Sequoias to host state's Elite Eight men's and women's basketball tournament March 12-15
By Nick Giannandrea
COS ATHLETICS
The reigning women's and men's basketball state champions -- Mt. San Antonio and San Francisco, respectively -- headline the field for the California Community College Athletic Association's Elite Eight tournament, scheduled for March 12-15 at College of the Sequoias' Porter Field House.
Southern California top-seeded Mt. SAC (29-1) plays Northern California No. 4 Fresno City (23-7) at 7 p.m. March 12 in the marquee game of the tournament's opening day, which features four women's games March 12. Last season, the Mounties spoiled Sequoias' quest for a perfect season with a 57-50 win in the semifinals, before beating Orange Coast 52-39 in the final.
The women's quarterfinals also includes North No. 3 Laney (25-3) against South No. 2 Irvine Valley (26-4) at 1 p.m., North No. 2 Folsom Lake (28-2) against South No. 3 Mira Costa (29-1) at 3 p.m., and North No. 1 San Joaquin Delta (25-5) against South No. 4 Cypress (23-7) at 5 p.m.
The women's semifinals are scheduled for 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. March 14, with the championship game set for 1 p.m. March 15.
On the men's side, there will be a familiar face inside Porter Field House when South No. 4 San Diego City (25-5) faces North No. 1 San Francisco (29-1) at 5 p.m. March 13 in one of the days' four games. Former Sequoias coach Rusty Smith is an assistant to San Diego City coach Mitch Charlens. Smith won a school-record 352 games in 18 seasons with the Giants.
The rest of the men's quarterfinals includes North No. 4 San Jose (24-6) against South No. 1 Fullerton (29-1) at 1 p.m., South No. 3 Cerritos (26-4) against North No. 2 Santa Rosa (26-4) at 3 p.m., and North No. 3 West Valley (24-6) against South No. 2 Citrus (29-1) at 7 p.m.
The men's semifinals are scheduled for 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. March 14, with the final set for 3:30 p.m. March 15.
San Francisco defeated Fullerton 75-58 in the men's final last season.
Daily tickets are priced at $15 for general admission adults, $10 for general admission seniors 60-and-older, $10 for students with proper identification, and $10 for children. Those 6 and younger are free.
In July of 2025, Sequoias was selected as the host site for the state's Elite Eight men's and women's basketball tournament to complete the 2026 and 2027 seasons. The selection was made by the 3C2A State Office in collaboration with the 3C2A Management Council and the State Basketball Coaches Associations.
This will be the first time since 2014 that Sequoias has not qualified at least one of its teams for the Elite Eight.
The eighth-seeded Giants' women -- who had reached the Elite Eight seven times since 2015 -- saw their season come to an end with a 67-61 loss at top-seeded San Joaquin Delta on March 7 in the NorCal Regional finals.
