Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com

By Ray Hamill — Two of the three H-DNL teams to qualify for the state playoffs in basketball will open at home this week.

After clinching a first-ever North Coast Section championship on Saturday night, the Eureka boys are included in the Division-5 bracket and received the No. 5 seed for the NorCal tournament.

The Loggers will host No. 12 Fortune Early College out of Sacramento on Tuesday night in Jay Willard Gymnasium, with tip off set for 7 p.m.

Eureka is 18-12, while the Panthers are 24-7.

The Ferndale girl also will open the state playoffs in front of a home crowd.

After losing in their section final at Cornerstone Christian on Saturday night, the Wildcats could get a rematch with the Cougars in next weekend’s NorCal semifinals, providing they can take care of business against Sacramento Adventist on Wednesday night.

As the No. 4 seeds in the eight-team bracket, the Wildcats will host Wednesday’s game against the No. 5 Capitals, who are 19-11 on the season.

Ferndale is 19-10.

Cornerstone Christian received the No. 1 seed in the bracket and will host No. 8 Weed on Wednesday.

The St. Bernard’s girls, meanwhile, will open the state playoffs on the road after being placed in the Division-3 NorCal bracket.

The Crusaders (22-8) are seeded No. 14 and will travel to Salinas to play No. 3 Alisal (22-5).

Submitted photo

That game will be played on Tuesday night at 7.

Alisal is a school with almost 2800 students.

Interestingly, despite placing third in the NCS Division-3 bracket this past week, the Crusaders are seeded higher than either of the D-3 section finalists, champions Miramonte and runners-up Benicia.

The Miramonte girls, who beat St. Bernard’s in their section semifinal, were placed in a lower bracket for the NorCal playoffs, receiving the No. 8 seed in Division 4, while Benicia is two spots further back, receiving the No. 10 seed in D-4.

If either the Eureka boys or St. Bernard’s girls win their opening games, they will play their second-round games on Thursday.

All regional semifinals will take place next weekend..

Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com