With Twelve Days Remaining My Team Gave to Me …

Twelve days remain in the regular season. And a number of conference races remain in play and even more post-season bids. Last week saw a number of upsets and title tightening.

No. 12 Contra Costa holds a one-game lead in the race for Bay Valley Conference after winning its showdown with Yuba last week. No. 30 Yuba remains just a game back, but Contra Costa final four games don't include a team with a record above .500. But with that said, Mendocino (11-12) did beat the Comets back on January 4.

The Big Eight, is a big mess. Last week at this time it looked like Folsom Lake might unseat Santa Rosa. But consecutive losses have the title up for the taking. This week, San Joaquin Delta begins the week a half game ahead of Folsom Lake and one game ahead of Santa Rosa. SJ Delta has four games remaining, Folsom Lake has five and Santa Rosa has just two.

The Giants came up big, winning the Central Valley title. After losing to Columbia, Sequoias went on a nine-game win streak while Columbia lost five of its next 10 games.

San Francisco, winners of 21 straight games, remain No. 1 and appear headed to another Coast-North championship. Rams have two games remaining, while No. 3 Las Positas has five, one of those being a final shot at San Francisco on February 18 at home.

No. 9 West Valley can clinch a tie for the Coast-South conference on Wednesday and then seal the deal with a win over No.18 San Jose City on Friday.

No. 22 Redwoods can wrap up the Golden Valley title Wednesday at Shasta. The Corsairs beat Shasta 72-62 on February 9. A Redwood loss and this will probably be a co-championship as both teams conclude the season with games versus 2-19 Lassen.

The Inland Empire Athletic and Orange Empire conferences continue to provide some of the best drama. No. 7 San Bernardino Valley holds a one-game lead on No. 17 Cerro Coso, No. 30 Mt. San Jacinto and No. 24 Copper Mountain with four games to play. San Bernardino Valley will play just one of these teams — Mt. San Jacinto on February 19. Copper Mountain has showdown with Cerro on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, No. 11 Riverside has steadily climbed in the poll and in the OEC standings. The Tigers, winners of eight straight, are 1½ games being No. 2 Fullerton with three games to play. Riverside finishes at Fullerton (Tuesday), at No. 27 Saddleback (February 23) and then at home to Cypress on February 25. Fullerton, with five games to play, has games remaining against Saddleback, Cypress and Rancho Santiago — all on the road — and in the course of seven days.

San Diego City is a perfect 11-0 in the Pacific Coast Conference play, and the Knights, who have five games remaining, hold a three-game lead on MiraCosta. San Diego City will play three of its final games at home. One of those home games is against MiraCosta on Wednesday, in what could be a conference-clutching night.

No. 8 East Los Angeles wrapped up the South Coast-North title last week. The Huskies are riding a 13-game win streak and have two games remaining in the regular season. Meanwhile, the South Coast-South remains a tight race. Long Beach's upset win over LA Southwest and Compton's late-season run may force this title to go down to the wire. With each team having two remaining games, No. 29 Long Beach holds a game lead on both No. 23 LA Southwest and unranked Compton. Long Beach finishes home to Compton and at LA Harbor. LA Southwest hosts LA Harbor and El Camino. Compton hosts Cerritos for its regular-season finale.

In the Western State races, No. 4 West LA, winners of 13 straight, has clinched a share of the South division title. The Wildcats can clinch the title with a win against either Canyons or Santa Monica this week. In the North division, Allan Hancock's late-season run of six wins has the Bulldogs hunting pirates. No. 10 Ventura holds a one-game lead on No. 26 Allan Hancock with five games to play. Ironically, Ventura and Allan Hancock are scheduled for a home-and-home series to close out the regular season. Ventura has a slightly tougher finishing five due to a road contest at Cuesta.

CCCMBCA Poll
1. San Francisco
2. Fullerton
3. Las Positas
4. West LA
5. San Diego City
6. Sequoias
7. San Bernardino Valley
8. East Los Angeles
9. West Valley
10. Ventura
11. Riverside
12. Contra Costa
13. Santiago Canyon
14. Citrus
15. Irvine Valley
16. San Mateo
17. Cerro Coso
18. (tie) Columbia, San Jose
20. Porterville
21. Santa Rosa
22. Redwoods
23. LA Southwest
24. Copper Mountain
25. Folsom Lake
26. Allan Hancock
27. Saddleback
28. San Joaquin Delta
29. Long Beach
30. (tie) Mt. San Jacinto, Mt. San Antonio, Los Medanos , Yuba