Entering the last week of the regular season, Ventura College continues to
reign supreme on the COA/CCCWBCA State Poll. San Jose City College and
Mt. San Antonio College maintain their #2 and #3 respective rankings.
Ventura and San Jose top the South and North Region Polls.
Western State Conference North Division has Ventura clinch a share ot the
title after defeating Moorpark College Wednesday. #23 Santa Barbara City
College neared the second automatic qualifier position after taking two
road wins at Allan Hancock College and Oxnard College.
#6 College of the Canyons clinched WSC South Division and moved up two
positions after beating #24 West Los Angeles College 82-62. #15
Bakersfield College has the inside track at the second automatic
qualifier, but a 65-57 home loss to Los Angeles Valley College could spell
trouble.
#2 San Jose City College and College of San Mateo are set to play for the
Coast Conference North Division title after both went undefeated last
week. San Jose has the longest winning streak in the state at 15 games.
South Division could end up with a three-way tie for the title after
Monterey Peninsula College overtook Hartnell College Friday night, 69-61.
Monterey Peninsula is a game behind Chabot College and Hartnell.
Mt. San Antonio and #14 Los Angeles Trade-Technical colleges distanced
themselves from the rest of South Coast Conference North Division. Both
only had one contest, but both came away winners. Trade-Technical holds a
one-game lead over Mt. SAC. #16 Los Angeles Southwest College clinched
the first automatic qualifier after sweeping #8 Cerritos College this
season.
#4 Merced and #7 Fresno City colleges were tied for fifth in last weekUs
state poll as Fresno traveled to Merced Saturday to try to gain a tie for
the Central Valley Conference lead. In one of the more exciting games
this season, Merced won in front of a capacity audience, 58-56. Reedley
College moved into third place after beating Porterville College Wednesday
night, 88-87.
#13 Solano Community College and #19 College of Marin played in the North
Region Game of the Week. A win was vital for Solano to have a reasonable
shot at earning an automatic qualifier for the playoffs and they came
through. The game was extended into an overtime period, but Solano won at
home, 78-73. Contra Costa College found itself in the Bay Valley
Conference Bay Division lead as a result, maintaining its state-best
record of 28-4.
#10 Sierra College clinched a share of the BVC Valley Division title with
an 84-46 win over Napa Valley College. Sacramento City College
established itself as the favorite to nab the other automatic spot after
taking a win from American River on Friday night, 70-53.
#9 Riverside Community College and #12 Santa Ana College stay in their tie
for the Orange Coast Conference lead after their two games each. Santa
Ana nearly fell into second place after #18 Irvine Valley came a bucket
from the upset on Wednesday night, 68-67 final. Riverside and Santa Ana
have clinched the automatic playoff berths.
Golden Valley Conference had trouble with the weather and had to postpone
some of it, but three games were completed. Butte College maintained its
#21 ranking after upsetting #17 Shasta College at Shasta, 71-42. Butte
followed up the win by distancing themselves from College of the Redwoods
with another victory.
One game remains in the Foothill Conference schedule with #20 San
Bernardino Valley College clinching the #1 seed for the Shaughnessy
Tournament at Chaffey College this week. They took the trifecta of tilts
against College of the Desert, Cerro Coso College and a 66-62 squeaker
over Antelope Valley College on Saturday night.
Palomar College clinched its first share of the Pacific Coast Conference
title since 1985 after they upset the #24 college last week, San Diego
Mesa College, 64-62. Mesa went on to be upset for the second time in two
days by Cuyamaca College, 78-75.
Games of the Week
North Region. #22 College of San Mateo would become tied with Coast
Conference North Division leader, #2 San Jose City College, Wednesday if
they can take advantage of their home court.
South Region. #9 Riverside and #12 Santa Ana break their long-lasting
tied for the Orange Empire Conference lead Wednesday night as they play at
Santa Ana. Santa Ana won the first match of the home-and-home series,
55-54.
