Members of the Watsonville High girls’ basketball team weren’t sure whether they’d get a chance to compete in the Central Coast Section playoffs.
But the Wildcatz snuck their way into the Division I bracket technically as the No. 16 seed and will play at No. 9 Santa Teresa in San Jose on Friday at 7pm.
“I’m kind of surprised but then not surprised at the same time,” Watsonville coach Zach Cook said. “We have a history of showing up in the playoffs.”
It’s the second straight trip to the postseason for the ‘Catz who finished with an 11-13 overall record. They placed fifth in the Pacific Coast Athletic League Gabilan Division, going 6-8 in league play.
Cook said he believes their strength of schedule along with a two-game win streak to close out the regular season is what helped them earn an at-large playoff berth.
Santa Teresa placed fifth with an 8-6 record in the Blossom Valley Athletic League Santa Teresa Division in 2023-24.
The Saints are led by senior guard Nevaeh Lacy, who has an average of 12.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.8 steals per game, and junior Dahlia Daboul with an average of 10.7 points and 8.4 rebounds per game this season.
Cook is already in the film room planning how they’ll match up against Santa Teresa.
“In reality, we’ve played so many games and I think through offseason work, that’s going to lead into their perseverance,” he said. “All that hard work has been rewarded for them. They get an opportunity and that’s all they look for.”
The ‘Catz are led by sharpshooter Isabella Love, who has an average of 8.1 points and 2.9 rebounds per game in 22 games played this season. She recently tied the school record with five 3-pointers and had 17 points in a league win over Alvarez on Feb. 8.
Fellow teammate junior Fernanda Lazo added nine points and six rebounds in that same game. She has an average of 8.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
Cook likes the fact Watsonville continues to have a girls basketball program that typically doesn’t get the No. 1 calibur-type players, yet they continue to push and get stronger.
Cook said they’re accustomed to that scenario. It helped catapult the ‘Catz into the Gabilan Division—the highest tier of the four divisions within the PCAL—for a second straight season.
“That’s a good testament to our program and the strength of the program,” Cook said. “A testament to our players and the hard work they put in and a testament to the coaches that have and are putting in work.”
Gabilan Division co-champion Hollister High earned the No. 4 seed and will have a bye until the quarterfinals on Feb. 20.
In the Division IV field, No. 7 Scotts Valley (10-13) is hosting No. 10 Oceana (9-13), and No. 8 Monte Vista Christian (14-10) will play host to Pacific Grove (7-16). Both games are slated for Saturday at 7pm.
PCAL Cypress Division champion St. Francis (21-2) earned the No. 3 seed in the Division V bracket and has a bye until next week’s quarterfinals Feb. 20.
Boys basketball
Aptos High (18-8) earned the No. 2 seed in the Division III bracket and will have a bye until the quarterfinals next week Tuesday. SCCAL champion and league rival Santa Cruz (21-5) earned the top seed in the same division.
A trio of local teams will compete in the Division IV quarterfinals on Saturday at 7pm. In Watsonville, it’ll be No. 11 Monte Vista Christian (17-7) hosting San Jose (12-12).
Up in the Santa Cruz Mountains, it’s No. 9 Scotts Valley (12-13) against KPP SJ Collegiate (17-8), and No. 12 San Lorenzo Valley (11-13) hosting Oceana (11-13).
