SoCalHoops CIF-SS Playoff News

CIF-SS I-AA Preview: Capo Valley v.
LB Poly @ LBCCTonight--(Feb. 26, 2002)

What: Division I-AA Semifinals
Who: Capistrano Valley (24-6) v. Long Beach Poly (26-3)
Where: @ Long Beach City College
When: 8:00 p.m.

Note:  This game will not start until 8 p.m. (possibly later depending on the finish of the LB Poly girls' game), because the Jackrabbits' girls team will be playing Ayala at 6 p.m. at Long Beach City College.  The gym will be cleared between games, so they'll be charging a separate admission fee for the boys game and the girls game.

Poly is the No. 2 seed this year.  Some have argued that they should be the No. 1 seed, and that Eisenhower did not deserve to be ranked over them.  Maybe we'll find out tonight, maybe we won't, and both teams will have to survive tonight's separate semifinals to determine who is right and who has been wrong on that score.  Poly will play unseeded Capistrano Valley at Long Beach City College at 8 p.m.

Poly is in the semifinals for the 15th time in coach Ron Palmer's 23 seasons at the school. A victory over Capistrano Valley tonight would push the Jackrabbits (26-3) to their fifth CIF-SS final in the past six seasons.  "We probably have better athletes than Capistrano Valley, but to get as far as the semifinals in this division, teams have to have hard-nosed athletes who know how to play, so we know we'll be facing a good team," Palmer told Ted Kian of the Long Beach Press Telegram "I'm pleased because I think we have been playing more team-oriented basketball over the last three games." 

Capo Valley finished 2nd in the South Coast League this season. They are coached by Brian Mulligan, who is assisted by Steve Canin and Ray Panici. They finished the regular season with a record of 21-5, and 9-1 in league.  Their top players are no mystery and we've been writing their names for the past few years all over SoCalHoops:  Matt Sweany (6'-4" Sr. F/G), Jake Franzen (6'-4" Sr. F/G), Pete DeCasas (6'-4" Sr. F/G) and a supporter cast, all with great size and good athleticism.   Capo Valley made it this far by knocking off Ontario in the first round 76-53, Esperanza 50-38 in the second round and No. 3 seed AB Miller 78-63 last Friday. 

Poly is as deep as ever, perhaps not as deep as in past seasons at the guard spots when playing a team like nationally-ranked Vashon out of St. Louis, but against top competition within the CIF-SS, Carlos Rivers and Isaiah Freeman should do a yeoman job for Coach Palmer.  Bobby Jones, perhaps the most highly regarded senior on the team, is a legitimate top 100 player, perhaps the only top 100 player in the country other than Adam Zahn who is still unsigned or uncommitted.   Marcedes Lewis, a 6'-7" power forward will be playing both football and basketball for UCLA, and Reggie Butler and Mike Roche make up a great frontcourt combination for the Jackrabbits, who have gotten to the semis by beating Glendale 97-40 in the first round, Peninsula 68-40 in the second round and then demolishing Fontana 60-36 last Friday night in the quarterfinals.

Here are the rosters.  Not a lot else needs to be said, and the players will do the talking on the floor:

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