On Friday, the CIF State Championship games went on as scheduled at Golden 1 Center as protestors marched down 7th Street in Downtown Sacramento. The number of those marching paled in comparison to the number of the protestors that occupied the Downtown Commons space less than 24 hours earlier, many forming a human chain around the arena to keep Kings fans out of their game against the Hawks.
High school basketball fans entered the arena without incident as the first of three teams representing our area, the West Campus High School girls, took the floor looking to bring another CIF State championship to the 916.
For the second straight year, the Warriors claimed the Division IV NorCal Championship. Led by UCLA-bound Kiara Jefferson and Nia Johnson, who is heading to Cal State Bakersfield next year, the Warriors had a chance to win their second straight state championship. This year, however, West Campus was moved up to Division III in the state playoffs.
Fifth-seeded West Campus put on a defensive clinic in the first quarter against sixth-seeded Sunny Hills out of Fullerton. The Warriors held Sunny Hills to just four points in the first quarter and six points in the fourth.
Kings forward Zach Randolph made an appearance at the game just before halftime. The 16-year NBA veteran was spotted near the tunnel designated for West Campus and even posed for a photo with fans.
West Campus took a 47-27 lead into the locker room at halftime and the Warriors did not take their foot off the gas in the second half. Johnson and Jefferson combined for 44 points and the team combined for 42 rebounds. With a 75-47 rout of Sunny Hills, the West Campus girls claim their second straight CIF State Championship.
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