Expand<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div>\nSeeded No. 6 in the tournament, Palma (25-3) will travel to No. 3 Cornerstone Christian of Antioch — 65-58 winners over St. Francis of Mountain View — on Thursday in the quarterfinals at 7 p.m.<\/p>\n
The Chieftains and Cornerstone Christian have been ranked 1-2 most of the season in California in Division V. Both were bumped to Division III along with CCS DV champion Woodside Priory.<\/p>\n
“The kid embraced the challenge,” Driscoll said. “Their response was awesome. I told my wife after Monday’s practice that we’re going play great on Tuesday.”<\/p>\n
While Driscoll has yet to watch film of the Cougars, champions of the North Coast Section and owners of 14 straight wins, he’s been aware of the California rankings all season.<\/p>\n
“It’s a cool matchup with the 1-2 teams in the state in Division V all year,” Driscoll said. “They are a formidable opponent. They just beat St. Francis — a West Catholic Athletic League team. But I’ve spent every waking moment preparing for Christopher.”<\/p>\n
Having fallen to Priory last Saturday in the CCS Division V finals, the Chieftains regrouped with Pacific Coast Athletic League Gabilan Division Most Valuable Player JT Harreld and first team all-leaguer Tai Suich combining for 47 points.<\/p>\n
“I have 12 great competitors in this locker room,” Driscoll said. “We had a great practice on Monday. It was just a reminder that we’ve had a darn good championship season. Let’s shore up what we didn’t do on Saturday and keep this journey going.”<\/p>\n
With the exception of a three-minute stretch in the second quarter, the Chieftains seized the moment in what could have been their final home game of the season.<\/p>\n
Christopher, which left the Pacific Coast Athletic League in 2022 after winning the Gabilan Division title, reached the semifinals of the CCS Division II playoffs before falling to St. Francis.<\/p>\n
Having watched a 17-point first-half lead cut to six, Driscoll challenged his players to step up in the second half with their defense and rebounding.<\/p>\n
\u201cI trust our guys,” Driscoll said. “I said, ‘hey you\u2019ve been leaders, great all year. Let’s step up and extend our season.’ We were good defensively and at moving the ball.\u201d<\/p>\n
Palma, which was minus-four in rebounding in the first half, was plus-five in the second half as the 6-foot-8 Harreld took command in the paint, finishing with a double-double, including a game high 27 points.<\/p>\n
“I challenged JT at halftime,” Driscoll said. “He dominated the boards and was huge in the second half. I thought Tai (Suich) and Wyatt (Hippensteel) had solid games.”<\/p>\n
Suich, who finished with 20 points, got hot in the second half as Palma reestablished control of the game, opening up a 24-point lead in the fourth quarter. Hippensteel added 14 points and Ashton Marshall collected eight points.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur five-on-five practices were fierce with great battles,” Driscoll said. “It’s been that way all year. It battle-tested us for this. When we rebound, it allows us to run and finish the possession.”<\/p>\n
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SALINAS -- Once the initial shock wore off that the road to a potential state title run on the hardwood would have to come through Division III, talk turned to embracing the moment.<\/p>
\"I approached it like it was a big time compliment for a school our size,\" Palma coach Brian Driscoll said. \"The committee feels we're a Top 40 boys basketball team in Northern California. We have a chance to do something special.\"<\/p>
Perhaps looking to atone for their setback in last Saturday's Central Coast Section Division V title game, the Chieftains opened the Northern California Division III playoffs Tuesday with a 73-59 win over Christopher.<\/p>
\u00a0<\/p>
Seeded No. 6 in the tournament, Palma (25-3) will travel to No. 3 Cornerstone Christian of Antioch -- 65-58 winners over St. Francis of Mountain View -- on Thursday in the quarterfinals at 7 p.m.<\/p>
The Chieftains and Cornerstone Christian have been ranked 1-2 most of the season in California in Division V. Both were bumped to Division III along with CCS DV champion Woodside Priory.<\/p>
\"The kid embraced the challenge,\" Driscoll said. \"Their response was awesome. I told my wife after Monday's practice that we're going play great on Tuesday.\"<\/p>
Having fallen to Priory last Saturday in the CCS Division V finals, the Chieftains regrouped with Pacific Coast Athletic League Gabilan Division Most Valuable Player JT Harreld and first team all-leaguer Tai Suich combining for 47 points.<\/p>
With the exception of a three-minute stretch in the second quarter, the Chieftains seized the moment in what could have been their final home game of the season.<\/p>
Having watched a 17-point first-half lead cut to six, Driscoll challenged his players to step up in the second half with their defense and rebounding.<\/p>
\u201cI trust our guys,\" Driscoll said. \"I said, 'hey you\u2019ve been leaders, great all year. Let's step up and extend our season.' We were good defensively and at moving the ball.\u201d<\/p>
Palma, which was minus-four in rebounding in the first half, was plus-five in the second half as the 6-foot-8 Harreld took command in the paint, finishing with a double-double, including a game high 27 points.<\/p>
\"I challenged JT at halftime,\" Driscoll said. \"He dominated the boards and was huge in the second half. I thought Tai (Suich) and Wyatt (Hippensteel) had solid games.\"<\/p>
Suich, who finished with 20 points, got hot in the second half as Palma reestablished control of the game, opening up a 24-point lead in the fourth quarter. Hippensteel added 14 points and Ashton Marshall collected eight points.<\/p>"},"print_workflow_exported_ts":"1772631285","print_workflow_exported_username":"David Kellogg","print_workflow_shapes":"","print_workflow_side":{"print_section":"416","print_status":"410","add_export_buttons":"","print_endpoint":"norcal","print_publication":"","print_add_to_budget":""},"really_short_title":"","short_title":"","syndication_source":"","market_neutral_title":"","social_title":"","dfm_hub_post_id":0,"paywall_level":"","featured_media_content":{"content_type":"image","content":{"id":3741883,"title":"MCH-L-PALMA-0305-01","filename":"MCH-L-PALMA-0305-01.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.montereyherald.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/MCH-L-PALMA-0305-01.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.montereyherald.com\/mch-l-palma-0305-01\/","alt":"","author":"70","description":"","caption":"Palma\u2019s Tai Suich attempts an acrobatic shot late in the fourth quarter in the Chieftains\u2019 73-59 win Tuesday night in the Northern California Division III playoffs at Palma. Suich finished with 20 points and Palma advanced for a road game at Cornerstone Christian on Thursday. (Donald Fukui -- Monterey Herald)","name":"mch-l-palma-0305-01","status":"inherit","uploadedTo":0,"date":1772629921000,"modified":1772629921000,"menuOrder":0,"mime":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.montereyherald.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.svg","dateFormatted":"March 4, 2026","nonces":{"update":false,"delete":false,"edit":false},"editLink":false,"meta":false,"authorName":"dfm-photoupload","authorLink":"","filesizeInBytes":2164740,"filesizeHumanReadable":"2 MB","context":"","height":3038,"width":4160,"orientation":"landscape","sizes":{"thumbnail":{"height":"150","width":"150","url":"https:\/\/www.montereyherald.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/MCH-L-PALMA-0305-01.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","orientation":"landscape"},"medium":{"height":219,"width":300,"url":"https:\/\/www.montereyherald.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/MCH-L-PALMA-0305-01.jpg?w=300","orientation":"landscape"},"large":{"height":748,"width":1024,"url":"https:\/\/www.montereyherald.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/MCH-L-PALMA-0305-01.jpg?w=1024","orientation":"landscape"},"full":{"url":"https:\/\/www.montereyherald.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/MCH-L-PALMA-0305-01.jpg","height":3038,"width":4160,"orientation":"landscape"}},"custom_caption":""},"data":[{"id":3741883,"title":"MCH-L-PALMA-0305-01","filename":"MCH-L-PALMA-0305-01.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.montereyherald.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/MCH-L-PALMA-0305-01.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.montereyherald.com\/mch-l-palma-0305-01\/","alt":"","author":"70","description":"","caption":"Palma\u2019s Tai Suich attempts an acrobatic shot late in the fourth quarter in the Chieftains\u2019 73-59 win Tuesday night in the Northern California Division III playoffs at Palma. Suich finished with 20 points and Palma advanced for a road game at Cornerstone Christian on Thursday. (Donald Fukui -- Monterey Herald)","name":"mch-l-palma-0305-01","status":"inherit","uploadedTo":0,"date":1772629921000,"modified":1772629921000,"menuOrder":0,"mime":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.montereyherald.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.svg","dateFormatted":"March 4, 2026","nonces":{"update":false,"delete":false,"edit":false},"editLink":false,"meta":false,"authorName":"dfm-photoupload","authorLink":"","filesizeInBytes":2164740,"filesizeHumanReadable":"2 MB","context":"","height":3038,"width":4160,"orientation":"landscape","sizes":{"thumbnail":{"height":"150","width":"150","url":"https:\/\/www.montereyherald.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/MCH-L-PALMA-0305-01.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","orientation":"landscape"},"medium":{"height":219,"width":300,"url":"https:\/\/www.montereyherald.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/MCH-L-PALMA-0305-01.jpg?w=300","orientation":"landscape"},"large":{"height":748,"width":1024,"url":"https:\/\/www.montereyherald.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/MCH-L-PALMA-0305-01.jpg?w=1024","orientation":"landscape"},"full":{"url":"https:\/\/www.montereyherald.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/MCH-L-PALMA-0305-01.jpg","height":3038,"width":4160,"orientation":"landscape"}},"custom_caption":""}],"rendered_content":"![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.montereyherald.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/MCH-L-PALMA-0305-01.jpg\")
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