Shawn Jansen: Golden Valley boys basketball has unique home advantage

Keith Hunter isn't blind.

The Golden Valley boys basketball coach sees the funny outfits in the stands.

Believe me, the capes and masks worn by senior wrestler Ben Weber in the crowd are hard to miss. As are the white Section 415 T-shirts worn by the student section. (It's in reference to the California penal code 415: Disturbing the peace).

That's why Hunter knows the importance of what two home playoff games could mean.

"We have a great crowd," Hunter said. "Our leadership guy does a great job. It's a great atmosphere."

The Sac-Joaquin Section released the power ratings earlier this week and Hunter's Cougars were rated No. 5 in a loaded Division I field.

With about eight or nine teams opting up, there are 41 teams in Division I. What's that mean? Well, simply, there will be some good teams not making the playoffs.

Just looking at the first set of power ratings, No. 17 Jesuit (13-7) and No. 21 West (16-6), two teams well above the .500 mark, wouldn't make the playoffs.

"If we lose two more games we might be out of the playoffs," Hunter said.

While that scenario looks unlikely, the Cougars could greatly improve their chances of sticking around longer in the playoffs by moving into the top four.

In the past, the No. 5 seed wasn't much different than No. 4 with the second-round games at the University of the Pacific.

It just meant wearing your away jersey in the second round.

However, the section has done away with neutral sites for second round games, which means if the top four seeds win they are guaranteed two home playoff games.

Selfishly, I don't like the move. I enjoyed making the trip to UOP and watching all four games at one site.

Coaches also felt the trip to UOP was a reward for winning the first round, a carrot they could hold in front of their team.

"It came down to it was a mess logistically to have all four games at one site on a Friday night," Sac-Joaquin Section Director of Communications Will DeBoard said. "The other feeling was the higher seeds only got home-court advantage in the first round. This gives the higher seeds a little bit of an advantage the first two rounds."

The home advantage doesn't stop at the crowd for Golden Valley in the playoffs.

The Cougars would also have referees from the Southern half of the section working the game.

All you have to do is look at GV's first round game at Sacramento Burbank last year to understand that the games are officiated a lot different in the North than they are in the South.

"Neither team got in the bonus in either half and I think each team shot about five or six free throws in the game," Hunter said. "They let the players play up there. In that game you had to finish."

If Golden Valley is fortunate enough to advance to the second round it's going to have a much better chance against teams such as Burbank, Rodriguez and Granite Bay at home.

For the Cougars to climb into the top four they're going to have to win their final five games.

That alone should be enough motivation as they face each Central California Conference team for a third time down the stretch.

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The honors keep rolling in for Dos Palos' Kevin Schofield and Le Grand's Bob Perez.

Schofield was named to the CalHiSports' Small School All-State first team as a multi-purpose player.

Schofield was the Sun-Star's Offensive Player of the Year after rushing for 1,806 yards this year.

Perez was named to the all-state second team after leading the Bulldogs to the school's first section title.

The Sun-Star's Defensive Player of the Year racked up 104 tackles from his middle linebacker position and also rushed for more than 1,800 yards and 25 touchdowns.

Buhach Colony offensive lineman Matt Cochran and defensive lineman Aziz Shittu were both named to the all-state junior second team after helping lead the Thunder to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II semifinals.

Sophomore offensive lineman Aaron Cochran was named to the All-State Sophomore first team.

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It appears Matt Hubbard is more than a great soccer player. The Golden Valley senior is also an incredible referee.

Hubbard was named the District VIII Youth Referee of the Year by the California Youth Soccer Association North. Hubbard received his award on Jan. 29 in Monterey.

He is one of 800 referees in the district covering the counties of Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Alpine, Calaveras and Tuolumne.

Shawn Jansen is a Sun-Star sports reporter. He can be reached at 385-2462 or via e-mail at sjansen@mercedsun-star.com.