Girls basketball: Redwood rolls into D-I semifinals

Being the No. 1 seed in the North Coast Section Division I girls basketball tournament has its privileges and could very well give Redwood High the upper hand in its quest for a second championship in three seasons.

The Giants won for the seventh straight time at home this season, thrashing No. 9 Maria Carrillo of Santa Rosa, 62-28, in the NCS quarterfinals on Friday night.

Redwood (23-6) remains at home for a date with No. 4 Acalanes on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the NCS semifinals, and a win would set up the Giants to play the sectional final in Larkspur next Friday or Saturday.

“We’re the No. 1 seed so everything has to come through us, which is a huge thing,” said Redwood coach Zach Borello. “This team is ready. There’s something different about the level of focus on this team. We’re really good,”

The Giants won their first NCS title in program history in 2024, playing in the D-II bracket.

Last season, Redwood upset its way to the D-I semifinals as the No. 6 seed and then won the third-place game. The Giants have reached the CIF NorCal second round in each of the past two seasons.

Borello believes that Redwood’s top seed in the D-I bracket could be the highest for an MCAL girls team. With 20 straight league wins and back-to-back MCAL pennants, it’s easy to see why the Giants are building confidence.

“We’re strong and we believe we’re going to win,” said Redwood junior post Hindi Copeland. “Being given the No. 1 seed was definitely an accomplishment.”

Copeland, a 6-foot-3 junior center, continued her rebounding prowess against Maria Carrillo, finishing with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Senior forward Kitty White led all players with 13 points and added eight rebounds.

“I definitely focus on rebounds, so it’s pretty exciting to get a double-double,” said Copeland. “I usually average about 10 rebounds, but the points are exciting. This game flowed and my teammates were passing the ball really well.”

Maria Carrillo (21-8) had already lost to Redwood 54-31 in both teams’ season opener. When asked if he saw any differences in the Giants in round two, Maria Carrillo coach Dave McCall quipped, “They look like they got a little taller.”

The Giants were so dominant on the boards that they scored eight points on put-backs. Their size includes 6-1 senior post Brooke Denler, 5-11 junior guard Maddie Petersmeyer and White at 5-11.

“They’re just bigger and stronger,” said McCall. “They’ve got good size, they’ve got good balance, they’ve got good perimeter shooters. They have championship qualities.”

The much taller Giants completely took Pumas’ leading scorer Hanisi Daveta out of her game. The senior forward averages nearly 13 points a game, but was held to two points, and that bucket didn’t come until two minutes into the third quarter.

Denler, who finished with eight points and three rebounds, was tasked with guarding Daveta.

“She does so much for us,” McCall said of Daveta. “When she has that many big players with no help, sometimes it becomes a little bit overwhelming.”

Redwood has also faced Acalanes this season, losing on the road 46-36. Borello said he expects a much different game on Tuesday compared to the Giants’ afternoon tilt in Lafayette on Jan. 17.

“We won MCAL — that’s a huge accomplishment right there,” said Borello. “There’s a different vibe about this team. They’re ready to go.”