CCS girls basketball playoffs: Five things we learned from seeding meeting

Mitty-Pinewood 5.0?

Could we be in for a fifth round of Mitty and Pinewood for the CCS Open Division title? It’s certainly possible after the region’s top two girls basketball powers were once again seeded in the Open’s top two slots. They have faced off for the CCS Open championship in five of the past six years. The COVID-19 pandemic ended the Monarchs’ season prematurely last March after they swept through the WCAL, CCS and NorCal playoffs. This year, there are no NorCal or state playoffs for Sue Phillips’ squad, but they return to the No. 1 seed for the sixth straight year, seeking their sixth straight Open title (and seventh in the division’s nine-year history). In their past five CCS title runs, the Monarchs have beaten their opponents by an average of 31.6 points. The Panthers have come within an average of 18.8 points in their five previous CCS meetings and handed Mitty a loss in the 2018 NorCal finals. Both teams have stormed through their schedules this spring. Mitty’s only loss came in its season opener against St. Mary’s (Stockton), while no team has come within 10 points of Pinewood.

CCS BASKETBALL: Catch up on all our coverage

• Girls bracket: Opening-round schedule, matchups in all six divisions
• Boys bracket: Opening-round schedule, matchups in all six divisions
• Analysis: Five things we learned from boys seeding meeting

Priory’s big jump

When Buck Matthews arrived at Priory seven years ago, there was no girls basketball team to speak of — it had played its last game in 2008. Within two years, the program made its first CCS championship appearance and the next year, in 2017, began a run of four consecutive Division V section championships. This year, the four-time defending Division V champions will face a new test. Following a 9-3 regular season, they were elevated into the Open Division for the first time in program history and seeded fifth. The Panthers will begin their postseason at fourth-seeded Valley Christian on Friday with the possible prize of Archbishop Mitty awaiting the winner — a slightly different gauntlet than that of Oakwood, St. Francis Salesian College Prep and Notre Dame Salinas that Priory had to go through last year.

Open to the public

Capuchino is making its first appearance in the Open Division for a second time, while Palo Alto returns for a second time. Between them it will be as many public schools in the top competitive division as the past four years. Only two public-school teams — Lynbrook last year and Menlo-Atherton in 2017 — had qualified for the Open in the past four years, after there had been two in each of the first four years of its existence. No public school has won a game in the winner’s bracket since Scott’s Valley defeated Mitty in the 2014 quarterfinals, and no public school has ever advanced into the finals. In 2015, Paly was ousted in a 66-33 rout by St. Ignatius. This year, the Vikings (22-3) are seeded seventh with a first-round matchup at Pinewood (14-0). No. 8 Capuchino (10-0) gets the prize of playing Archbishop Mitty.

Slim pickings

Despite 88 potential slots, this spring’s CCS playoffs will feature only 54 teams, a dozen fewer than on the boys side, which also only filled two of its brackets to completion. Commissioner Dave Grissom previously said that because of the complications and other alterations that came with the pandemic-induced spring season, CCS playoffs in many sports may not look the same as previous years. The Open, which features only eight teams, was the only division to fill its bracket to capacity. The other five divisions could take up to 16 teams, but the 12 at Division I were the most of any other level. At Division V, just five teams will fight it out for the section championship.

Defending their crowns

There will be new CCS champions in at least three divisions, while three other teams will have a shot at a repeat crown.

As noted, Mitty is seeking its sixth consecutive title in the Open Division, and Priory, the Division V champion four years running, will also compete this year in the Open Division.

In the two largest enrollment divisions, neither defending champion qualified for the postseason after drop offs this spring. At Division I, Menlo-Atherton finished 1-7, and at Division II, Presentation finished 7-4, including 2-4 in West Catholic Athletic League play. As the top seeds in each division this year, Los Altos (11-3) and Lynbrook (13-3) can be considered the favorites to claim each level’s championship.

In Division III, Aptos is back as the No. 1 seed seeking its third title in as many years.

In Division IV, top-seeded Half Moon Bay is also well-positioned to defend its championship.