years. A win here could really serve as the springboard for a special run, but I think the experience of Country Day pushes them over the hump in a nail biter.
Prediction: La Jolla Country Day 65, Cathedral Catholic 63
Semifinals No. 2: (2) Montgomery vs (3) Francis Parker, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 19 at Montgomery
How they got here: Montgomery defeated (10) Helix 82-57. Parker defeated (6) Mater Dei Catholic 50-47.
Starters for Montgomery: Kyle Paranada, G; Rahin Williams, G; Ze’Taime Burton, G; Sebastian Morgan, G; Isaac Guel, PF
Starters for Francis Parker: Kimo Ferrari, PG; Vinny Ferrari, G; Max Guinn, WF; Jacob Jovien, WF; Matt Bender, PF/C
The skinny:
The saying “familiarity breeds contempt” is apropos here. This Division 2 quarterfinals rematch pits two teams who don’t like each other very much, as a post-game fracas marred the 8-seed Parker’s upset of top-seeded Montgomery en route to a Division 2 championship.
I’m certain that both teams haven’t forgotten.
Montgomery’ is in the midst of the best two-year run in program history, and has done it with lineup continuity and high scoring. Kyle Paranada, the 5-7 scoring wizard, became the leading scorer in program history, and his teammates – namely Ze’Taime Burton, Rahin Williams and Sebastian Morgan, are all capable of going off for big games. Woefully undersized outside of 6-5 sophomore Isaac Guel, the Aztecs speed up opponents and rely heavily on the perimeter shooting as the equalizer.
For Parker, a late-season swoon knocked them out of the Open Division, but they are a dangerous team in the D3 bracket because of their ability to beat you in the paint and on the perimeter. Point guard Kimo Ferrari has game-changing speed and court vision, and is a menace on defense. Max Guinn and Matt Bender have been in big games since their freshmen year at Country Day, and the emergence of Vinny Ferrari as a knockdown shooter has been a nice addition, along with sophomore sharpshooter Daryl Sledge.
Ex factors:
For Parker, the health of Ferrari is critical. He’s been in and out of the lineup to end the year, and missed Parker’s nail-biter over Mater Dei Catholic in the quarterfinals. They’ll need for him to be present and accounted for to beat Montgomery this time around.
For Montgomery, sophomore forward Jaheem Williams has emerged as a major ex factor, because of his energy and tenacity on the boards. At only 6-1, he plays much bigger than his listed height.
Who wins:
For many of the same reasons I picked Parker last year, I’m picking the Lancers again to get past the Aztecs, narrowly.
Prediction: Francis Parker 79, Montgomery 76