Section title games are supposed to be the most competitive games of the high school basketball postseason because they match teams of similar skills compared to regional and state finals. That was not the case for the Encinal women’s basketball team in the North Coast Section (NCS) Division III women’s basketball title game last Saturday, March 8.

Five minutes into the contest the Miramonte Matadors of Orinda put the clamps on the Jets to the tune of a 20-6 run to start the game.

The snowball continued to roll downhill and get bigger and bigger as the Matadors took a 58-24 lead into halftime. Eventually, the Jets lost 94-42. Five players for the Matadors scored in double figures. Encinal sophomore Destiny Kelly led all Jet scores with 12 points.

The Division III NCS favorite was defending champ Bishop O’ Dowd of Oakland before the playoffs began, but the Dragons were disqualified for the NCS postseason because they played 27 regular season games, one more than the allowable 26 the NCS allows.

Despite the loss, this was still a unique season for the Lady Jets. This is the Jets (20-8 overall) first appearance in the NCS title game.

The Jets’ season, however, is not over. Because the Jets made it to the NCS finals they not only get to take part in the Division III California Interscholastic Federation Northern California regional playoffs, but they also get an opening round bye. The Jets’ next game is March 15. They will play the winner of Vanden of Fairfield and San Marin.