NCS girls basketball: Rincon Valley Christian wins Division 6 title

The top-seeded Rincon Valley Christian girls' basketball team went to the boards with fury and passion on Saturday night and cashed in its hard work on the glass for an NCS Division 6 championship, defeating visiting No. 2 Mendocino 47-36.

RVC (23-7), winners of 13 consecutive games, held a 47-30 rebounding edge over Mendocino (22-6). The one-sided battle of the boards gave the Eagles - who had 23 offensive boards - a huge advantage and provided them with many more scoring opportunities than were afforded the Cardinals.

“We have focused on two things all season - rebounding and defense,” RVC coach Richard Higgenbottom said. “We had a poor shooting night. Our girls were nervous. This is a young team. I didn't start a single senior.”

RVC (NCL II) dominated the first half and led 27-11 at halftime. Mendocino (NCL III) made a game of it in the second half, outscoring the Eagles 25-20, butcouldn't mount a sustained rally to climb all the way back.

“We definitely outplayed them in the second half but we just dug ourselves too big of a hole in the first half,” Mendocino coach Vincent Lee said. “The difference in the game was RVC's second-chance points. They definitely out-rebounded us.”

There were stretches of the game when Mendocino was getting one shot per possession while RVC was getting four and five shots per possession.

RVC was led by Elizabeth Chambers (23 points and 15 rebounds), Caroline Chambers (16 points and 12 rebounds) and Kylie Olson (14 rebounds).

Mendocino was led by Emily Miller with 12 points.

“These were two good defensive teams,” Higgenbottom said. “Both teams were a little gassed at the end.”

Both teams automatically qualify for the NorCal Division 6 tournament that begins Wednesday. The tournament will feature four teams from the NCS, two teams from the Northern Section and two teams from the Sac-Joaquin Section.

Higgenbottom said he is hoping RVC will get a top-four seed so the Eagles will have an opening-round home game.

“Seeding matters - the more you play at home, the better it is for you,” Higgenbottom said. “You shoot better at home.”

The Cardinals are in a slightly worse position for seeding, having lost the championship game, but Lee said he thinks Mendocino will either be a No. 4 seed (opening-round home game) or a No. 5 seed (road game).