Peninsula Boys to Continue in State Tournament

The Peninsula boys basketball team will continue in the state tournament, despite a loss last week that seemed to have ended its run.

The team will compete in the Division 2 section (the 2AA and 2A divisions combined).

Brackets and locations will not be announced until Monday, the school's athletic secretary said.

CIF section finals will be completed this Sunday. The CIF office will then rank the teams in the State Tournament and decide who Peninsula will play.

Peninsula Athletic Director Wendell Yoshida said plans to continue were confirmed Monday.

Southern Section CIF can take four schools in Division 1 and four schools in Division 2 to the state playoffs, he said.

"(It's) always been in the playoff handbook," he said.

With plans to turn in their uniforms at lunch Monday, the team found out they had been invited to play in the state tournament, said Tom Morgan, Peninsula star player Reese Morgan's father.

Reese texted his father Monday to let him in on the news.

"The team is delighted to continue as I am too," Tom said in an email.

In the past, teams have been asked to fill open spots "and (it) is not always just the two teams that go to the finals in their division," he said.

"We had the best record of anyone in Div. 2A (28-2) so if anyone is to fill the open spots that CIF has, it certainly should be Peninsula," Tom said. "Only a few teams are invited to State. ... We are thankful."

The team will start practicing again on Wednesday, he said.