Sam McMillan (left), shown earlier this year against Paso Robles, has been a defensive leader for the Atascadero High boys basketball team this season. — Tribune file photo by David Middlecamp ©
Eleven San Luis Obispo County teams found themselves ranked in Monday’s latest CIF-Southern Section divisional polls:
BOYS BASKETBALL
Arroyo Grande — No. 5 in Division III-AA; Atascadero — No. 9 in Division IV-AA; North County Christian — No. 11 in Division VI-AA
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Arroyo Grande — No. 7 in Division III-AA; Atascadero — No. 13 in Division IV-AA; Morro Bay — No. 7 in Division IV-A; North County Christian — No. 1 in Division VI-A
BOYS SOCCER
Arroyo Grande — tied for No. 8 in Division V
GIRLS SOCCER
Arroyo Grande — No. 4 in Division III; San Luis Obispo — No. 7 in Division III
GIRLS WATER POLO
Arroyo Grande — No. 1 in Division IV
(No new wrestling polls were released, but Morro Bay has been No. 1 in Division VI all year.)
The PAC 7 boys basketball race has featured a number of guards who, at times, have looked Division I-caliber in Arroyo Grande’s Michael Escobedo, Atascadero’s Troy Norris, Righetti’s Hunter Walker and Paso Robles’ Lonnie Watson.
While Arroyo Grande (19-6, 8-3) looked like the clear-cut frontrunner after winning its first meeting against then-co-league leader Righetti (18-5, 8-2), ranked No. 6 in Division II-A, the Eagles have struggled with their perimeter shooting of late, going 0-of-18 from 3-point range in a 46-43 loss to Nipomo on Monday. Atascadero (16-7, 6-4), meanwhile, has a fairly comfortable hold on third place, with San Luis Obispo (10-14, 5-6), Paso Robles (12-11, 4-6) and Nipomo (11-13, 4-6) all in a wild scuffle for the league’s fourth and final playoff berth.
How’s it going to play out? Which team will go farthest in the postseason?
In girls basketball, Atascadero (17-3, 9-1) is still riding high off its 44-38 win Jan. 29 over Arroyo Grande (18-6, 10-1), and has several stars in all-around offensive weapon Raven Taylor, sharp-shooting Alyssa Palma and tough post presence Shannon Berwick. Morro Bay (16-6, 9-2), meanwhile, entrenched in second in the Los Padres League, should earn a home game in its division thanks to a slew of underclassmen who’ve done a nice job complementing the inside-out veteran combo of power forward Ciara Ramos and point guard Megan Hansen.
Will Atascadero or Arroyo Grande go farther out of the PAC 7? And how do you like the Pirates’ chances?
On the pitch, the Arroyo Grande girls (20-3, 10-1) have clinched at least a share of the PAC 7 title, while the Eagles boys (17-7-1, 8-2-1) can still do the same.
The San Luis Obispo girls (19-3-2, 8-3), meanwhile, could also make some noise in the playoffs, although they nearly squandered a 3-0 lead in a 4-3 win over Paso Robles on Monday. Which soccer squads have looked the best to you, and who is best equipped to make a deep playoff run?
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