It's playoff time! EBAL basketball, soccer brackets get underway

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Welcome to the Tri-Valley Preps Playbook!

It’s time for another week of the Tri-Valley Preps Playbook, your inside source for all things sports when it comes to the East Bay Athletic League!

I’ve been covering the EBAL since 1985 and know the coaches, players, parents, and athletic staff at all the schools, giving me the inside scoop on what is happening behind the scenes!

Join me each week for some honest feelings about the good, the bad, and the ugly side of high school athletics!

The Big Picture looks at the East Bay Athletic League playoffs for both basketball and soccer. It is a unique format – read about how they work and what the matchups are right here.

The EBAL Power Rankings see little movement this past week. An upset or two in the EBAL playoffs could really mix things up.

What to Watch has the schedule for the EBAL plays for basketball and soccer. Also, the EBAL wrestling championships take place this week.That’s it for another week of the 2023-24 Tri-Valley Preps Playbook! Got a great story idea? Let me know at acesmag@aol.com! Have a great year and I look forward once again to seeing how our local athletes compete!

From the sidelines,
Dennis Miller
Playbook Editor
sports@pleasantonweekly.com

It’s playoff time! EBAL basketball, soccer brackets get underway

It’s time for the East Bay Athletic League basketball and soccer playoffs to take center stage this week.

Power Rankings as of Feb. 4.

EBAL BOYS’ BASKETBALL

1) De La Salle (23-3, 9-0): Completes the undefeated run through the EBAL regular season and is the top-seed for the playoffs. Gets a bye until Thursday.

2) Granada (22-2, 8-1): Ended the regular season with wins over Monte Vista and Livermore. Is the second seed for the playoffs and has a bye until Thursday night.

3) San Ramon Valley (21-5, 7-2): Lost only to De La Salle and Granada in the regular season. Has the No. 3 seed and a likely playoff semifinal with Granada in hopes of avenging the 60-58 loss.

4) Dougherty Valley (17-9, 6-3): The Wildcats appear to be hitting their stride at the right time. Has won five straight, with wins over Dublin and Monte Vista in that streak.

5) Dublin (19-7, 5-4): Barely hanging on top a top five spot after losing two of their last three games, losing to both Granada and Dougherty Valley.

Others: Monte Vista 20-6, 4-5), Foothill (16-10, 3-6), Amador Valley (16-10, 1-8), California (12-14, 2-7), Livermore (7-19, 0-9).

EBAL GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

1) San Ramon Valley (25-1, 9-0): The Wolves knock off Carondelet to win the regular season title again. Gets the top seed in the playoffs and barring a major upset, will play Carondelet again Saturday night.

2) Carondelet (23-2, 8-1): Dropped a 46-39 game to SRV in the battle of unbeatens then rebounded to beat Cal in the last game. Is the No. 2 seed for the playoffs and looking for revenge on SRV in the finals.

3) California (22-3, 7-2): Easily the third best team in the league but a notch below the top two. Lost 72-30 to San Ramon and 47-31 to Carondelet. A semifinal match with Carondelet is a good possibility.

4) Monte Vista (16-10, 6-3): The Mustangs have played some solid ball in league losing only to the three teams ranked above them.

5) Dublin (15-11, 4-5): Someone has to be fifth in the rankings and since the Gaels beat four of the five teams below them, they get the spot.

Others: Foothill (18-7, 4-5), Amador (5-19, 2-7), Granada (7-19, 3-6), Dougherty Valley (5-17, 2-7), Livermore (3-22, 0-9).

EBAL BOYS’ SOCCER

1) De La Salle (12-2-2, 8-0-1): The Spartans have not given up a goal in their last six matches. Ended the regular season with a 4-0 win over San Ramon Valley and a 2-0 final with California.

2) Monte Vista (12-2-3, 6-1-2): Beat both Granada (1-0) and San Ramon Valley (3-0) to climb to the No. 2 spot heading into the EBAL playoffs.

3) San Ramon Valley (10-7-4, 5-2-2): Tough week for the Wolves losing to De La Salle (4-0) and Monte Vista (3-0). They had to fall a spot this week, heading into the EBAL playoffs.

4) Granada (12-2-1, 5-2): Dropped a 1-0 thriller to Monte Vista and tied Livermore 2-2. Drops a spot this week.

5) Dougherty Valley (12-3-4, 4-2-3): Ended the regular season strong, beating Foothill 2-1 and Dublin 3-1.

Others: Amador Valley (12-9, 3-6), California (4-7-5, 0-5-3), Livermore (5-6-5, 1-5-3), Foothill (8-10-1, 4-5), San Ramon Valley (7-5-4, 2-0-2), Dublin (5-10-3, 0-7-1).

EBAL GIRLS’ SOCCER

1) Amador Valley (8-1-1, 7-1-1): Since dropping a 1-0 game to San Ramon Valley, the Dons have gone five games without allowing a goal. Looking strong heading into the playoffs. Takes back the top spot.

2) Monte Vista (10-2-3, 6-1-2): Beats Granada 2-0, then ties San Ramon Valley in the final. Moves up to No. 2 heading into the playoffs.

3) Carondelet (12-3-4, 6-1-2): The Cougars keep rolling, getting 1-0 wins over San Ramon Valley and California. Jumps a couple spots.

4) San Ramon Valley (13-1-1, 6-2-1): The Wolves fell 1-0 to Carondelet and fall behind the Cougars in the rankings as the playoffs loom!

5) California (6-5-3, 5-3-1): The Grizzlies turn in another strong week on defense, beating Dublin 1-0, then dropping a 1-0 match to Carondelet.

Others: Granada (7-10-1, 0-8-1), Dougherty Valley (5-8-3, 0-7-2), Dublin (5-5-5, 2-3-4), Foothill (6-5-5, 3-4-2), Livermore (3-9-3, 1-5-2).

Tuesday, Feb. 6

EBAL Boys’ Basketball Playoffs (7:30 p.m.)

Amador Valley-California winner at Dublin, Foothill-Livermore winner at Monte Vista.

EBAL Girls’ Basketball Playoffs (7:30 p.m.)

Amador Valley-Dougherty Valley winner at Dublin; Granada-Livermore winner at Foothill.

EBAL Boys’ Soccer Playoffs (6:30 p.m.)

Dougherty Valley at Granada, Foothill at San Ramon Valley.

EBAL Girls’ Soccer Playoffs (6:30 p.m.)

California at San Ramon Valley, Foothill at Carondelet.

Wednesday, Feb. 7

EBAL Boys’ Basketball Playoffs (7:30 p.m.)

Amador/California at Dublin winner at Dougherty Valley; Foothill/Livermore at Monte Vista winner at San Ramon Valley.

EBAL Girls’ Basketball Playoffs (7:30 p.m.)

AV/DV at Dublin winner at Monte Vista; Granada/Livermore at Foothill winner at California.

Thursday, Feb. 8

EBAL Boys’ Basketball Playoffs (7:30 p.m.)

AV/Cal/Dublin/Dougherty Valley winner at De La Salle; Foothill/Livermore/Monte Vista/SRV winner at Granada.

EBAL Girls’ Basketball Playoffs (7:30 p.m.)

AV/DV/Dublin/Monte Vista winner at San Ramon Valley; Granada/Livermore/Foothill/California winner at Carondelet.

EBAL Boys’ Soccer Playoffs (6:30 p.m.)

Granada-Dougherty Valley winner at De La Salle; Foothill-San Ramon Valley winner at Monte Vista.

EBAL Girls’ Soccer Playoffs (6:30 p.m.)

California-San Ramon Valley winner at Amador Valley; Foothill-Carondelet winner at Monte Vista.

Friday, Feb. 9

EBAL Wrestling tournament.

At San Ramon Valley, all day.

Saturday, Feb. 10

EBAL Boys’ Basketball Playoffs

Semifinal winners, TBD.

EBAL Girls’ Basketball Playoffs

Semifinal winners, TBD.

EBAL Boys’ Soccer Playoffs

Granada/Dougherty Valley/De La Salle winner vs. Foothill; Foothill/San Ramon Valley/Monte Vista, TBD.

EBAL Girls’ Soccer Playoffs

California/San Ramon Valley/Amador Valley winner vs. Foothill/Carondelet/Monte Vista winner, TBD.

Wrestling

EBAL Championships

At San Ramon Valley, all day

Pleasanton Preps: Hilton scores winning goal as Amador boys beat Dublin

The Amador Valley varsity boys’ soccer team finished with a 1-2 mark last week, beating Dublin, but losing to Dougherty Valley and Monte Vista. See that and more in Pleasanton Preps…

Be a Sport!

There are many ways to get involved and get the word out about local athletes and teams!

Send photos of your athlete! to sports@pleasantonweekly.com and get a $10 Amazon gift card.

Post game scores, highlights and photos to acknowledge the hard work of your team and athletes here.

When and where will games, meets and matches be? Tell interested community members here.

Have questions? Email sports@pleasantonweekly.com.

Dennis Miller is a veteran sports writer and editor, covering sports in the Tri-Valley for over 35 years. In addition to being the editor of Tri-Valley Preps Playbook, he has written a weekly column for Pleasanton Weekly and PleasantonWeekly.com, “Pleasanton Preps,” since 2011. Email him at sports@pleasantonweekly.com.

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