Local Girls Basketball

The 2025 Sac-Joaquin Section Girls Basketball Playoffs have begun, and eight of the eleven teams we’ve been following are participating.

Bear River Bruins: By losing, 25-71, to the Colfax Bruins last Friday evening, the Bruins finished their regular season in third place within the Pioneer Valley League (PVL). However, this position still earned the Bruins the fifth seed in the Division 4 playoffs. Thus, at home on Tuesday, 2/18, the team faced the 12th-seeded Central Catholic Raiders of Modesto, beating them 66-47 last night. Tonight, 2/20, the team will travel to Sacramento to play the fourth seed in their bracket, the West Campus Warriors. This team beat the Bruins by nine points at a tournament back in December and was unbeaten, going 14-0, while winning the Greater Sacramento League championship. Should the Bruins upset the Warriors in this quarterfinal match, they will most likely take on the number one seed Liberty Ranch Hawks of Galt in the semi-finals on 2/25.

Chester Volcanos: After placing third in the Five Star League, the Volcanos ended up with the number two seed in Division 7 of the Northern Section. Thus, last night, 2/19 (after our deadline for this edition), they competed at home against the number seven seed Paradise Adventist Academy.

Colfax Falcons: By clobbering both the Oakmont Vikings (82-14) and the Bear River Bruins (71-25) in their final two regular games, the Falcons won the PVL championship and carried a 13-game win streak plus the number one seed into Round 1 of the Sac-Joaquin Division 3 playoffs on 2/18. Now, after crushing the 16th-seed Roseville Tigers by a score of 67-27 on 2/18 in Round 1 of the playoffs, tonight, 2/20, the Falcons’ drive to gain the Division 3 championship for the second year in a row will continue at home against the number nine seed, Fairfield Falcons.

Lassen Grizzlies: Having ended their regular season with a 68-38 win against the Central Valley Falcons, the Susanville’s Grizzlies, seeded eighth in Division 4, lost by a 50-70 score to the ninth seed, Anderson Cubs on 2/18 to end their season.

Loyalton Grizzlies: Last night, 2/19 (unfortunately, after our deadline), the Grizzlies, seeded sixth in Division 6, hosted the eleventh-seed Maxwell Panthers. Having beaten the Panthers handily (52-23) during a tournament in early December, the Grizzlies have an excellent chance of advancing to Round 2 and an away game against the Fall River Bulldogs tomorrow night, 2/21.

Modoc Braves: With last week’s victories over the Etna Lions (62-17) and the Fall River Bulldogs (59-50), the Braves netted the Shasta-Cascade League championship and the number two seed in the Division 5 playoffs. Hence, tonight, 2/20, the Modoc Braves take the court at home against the number seven seed Hamilton Braves. Should Alturas’ Braves win, they will host either the third-seed Durham Trojans or the sixth-seed Portola Tigers in Round 2 of these playoffs.

Portola Tigers: Last week, the Tigers finished their Mid-Valley League (MVL) play with lopsided victories against the weak Williams Yellowjackets (72-21) and Maxwell Panthers (62-25), finishing third in the MVL and gaining the sixth seed in the Northern Section’s Division 5 playoffs. As a result, this evening, 2/20, the Tigers will be on the road competing against the number three seed Durham Trojans. Should the Tigers win, their most likely opponent in Round 2 would be the Modoc Braves on 2/27.

Quincy Trojans: Having won the MVL championship with a 63-13 victory over the Hamilton Braves last Friday night, the Trojans will carry a five-game win streak into their Division 5 playoff game tonight, 2/20, with the East Nicolaus Spartans. Seeded fifth, the Trojans will be on the road while facing the number four-seeded Spartans, and we expect a tight contest. Yes, the Trojans are ranked 516th in California while the Spartans are ranked 530th. If Quincy does prevail, their Round 2 opponent would be the Trinity Wolves, a team currently ranked as California’s 238th-best girls’ basketball team.