NCS boys basketball playoffs 2026: What you need to know after Sunday’s seeding meeting

OPEN DISCUSSION: IS THE SALESIAN OFFERING YOU?

Boys Open Division is set.

Clayton Valley, De La Salle, Moreau Catholic, Marin Catholic and Dougherty Valley have all had good seasons so far, but any of these teams can win at the top. Salesian?

The Pride have quietly been the most dominant team in the East Bay, beating every team in their way in league play while picking up wins over some of the nation’s top teams in a schedule filled with league mishaps. Salesian is making its fifth appearance in the Open Division playoffs, looking to win its second title in the last three seasons.

If any of these teams beat Salesian in this year’s playoffs, it would be an upset.

It is led by a Stanford-bound security guard Elias ObenyahSacramento State football commitment Carlton Perrilliat Jr.strong point guard Isaiah Davis and wing tackle Leon Powe III, the Richmond school will be a heavy favorite to win the bracket.

Salesian swept the Tri-County Athletic League Rock Division, outscoring opponents by an average of 26 points in 12 games. Salesian also got the victory Modesto Christian (twice), Folsom, Monterey Trail, St. John Bosco, Damien, Bishop Gorman and La Mirada – all top teams in their divisions.

If the seed is locked, Salesian will face Clayton Valley for the NCS title – a matchup between two of the best defensive teams in Northern California. To your credit, Clayton Valley played Salesian in a preseason game and lost twice.

The Open Division’s top seed has gone on to win the division title in every season but one since the division’s inception in 2020. There has never been a repeat champion.

But still, Salesian has proven itself to be the top team in Northern California.

With Salesian rule, the question may not be if Salesian wins the NCS title, but by how much?

EBAL CONTINUES PART I

The parity in the East Bay Athletic League has resulted in many teams being placed in the Division I bracket.

Six teams will represent the EBAL in the Division I bracket, with Amador Valley earning the top seed at No. 2. Eight teams made the NCS postseason with the league’s top two teams, De La Salle and Dougherty Valley, pushed to the Open Division.

Granada (3), Dublin (5), Monte Vista (6), California (7), Livermore (10) and Amador Valley each earned at least 14 this season.

Despite the familiarity, the Division I bracket is loaded with other NCS powerhouses that can beat any of the EBAL teams on any given night.

Bishop O’Dowd received the top seed in the bracket and has all the tools to win the section title. North Bay’s Archie Williams is No. 8 and has been solid all season, finishing third in the always tough Marin County Athletic League. Other teams like Acalanes (9), Berkeley (12) and Campolindo (14) proved to be offensive threats throughout the regular season.

Since the Open Division was introduced, a team from the EBAL has won the Division I title three of the last five seasons. During that time, Dougherty Valley won three, Clayton Valley held two and De La Salle got one – all three teams in the Open Division this season.

BUZZER BEATER

The most interesting first round game in the Open Division could be between De La Salle and Moreau Catholic as the two private schools have never played each other in the MaxPreps era (since 2004). Sophomore star Brendan Williams and versatile point guard Isaiah Clendinen will compete against De La Salle’s frontcourt and the EBAL regular season champions. De La Salle will try to defend the NCS Open title they won last season against the Salesians.

Can Acalanes finally defeat Archie Williams? The Dons lost to San Anselmo twice in the regular season, losing by four in their first game at Lafayette and by 13 in their second at the Bambauer Classic. Acalanes will visit Archie Williams on Tuesday.

Elsewhere in Division I, two playoffs will be played between teams in the same league. No. 10 Livermore will travel to No. 7 California to try to avenge a 10-point loss from just over three weeks ago. Thirteenth-seeded Freedom will try to upset No. 4 Liberty in the third game. The Falcons played Liberty in a five-point loss in December, then were blown out by 19 points on the road on Jan. 23.

In Division II, University-San Francisco received the top seed. The Red Devils were slated to be the last team in the Open Division until Dougherty Valley annoyed De La Salle in the EBAL championship game on Friday. No. 3 St. Mary’s-Berkeley could be the team to dethrone the San Francisco school with Division I prospects Donovan Mikel and Christopher Baltrip on its roster. The Panthers will open against Pittsburgh in the first round.

Two East Bay private schools highlight the Division III bracket. Antioch’s Cornerstone Christian (No. 2) and Dublin’s Brave Christian (No. 5) have dominated their respective leagues all season and boast the talent to reach the finals. Both schools will have to unseat top-seeded Branson, which has been a powerhouse in the North Bay.

Since the NCS stretches from the Bay Area all the way to the northern border of the state, there are bound to be teams that get the short end of the stick for travel. In Division IV, No. 9 Head-Royce will make the six-hour, 363-mile trip from Oakland to Del Norte High in the Crescent City for its first-round game. In Division V, Berean Christian will make the five-hour trip to Arcata High School. Miramonte will also have a long trip, to St. Bernard’s High School in Eureka in the Division III playoffs.