The Archbishop Mitty girls basketball team is learning how to survive and succeed minus their star player.

It was reasonable to question what Mitty’s ceiling would be after McKenna Woliczko, one of the best high school girls basketball players in the nation, went down with a season-ending knee injury.

But if Saturday’s 71-48 demolition of visiting McClatchy in the CIF Open Division Northern regional semifinals was any indication, the Monarchs could very well still be the best team in Northern California.

And, who knows, capturing the program’s first state Open Division crown is not beyond the realm of possibility.

They play host to Clovis West tonight for the NorCal title.

“No question, this group is playing its best basketball right now,” Mitty coach Sue Phillips said. “And that’s what you hope to do, peak in March.”

It was a 10-point game at halftime with Mitty up 36-26. The Monarchs put their foot down in the second half and steadily pulled away.

Devin Cosgriff, a transfer from Bishop O’Dowd, led the way with 24 points.

– Glenn Reeves

TKA, PALO ALTO TO MEET FOR D-III TITLE >> Palo Alto is one win away from appearing in its third state championship game – and first since 2006 – after going on the road Saturday night and returning home with a 63-52 victory over Christian Brothers-Sacramento.

Standing in the Vikings’ way of the NorCal Division III title tonight – and state final appearance – is another team from Santa Clara County, top-seeded The King’s Academy.

Jorell Clark had another huge game for Palo Alto on Saturday, scoring 29 points – none larger than the off-balance, shot-clock-beating 3-pointer he sank with about four minutes left and the score tied 50-50.

TKA held off Carlmont 75-69 to advance to its first regional final as Karan Kolappa had a team-high 20 points.

– Darren Sabedra, Nathan Canilao

SRV GIRLS’ STORYBOOK SEASON COMES TO END >> The San Ramon Valley girls, with no seniors on the roster, wildly overachieved this season.

The Wolves (28-4) won the East Bay Athletic League regular-season and tournament titles, captured their first North Coast Section Open Division crown in a stunning rout of Acalanes and rolled past Pinewood in the first round of the NorCal Open Division regional.

But the run ended Saturday in the Fresno area as unbeaten Clovis West advanced to the final with a 69-62 win.

Kaitlyn Mills led SRV with 27 points.

– Joseph Dycus

SALESIAN GIRLS ON DOORSTEP OF STATE AGAIN >> The Salesian girls made their trip to Hanford a pleasurable one as they advanced to the NorCal Division II final with a 61-51 victory over Sierra Pacific. It will be the Pride’s eighth appearance in a regional final.

Vanessa Parilla scored 20 points for Salesian, which advanced to play at top-seeded Caruthers tonight.

– Darren Sabedra

PRIORY BOYS OUST BERKELEY IN D-IV >> Priory (24-6) continued to show why it was seeded No. 1 in the Division IV bracket with an easy 69-48 victory over fifth-seeded Berkeley. Kasten Eggers led the way with 19 points and made all eight of his free throws, and Teddy Xanthopoulos scored 15 points.

— Joseph Dycus

HMB GIRLS ONE WIN FROM HISTORY >> Second-seeded Half Moon Bay started slow on its home court in a Division IV girls semifinal against third-seeded Rio Linda. But when things got rolling for the Cougars, there was no turning back as HMB prevailed 58-40.

Xochitl Nieves scored a team-high 15 points for HMB, which makes its first appearance in a NorCal final.

— Darren Sabedra

CARONDELET CRUISES INTO D-I FINAL >> Carondelet made it look easy, outscoring visiting Cardinal Newman in every quarter to cruise to a 64-46 victory.

The Concord school will now head to its second consecutive NorCal Division I title game as it will host No. 4 seed St. Mary’s-Stockton tonight.

– Nathan Canilao

JETS FLY INTO D-V GIRLS FINAL >> Encinal was too much for Washington-San Francisco to handle from the get-go as the Jets rolled to a 59-37 victory in a game that was never competitive.

Jazzy Alcantar scored a game-high 26 points for the Alameda program, which is one win away from its first appearance in a state title game.

Encinal (22-9) will play Woodland Christian for the NorCal title tonight.

– Joseph Dycus

CORNERSTONE GIRLS AVOID UPSET IN D-VI >>

Playing host to a Fall River team that had just upset No. 1 seed Ferndale, Cornerstone Christian did not underestimate the No. 8 seed on Saturday night.

Kenenna Amaijoyi’s 17 points led the way for Cornerstone, which plays in the title game tonight at Faith Christian-Yuba City.

– Joseph Dycus