Analy opens up at #4 San Rafael
The Analy Flying Tigers are laying in the weeds this week as the #13 seed in the North Coast Section basketball playoffs this week, ready to pounce on any teams that take them lightly.
Analy was awarded the #13 seed by virtue of a strong league showing that had the team playing its best ball in the second half of the season to finish in third place in league with a 7-5 record.
Last Sunday, Analy (10-17) landed the #13 seed in the NCS Division 3 playoff tournament, an unfamiliar spot for one of the most successful programs in the section, but a chance to extend its season after a poor start that saw the team lose eight of its first 11 preseason games.
At press time the Tigers were preparing to visit #4 San Rafael in the NCS opener on Feb. 20 in a 7 p.m. tip-off. Should Analy win, it will advance to face the winner of #5 Piner versus #12 Hayward in the quarterfinals on Friday, Feb. 23.
“This has been an interesting season but here we are talking about the SCL playoffs and going to NCS playoffs,” Tigers coach Brett Page said. “We’re happy that we were able to achieve some of our goals and that we’re still playing when most are done. You never know, we’ve surprised people in the past so we’re going in with nothing to lose and a ‘why not us’ attitude.”
The complete list of NCS Division 3 teams in seeding order is Salesian, Campolindo, Drake, San Rafael, Piner, Albany, San Marin, Alhambra, Pinole Valley, Encinal, Kennedy, Hayward, Analy and Sonoma Valley.
Analy falls to Piner in SCL tourney
The Tigers took the court as the #3 seed in the Sonoma County League Tournament on Feb. 13, traveling to face #2 Piner in the third meeting this year. Analy got off to a strong start, opening up a brief six-point lead in the second quarter before settling for a 20-20 tie at the half.
“We knew that Piner was good but felt like we matched up with them,” Page noted. “We came out and followed the plan and controlled most of the first half, keeping them off balance with our pressing defense.”
The second half did not go Analy’s way, as the Prospectors swamped the Tigers with a 21-7 third-quarter run that busted the game wide open. Analy fought to the end but eventually fell, 59-41.
JJ Fain, the second leading scorer in the SCL, paced the attack with 14 points, while Zach Binsfeld finished with nine points and nine rebounds.
“We were slightly discouraged after having played so well in our last six games,” Page said. “That only lasted for a brief moment and now we’re on to the NCS playoffs.”
