Giants seeded eighth, receive first-round bye for NorCal Regional women's basketball playoffs

By Nick Giannandrea

COS ATHLETICS

For College of the Sequoias, there is good and bad that comes with being seeded eighth in the Northern California Regional women's basketball playoffs.

The good?

A first-round bye and second-round home game.

The bad?

Potentially having to go through the region's No. 1 seed on the road in order to earn an opportunity to play on its home floor during the California Community College Athletic Association's Elite Eight state championship tournament.

The Giants (17-11) are one of the eight teams with a first-round NorCal Regionals bye and await the winner between No. 9 Sierra and No. 24 Merritt in a second-round game scheduled for 7 p.m. Feb. 28 at Porter Field House, which will also be the site of the Elite Eight tournament on March 12 and 14-15.

The Wolverines (19-9), who were fourth in the Big 8 Conference, host the Bay Valley Conference co-runner-up Panthers (16-11) on Feb. 25.

"I thought we'd probably catch the eight," Sequoias coach Tyler Newton said. "With a few more wins, we would have bumped up a little. But it's nice to have a bye and get a first home game in our pocket."

Newton said he expects Sierra will be the Giants' next opponent.

The Wolverines have beaten six teams in the NorCal Regional field, including sixth-seeded Butte. Merritt has two wins against regional participants, its best win coming against No. 15 Los Medanos.

Sierra also is a perennial state power under coach Brandie Murrish and has reached the Elite Eight in four of the past five championship seasons, including a state title run in 2022.

"She's a good coach and they have a good program," Newton said of Murrish and Sierra. "I know they finished fourth in the Big 8, but that was the strongest conference in NorCal. She'll have her kids ready to play. We're going to have a tough game."

Should Sequoias win its opener, it will potentially have to travel to top-seeded San Joaquin Delta (23-5) in an Elite Eight play-in game. The Mustangs are in the postseason for the 30th straight season under coach Gina Johnson, and have reached the Elite Eight in five of the past six championship seasons.

Delta is set to open the postseason at home on Feb. 28 against the winner between No. 16 Reedley (17-11) and No. 17 Modesto (14-14).

The Mustangs were the only team this season to defeat reigning state champion and top-ranked Mt. San Antonio (27-1), edging the Mounties 73-72 in the first round of Sequoias' Gilcrest Invitational on Dec. 4. But among Delta's five losses was a 63-47 setback against the Giants for third place at the Gilcrest Invitational on Dec. 6.

"It would be two tough games to get back to the show," Newton said. "But we'll be prepared and ready to go."

The rest of the top eight seeds for the NorCal Regionals are No. 2 Folsom Lake (26-2), No. 3 Laney (23-3), No. 4 Fresno City (21-7), No. 5 Santa Rosa (23-5), No. 6 Butte (22-5) and No. 7 San Francisco (22-5).

In the Southern California Regionals, the top eight seeds belong to Mt. SAC, No. 2 Irvine Valley (24-4), No. 3 Moorpark (25-3), No. 4 Orange Coast (20-8), No. 5 Mira Costa (27-1), No. 6 Cypress (21-7), No. 7 Mt. San Jacinto (23-5) and No. 8 Glendale (24-4).

Sequoias is making its 13th straight appearance in the postseason.

The Giants have qualified for the Elite Eight in six of the past nine championship seasons, including in 2024-2025, when they went 31-1 and reached the semifinals.

Heading into this season with a 15-woman roster featuring 10 newcomers, Sequoias opened with lofty expectations and a No. 2 preseason state ranking.

But three players expected to have big roles -- returners Kaitlin Giacone (Eureka) and Tylie Hatcher (Cloverdale) and sophomore transfer Danae Banuelos (Golden West High) -- were never able to play because of injuries. And it took time for the nine other newcomers -- sophomore transfers Gabby Brooks (Henderson, Nev.) and Sydney Chesnut (Henderson, Nev.) along with freshmen Claire Olia (Walnut), Kalysa Phanhsavang (Stockton), Izabel Mendez (Caruthers), Nyla Anderson (Austin, Texas), Demi Boykin (Marysville), Ava King (Bakersfield Christian) and Vivian Moore (Central East-Fresno) -- to mesh with returners Olivia Gill (Woodland), Maya McNeal (Marysville), figure out their roles and rise to the standard of play that Newton demands. Sequoias lost 11 of its first 20 games.

But the Giants enter the postseason riding an eight-game winning streak, including avenging Central Valley Conference losses to Fresno City and Lemoore.

"There are a number of girls who have been struggling this year and have found their footing and confidence," Newton said. "We're in a good headspace. You know, a lot of times you can feel the vibes are down and everyone is ready for the season to be over. Our vibes are still high. I don't think anyone is ready for the season to be over. We've started to develop a little chip on our shoulder."