Boys basketball
No. 1 Campolindo 47, No. 10 Northgate 44
They did it again. Backs against the wall on the road against a hungry opponent, the Campolindo Cougars found a way to celebrate another victory.
They edged Northgate on Monday night when the home team missed a 3-pointer as time expired.
Justin Yasukochi’s two free throws with 14.2 seconds left padded Campo’s lead to three.
The Cougars, ranked No. 1 by the Bay Area News Group, improved to 22-1 overall and 9-0 in the Diablo Athletic League’s Foothill Division.
They have won 41 of 42 games dating to February 2020.
As the cliche goes, they get everybody’s best shot. In the past week alone, Campo needed overtime to win at Clayton Valley Charter and a buzzer-beating putback by an alert Cade Bennett to turn back Lincoln of Stockton.
In Monday’s nail-biter, Campo led by 11 at halftime. But Northgate roared back on its home court in Walnut Creek to cut the margin to one. The Broncos (18-6, 7-4) couldn’t get over the top.
Shane O’Reilly (17 points) and Aidan Mahaney (12 points) scored in double figures for Campo.
Thayne Merrill finished with 13 points for Northgate.
With victories in its next two games — senior night on Wednesday against Las Lomas and Friday at College Park — Campo will clinch the league title before its visit to fourth-ranked Miramonte on Saturday to close the regular season.
The Miramonte game will be Campo’s seventh in 10 days.
The Cougars will have plenty of time to recharge.
CATCH UP ON HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS
When the North Coast Section announces its playoff brackets Sunday, Campo should be the No. 1 seed in the six-team Open Division. Given that the top two seeds have first-round byes, the Cougars will have 10 days off before opening the playoffs on Feb. 23.
Campo will enter postseason play with a resume that includes wins over Dublin, Archbishop Riordan, St. Francis, De La Salle, Miramonte, Northgate (twice) and Clayton Valley (twice).
The Cougars won a school-record 25 in a row before losing to Texas powerhouse Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy 69-64 at the Torrey Pines Holiday Classic in December.
Their last loss to a California school was at Dublin, 64-55 in the semifinals of the NCS Open Division playoffs on Feb. 26, 2020.
No. 2 Archbishop Mitty 61, Bellarmine 42
Mitty is on the brink of clinching another West Catholic Athletic League championship after winning on the road over Bellarmine.
The Monarchs can wrap up the title with a win at home Wednesday over Archbishop Riordan.
Monday’s game was a defensive grind in the first half. The teams were tied 5-5 after the first quarter, and Mitty led 18-10 at halftime. The Monarchs widened the margin to 42-29 after three quarters.
Mitty improved to 17-4, 10-1. Bellarmine is 10-10, 3-8.
Brody Pearson (14 points) and Tariq Weiser (10 points) scored in double figures for Bellarmine.
Elsewhere
In the East Bay Athletic League tournament, ninth-seeded Monte Vista edged No. 8 seed California 64-60 and No. 7 seed Foothill rolled over No. 10 seed Livermore 57-28. Monte Vista visits top seed Dublin tonight. When the teams played Friday at Monte Vista, Dublin survived 60-57 in overtime. Foothill travels to No. 2 seed De La Salle tonight. … No. 19 Bishop O’Dowd beat Castro Valley 73-59 to improve to 13-5 overall and 10-0 in the West Alameda County Conference’s Foothill League. The Dragons have won 10 in a row. They can clinch the league title at home Wednesday against Piedmont.
Girls basketball
No. 16 Heritage 65, Liberty 45
Heritage rolled at home in Brentwood on Senior Night as junior Amanda Muse led the Patriots with 19 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks.
Senior Gabby Martini added 13 points and four steals as Heritage improved to 15-5, 4-1.
Liberty is 9-10, 3-2.
Elsewhere
No. 11 Palo Alto extended its winning streak to 16 games with a 52-40 victory over Lynbrook. Palo Alto is 18-1 overall and 8-0 in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League’s De Anza Division. Lynbrook is 9-13, 3-7. … In the EBAL tournament, No. 8 seed Foothill defeated No. 9 seed Dougherty Valley 48-39, and No. 7 seed California routed No. 10 seed Livermore 76-20. Tonight, Foothill plays at No. 1 seed San Ramon Valley and California travels to No. 2 seed Carondelet.
Source: www.mercurynews.com