Guards lift PV, Chico boys and girls into section title matchups

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

Pleasant Valley High’s Aiden Pearsall-Morgan (1) extends for a layup over Corning’s Juan Rodriguez (bottom) as Jeremiah Tinker (25) defends in the first round of the Northern Section Division III playoffs on Friday, Feb. 17, at Varley Gym in Chico. BEN MOTA — CONTRIBUTED

Chico’s Rashad Samuels (2) works against Red Bluff’s Kyler Contreras (3) at Chico High School on Friday, Feb. 3, in Chico. RICK SILVA — RED BLUFF DAILY NEWS

Pleasant Valley’s Maddux Wilson (13) drive against Shasta’s Kaylnn Hemsted (3) in the Northern Section Division III semifinals on Tuesday at Varley Gym in Chico.

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By Justin Couchot

jcouchot@chicoer.com

Chico >> The Chico High and Pleasant Valley boys and girls basketball teams will face off Friday night for the Northern Section Division III championship.

It will be the first time the two teams have faced off for the NSCIF championship since 2016, when Chico and PV were competing as the only two D-II teams in the Northern Section.

Tip off is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday for the boys game and 7:45 p.m. for the girls game. Both games will be held at Butte College.

All teams have their ways of winning, but all four teams playing Friday have one primary thing in common — the strength of their point guard.

On the girls side Chico High guard Campbell Vieg leads the scoring attack for the Panthers. The senior is averaging 16.8 points per game, 5.1 rebounds per game, 5.3 assists per game and 3.5 steals per game.

“Campbell is the straw that serves the drink for us,” said Chico High coach Sean Conrad about Vieg and how she helps the Panthers’ offense.

Vieg will be playing in her first NSCIF championship and said her team how bad she wanted a chance at a section championship in the Panthers’ semifinal game.

“We need to come out with high defensive intensity (Friday),” Vieg said. “That’s what we’re best at. Getting steals, fast breaks and playing at our speed will be key.”

Across the court from Vieg will be the Pleasant Valley point guard duo of AJ Gambol and Maddux Wilson. Both sophomores, Gambol is averaging 15.7 PPG and 3.4 assists per game, while Wilson is averaging 14.6 PPG and 2.6 steals per game.

When asked about his backcourt, Pleasant Valley coach Bob Paddock said the two guards provide a one-two punch against opponents.

“AJ’s strength is attacking the rim and finishing, but she can shoot the 3. Maddux’s strength is shooting the 3, but she can also attack and get to the rim,” Paddock said. “They are a difficult matchup for opposing teams, not to mention we have other players that opponents have to deal with that can score if needed. We look forward to the challenge of facing a good cross-town rival Chico High on Friday.”

In the boys game, Rashad Samuels leads the Panthers’ back court at the point guard position. Samuels, who is averaging 11.2 PPG, 3 steals per game and 1.4 steals per game, is coming off a career-high in points Wednesday (24) in the NSCIF semifinals against Shasta. Samuels had 15 points at halftime, including three 3-pointers.

“He’s become a leader in his time here at Chico High. I’m so proud of him. He’s grown as a young man, he’s grown as a basketball player, and he’s certainly grown as a leader,” said Chico High coach Abraham Simmons. “He’s reading the game so much better and tonight was an example of that. When we needed him to score he scored, when we needed him to play defense he played defense.”

For the PV boys Aiden Pearsall-Morgan, Luke Kremer and Isiah Fortune help lead the Vikings’ offense from the point guard position. Pearsall-Morgan and Kremer are seniors, while Fortune is a junior.

PV head coach Tim Keating, who compared the point guard position to the quarterback of a football team, said all three guards bring something different. Pearsall-Morgan brings leadership and the intangibles coaches strongly desire, Kremer’s basketball IQ is so high that he can play nearly any position and Fortune is doing a great job learning as the other two point guards will graduate after this season.

“They take it upon themselves to be able to run our offense and communicate with teammates,” Keating said. “At the same time they have to try and push the ball up the floor in transition and make good decisions. A lot of the times they have the ball and have to deal with additional pressure.”

From the beginning of the season Keating preaches the importance of decision making, which includes players presenting to teammates while watching film.

Simmons echoed Keating about preached the importance of decision making as well as valuing each possession entering Friday’s championship game.

“Against a really good team like PV we have to value possessions because you don’t want to give them any extra possessions,” Simmons said. “They’re such a good team and their defense turns into offense so we just have to value the ball.”

It will be the first Northern Section title game for the Chico High girls under the third-year head coach Conrad. The Panthers had a limited season due to the pandemic in Conrad’s first season and were eliminated in the NSCIF semifinals last season. The PV girls won the last two NSCIF championships (2021, 2019).

The Chico High boys will be chasing their first NSCIF championship since 2016, while the Pleasant Valley boys are looking to win their fifth straight NSCIF championship (2018, 2019, 2021, 2022).

For updates on the NSCIF boys championship follow @JCouchot_Sports on Twitter. For updates on the NSCIF D-III girls championship follow @SharonBMartin.