first round norcal division 1, girls March 9, 2000

Northern California D-I State Regionals First round games March 8, @ Home Schools* 7:30 p.m			Second Round March 10 @ Home Schools*	Regional Finals March 11 Arco Arena 6:00 p.m.	State Finals March 18
Monte Vista (Danville) 47	@	*Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) 75	Beyer @ Archbishop Mitty		@Arco Arena 6:00 p.m. Saturday 3/18
Castlemont (Oakland) 44	@	*Beyer @ Beyer HS (Modesto) 57
Nevada Union (Grass Valley) 54	@	*Oakland (Oakland) 51	Nevada Union @ Berkeley
St. Ignatius (San Francisco) 36	@	*Berkeley (@Berkeley HS) 57

Berkeley High 57, St. Ignatius 36--The state Division I hopeful Berkeley High girls played one of their most lackluster games of the year but still survived, 57-36, in a Northern California basketball quarterfinal game against visiting St. Ignatius Prep on Wednesday. The second-seeded Yellowjackets (27-2) were just 17-for-46 (27 percent) from the field through three quarters. Hollans (23 ppg) went just 7-for-22 from the field for her 15 points, but luckily, her teammate Robin Roberson thrived under the pressure of picking up the misses. Berkeley's main weapon was the put-back, and none was better at it than Roberson. The 6-foot forward scored a game-high 22 points, including eight on put-backs. In all, Berkeley got 14 second-chance points, stymieing whatever momentum SI built with its deliberate motion offense. But Roberson showed more than just muscle underneath the boards. She also connected on two first-quarter 3-pointers to help keep SI at arm's length, 27-20, at halftime. The Wildcats' offense which relies heavily on picks, backdoor cuts and 3-pointers had a lot to do with Berkeley's inefficiency. The complicated system left a confused look on the 'Jackets' faces for about a half. St. Ignatius which was led by Mary Kate Sullivan's 14 points was 9-for-19 (48 percent) in the first half, but just 5-for-20 (25 percent) in the second after Berkeley made its adjustments. Once the Yellowjackets started clicking on defense, it quickly translated into easier baskets at the other end. Berkeley went 7-for-15 in the fourth quarter for 15 points. Berkeley hosts Nevada Union of Grass Valley in Friday's semifinals. A win would more than likely set up the highly anticipated a third straight championship matchup against Mitty of San Jose. Berkeley won two seasons ago, but the Monarchs gained revenge last year on their way to capturing the state crown. St. Ignatius (17-10)13 7 6 10--36 Berkeley (27-2)19 8 15 15--57 ST. IGNATIUS (fg-ft-tp)--Meinhardt 3-0-7, O'Brien 1-1-3, McCaffery 1-0-2, Sullivan 5-2-14, Hontalas 4-2-10. Totals 14-5-36. BERKELEY--Hutton 1-0-3, Jenkins 1-1-3, Hollans 7-1-15, McGlaston 1-0-2, Roberson 9-0-20, Keys 4-4-12. Totals 23-6-57. 3-point goals--Meinhardt, Sullivan 2, Hutton, Roberson 2. Fouled out--none.

Nevada Union 54, Oakland 51--The Miners (30-4) led wire-to-wire to eliminate the Wildcats (25-5) at Laney College. The Grass Valley school's Amy Christensen led all scorers with 17 points. Oakland got 17 points from Ebony Young and 13 from Angela Gibson. With just half a second remaining on the clock, Nevada Union inbounded the ball, and Oakland's Michelle Strong got close to Nevada Union's Kassidy Johnson, waited for the whistle to blow, then promptly dove to the floor like a Hollywood stuntman, trying to pick up a foul to stop the clock. The ref didn't go for it. The ball went inbounds, the clock started, and Nevada Union won. The Wildcats (25-5), who never led, had a few opportunities to pull out a win in the game's final minutes. Nicol Berry hit a 3-pointer to cap a 9-2 run that trimmed a 10-point Nevada Union lead to 49-46 with just more than two minutes to play. But Oakland never could take the lead. Both Angel Johnson and Angela Gibson had a hand in stripping Kassidy Johnson on the Miners' next trip up the floor, but the Wildcats couldn't do anything with it on offense. Nevada's Amy Christensen and Oakland's Ebony Young traded baskets, then the Miners went ahead 54-48 with 15 seconds to play on a free throw from Christensen and a pair of foul shots from point guard Tami Cades. Berry and Young missed shots for the Wildcats, then Berry got hold of a loose ball to make a 3-pointer. But by then, it was too late. Oakland trailed 24-19 at halftime, but made it close at the end by outscoring Nevada Union 19-15 in the final quarter. Gibson scored 14 of her 16 points in the final two periods. Berry also finished with 16, including seven in the fourth quarter. Young scored eight of her 14 points in the first period but was bothered by foul trouble in the second half. Christensen led Nevada Union with 17 points. Nevada Union (30-4)13 11 15 15--54 Oakland (25-5)10 9 13 19--51 NEVADA UNION (fg-ft-tp)--Beaver 2-0-4, Brooks 1-0-2, Johnson 4-4-12, Christensen 6-3-17, Cades 4-2-12 Pietrek 3-1-7 Totals 20-10-54. OAKLAND--Berry 5-2-16, Duong 2-0-4, Gibson 6-2-16, Strong 0-1-1, Young 7-0-14. Totals 20-5-51. 3-point goals--Christensen 2, Cades 2, Berry 4, Gibson 2. Fouled out--none.

Beyer 67, Castlemont 44--The Knights (21-7) fell to the host Modesto school despite balanced scoring from Tache Daniels (12 points), Theresa Goodwin (10) and Rickia Hamilton (10). The Patriots (30-2) have won 17 consecutive games, but they might need a little luck in the next game against Archibishop Mitty (28-2), the No. 5 team in the nation according to USA Today. Castlemont, the Oakland Athletic League co-champion, finishes 21-7. Mandy Welch scored 24 points to lead Beyer. Beyer, which never trailed in the game, opened with a quick pair of baskets by Melissa Michelini, who along with Nieradzik, dominated the inside all night Michelini score eight of Beyer's first 10 points as the Patriots opened the game with a 12-4 run. Castlemont, led by 12 points from Tache Daniels, closed to within 18-15 with 6:30 remaining in the second period. Then Welch and the Patriots made their big move, a 13-0 run while Beyer held Castlemont scoreless for nearly six minutes. Castlemont (21-7)11 9 17 7--44 Beyer (30-2)17 14 19 17--67 CASTLEMONT (total points)--Goodwin 10, Ashworth 4, Hamilton 10, Bejide 8, Daniels 12. Totals 18 8-16 44. BEYER--Basey 3, Silva 5, Welch 24, Nieradzik 8, Perkins 2, Spector 2, Johnson 2, Michelini 10, Gillespie 11. Totals 28 6-8 67. 3-point goals--Beyer 5, Gillespie 2, Welch 2, Silva. Fouled out--none.

Mitty 75, Monte Vista 47--Rometra Craig pumped in 27 points and Amy Gryzb added 18 for the defending state champion Monarchs (27-3). The visiting Mustangs (21-8) were led by Holly Richards' 16 and Kim Hong's 15.Monte Vista7 14 14 12--47 Archbishop Mitty22 15 21 17--75 MONTE VISTA (fg-ftm-tp)--Cabrita 2-0-4, Grossman 1-0-2, Hong 5-4-15, Richards 8-0-16, Clark 2-3-5, Ma 0-0-0, Cordero 1-0-2, Robinson 1-1-3. Totals 20-9-47. ARCHBISHOP MITTY--Grzyb 7-1-18, Craig 9-4-23, Iwanaga 4-2-10, Coquilla 2-0-4, Green 3-0-6, Hicks 2-2-6, Cotton 2-2-6. Totals 29-11-75. 3-point goals--Hong, Grzyb 3, Craig. Fouled out--Clark.