Natomas Nighthawks guard Alfred Wilkins slumps after his team was unable to score on its final possession and the Priory Panthers celebrate their 65-63 victory in the CIF Northern California Division III boys basketball regional semifinal on Saturday.
NATHANIEL LEVINE
nlevine@sacbee.com
Entering Saturday, 10 Sacramento-area high school basketball teams remained in the 44th CIF State Tournament as the Northern California Regional playoffs roared on.
By 9 p.m., only three programs were left standing: a large-school boys powerhouse that has been down this road before under a longtime proven coach in Mike Wall, and two small-school girls teams getting used to this sort of postseason fun.
Now all three will play for NorCal championship on Tuesday night, where the winner will play next Friday and Saturday at Golden 1 Center for a CIF State banner.
Seeded third in the Division I boys bracket, the Folsom Bulldogs beat North Coast Section power Dougherty Valley of San Ramon 86-61 in a semifinal and will host No. 9-seeded King’s Academy of Sunnyvale for a shot to cap the season in downtown Sacramento’s NBA venue. King’s Academy beat No. 13 Oakland in the other semifinal after eliminating defending Division II state champion Jesuit 60-49 in a quarterfinal.
The Sacramento-area girls teams still in it: top-seeded Faith Christian of Yuba City in Division IV, after a thrilling 79-75 scoring-fest effort over Liberty Ranch of Galt as senior star Lauren Harris finished with 44 points; and Woodland Christian in Division V, where the Cardinals of Yolo County stand as the defending state champion.
Woodland Christian beat No. 2-seeded John Adams Academy of El Dorado Hills, 56-46, behind sisters Siena and Sofia Sorbello, daughters of coach Shiloh Sorbello.
Boys Division I
Folsom won for the 23rd time in 25 games behind its usual blend of ball movement, balanced scoring and defensive hustle in eliminating a team that defeated Destiny Christian of Sacramento in a NorCal opener, 84-58.
For Folsom, Jack Shull scored 18 points, Parks Weaver had 17, Scott Nardinelli 14, Jovan Dulay 13 and Alec Day 10. Nardinelli also played superb defense.
Each of those players played a big role in Folsom winning last season’s CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I championship over longtime powerhouse Modesto Christian, the last team to beat Folsom this season, doing so by 2 points in January.
Boys Division III
Top-seeded Natomas had its dream of a return trip to Golden 1 Center dashed as No. 4-seeded Priory of Portola Valley recorded a 65-63 overtime victory to keep the Panthers’ hopes of a CIF State repeat alive. Priory won the state Division IV championship a year ago. Natomas won a section banner Feb. 27 at Golden 1 Center.
Kasten Eggers scored 24 for Priory and Mate Palotai added 19 to halt the 14-game winning streak for Natomas.
The Nighthawks were led in scoring by junior guard Alfred Wilkins, who had 20, including three 3-pointers early in the fourth quarter. Freshman forward Marcus Harris had 12 and all-time program scorer Manno Jenkins, a senior guard, had 11 in his final prep game.
Natomas Nighthawks guard Manno Jenkins (4) makes a shot in the fourth quarter against the Priory Panthers in the CIF Northern California Division III boys basketball regional semifinal on Saturday. NATHANIEL LEVINE nlevine@sacbee.com Girls Division IV
Lauren Harris showed why she is the most prolific 3-point shooter in the history of high school girls basketball by making eight triples in her 44-point outburst against upset-minded Liberty Ranch. The 5-foot-11 guard averaging 31 points a game is headed to Long Beach State on scholarship.
Harris often reminds that she is not a one-girl gang. Fellow senior Pressley Berry had 14 points and 14 rebounds, and junior guard Mia Bryan contributed 14 points as the Lions moved to 32-1 with their 23rd consecutive victory. Faith Christian won the CIF NorCal Division VI crown a year ago, the farthest teams at that division can advance.
Now in Division IV, the Lions seek another NorCal trophy when they host 33-1 Lathrop, a fellow member of the Sac-Joaquin Section. Lathrop beat Benicia in the other semifinal, 55-48.
Girls Division V
With freshman guard Sofia Sorbello and junior forward sister Siena Sorbello leading the charge past John Adams Academy with inside and outside scoring in combining for 25 points, Woodland Christian moved to 31-3 with its 26th win in the past 27 outings. Bailee Broward scored 10 and Annabell Baker eight for Woodland Christian.
Nadaysia Bowlin had 15 for Adams Academy, a newer school that started its girls basketball program three years ago. All-time program scorer Elliott Schwartz had seven points, 11 below her average.
Woodland Christian will on Tuesday host the top-seeded Modoc Bears of Alturas in the northeastern corner of the state, aiming to repeat as NorCal and CIF state champions. Modoc beat Escalon 38-27 in the other semifinal.
CIF NorCal Regionals Girls Basketball semifinalsOpen Division
Mitty 74, San Ramon Valley 46
Clovis West 71, St. Mary’s 66
Division I
Clovis 52, Priory 40
Central East 76, Saint Francis 63
Division II
Oakland Tech 68, Salesian 46
Sierra Pacific 63, Woodcreek 50
Division III
Valley Christian 42, Scotts Valley 36
Menlo-Atherton 68, East Uniion 38
Division IV
Faith Christian 79, Liberty Ranch 75
Lathrop 55, Benicia 48
Division V
Modoc 38, Escalon 27
Woodland Christian 56, Adams Academy 46
Division VI
Cornerstone Christian 46, Ferndale 31
Redding Christian 52, Forest Lake Christian 26
CIF NorCal Regionals Boys Basketball semifinalsOpen Division
Riordan 86, Modesto Christian 60
Salesian 61, St. Ignatius 41
Division I
Folsom 86, Dougherty Valley 61
King’s Academy 82, Oakland 59
Division II
Memorial 60, Clovis West 50
Oakland Tech 74, Amador Valley 71
Division III
Priory 65, Natomas 63 (OT)
Cornerstone Christian 60, Willow Glen 58
Division IV
Half Moon Bay 68, Marysville 51
Sacred Heart 60, Burlingame 54
Division V
Mission San Jose 62, Weed 58
San Marin 54, Rancho Cotate 47
Division VI
Redding Christian 40, Mendocino 25
St. Vincent de Paul 73, Victory Christian 59
This story was originally published March 7, 2026 at 10:14 PM.
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Joe Davidson has covered sports for The Sacramento Bee since 1989: preps, colleges, Kings and features. He was in early 2024 named the National Sports Media Association Sports Writer of the Year for California and he was in the fall of 2024 inducted into the California High School Football Hall of Fame. He is a 14-time award winner from the California Prep Sports Writer Association. In 2021, he was honored with the CIF Distinguished Service award. He is a member of the California Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Davidson participated in football and track in Oregon.