Mitch Stephens

Joined: Jun 19, 2024

Mitch Stephens is a senior editor at SBLive Sports for California, a state he's covered high school sports since 1984. He won multiple CNPA and CPSWA writing awards with the Contra Costa Times, San Francisco Chronicle and MaxPreps.com before joining the SBLive staff in 2022. He's covered the beat nationally since 2007, profiling such athletes as Derrick Henry, Paige Bueckers, Patrick Mahomes, Sabrina Ionescu, Jayson Tatum, Chiney Ogwumike, Jeremy Lin and Najee Harris as preps. You can reach him at mitch@scorebooklive.com.

Salesian senior Elias Obenyah goes up for two of his game-high 26 points during a 74-62 win over Modesto Christian in the 28th MLK Classic at De La Salle on Jan. 19, 2026. Salesian plays Clayton Valley Feb. 28 in a North Coast Section Open Division title game at San Leandro High School.

California

Granada, Bishop O'Dowd boys roll into the Division 1 finals; after single-digit wins; Cornerstone Christian, Branson advance to D3 finals

Ibrahim Monawar, shown here during De La Salle 28-5 season in 2024-25, led the Spartans to a big North Coast Section Open Division opening night win on Feb. 19, 2026 with a team-high 17 points, 15 coming after halftime.

California

Fourth-year Spartan guard observing Ramadan leads his team to wild California playoff win despite improbable buzzer-beater, 32 points from Isaiah Clendinen

San Ramon Valley sophomore Kaitlyn Mills is a key starter for the top Open Division seed which have a first-round bye in the North Coast Section playoffs which opened on Feb. 17 and conclude Feb. 28

California

First-round Division 1 winners include No. 2 Dublin, No. 3 Arcata, No. 4 Acalanes and No. 5 Alameda; No. 11 Pinole Valley pulls off only upset with win at No. 6 California

Salesian senior Elias Obenyah leads the top-seed Pride in Open Division play, which opens Thursday in North Coast Section playoff action. Salesian has earned a first-round bye. Here the Stanford-boudn Obenyah goes up for two of his game-high 26 points during a 74-62 win over Modesto Christian in the 28th MLK Classic at De La Salle on Jan. 19, 2026

California

First-round Division 1 winners include No. 1 Bishop O'Dowd, No. 2 Amador Valley, No. 3 Granada and No. 4 Liberty; 10th seed Livermore upsets No. 7 California

A slam dunk of a season for Livermore High School and super sophomore Amare Chandler continued Tuesday in North Coast Section Division 1 playoff action. Chandler hit two three-point buzzer-beaters and scored 40 points leading Cowboys to a historic win.

California

Amare Chandler sends game into overtime, then wins NCS road playoff game with two daggers en route to a 40-point outburst

San Ramon Valley's girls basketball team poses after winning their fourth straight EBAL title with a 70-49 home win over Carondelet

California

A combined 51 points over two quarters lifts the public-school power to their 10th straight win overall and ninth consecutive over the defending California Division 1 champions

Notre Dame's NaVorro Bowman Jr. handles the ball in a game against Sierra Canyon at the Intuit Dome.

California

Heading into the postseason — more than half the state is done with the regular season — here's the best of the best in the Golden State

Sierra Canyon's Maxi Adams gave an impressive performance in a victory over Columbus (FL) in the 2026 Hoophall Classic. The Trailblazers are the No. 1 team in California's Top 25 boys basketball rankings for Jan. 27.

California

With the regular season winding down in parts of the state, here's the latest high school rankings in the Golden State

USF-signee Andrew Hilman goes up over two defenders to make a game-winning shot for Riordan over Riordan at War Memorial Gym on the campus of USF.

Mitch Stephens

Joined: Jun 19, 2024

Live update: North Coast Section basketball championships

Iowa-signee McKenna Woliczko, third-ranked Mitty roll to fifth straight, 34th Central Coast Section title

Salesian gets gritty with it, grinds out NCS Open semifinal win over De La Salle

California (CIF) North Coast Section high school girls basketball playoff brackets, scores, matchups (2/25/2026)

California

California (CIF) North Coast Section high school boys basketball playoff brackets, scores, matchups (2/25/2026)

California

De La Salle, Ibrahim Monawar keep faith, overcome Moreau Catholic, prep version of Jalen Brunson

California

California (CIF) North Coast Section high school girls basketball playoff brackets, scores, matchups (2/17/2026)

California

California (CIF) North Coast Section high school boys basketball playoff brackets, scores, matchups (2/17/2026)

California

Splash, splash 40! Livermore's sensational sophomore hits two buzzer-beating 3s to key another historic win

California

Instant combustion! San Ramon Valley's girls propel past Carondelet for 4th straight EBAL crown

California

California CIF State Boys Basketball Top 25 rankings, Feb. 6

California

California CIF State Boys Basketball Top 25 rankings, Jan. 27

California star channels Michael Jordan; Double-clutch buzzer-beater sinks rival

LIVE UPDATES SUMMARY: St. Joseph, Riordan, Prolific Prep win marquee matchups at Crush in Valley

Top 10 national recruits Caleb Holt, Bruce Branch III, Christian Collins to star at 10th Crush in the Valley

Top 25 California CIF Boys High School Basketball State Rankings - Jan. 20, 2026