Chico High School Boys Basketball Team Advances to Northern Section Championship
The Chico High School boys basketball team has been on a strong run, entering the Northern Section Division III playoffs as the No. 1 seed. After securing a first-round bye, the Panthers used their time off to rest and review game film, which proved beneficial in their recent victory over No. 4 Pleasant Valley.
With a 53-40 win against the Vikings at The Pit at Chico High School, the Panthers advanced to the NSCIF D-III championship game set for 6 p.m. on Friday. They will face No. 3 Enterprise, who defeated No. 2 Foothill 56-51 on Wednesday to move on.
This marks Chico’s opportunity to claim its first section title since 2016, when former head coach Abel Simmons led the team. Coach Rob Barde expressed confidence in his team’s ability to perform at the right time.
“I’ve known from day one that this team has what it takes,” said Barde. “It was just about figuring out the pieces and coming together as a team. We started peaking at the right time. We had a tough loss in the first game of league, but we knew we should be playing better than that. We tweaked some things, and everyone bought in.”
Senior forward Davis Parent admitted he had doubts after the Panthers’ two-point loss at Foothill on Jan. 8. However, after defeating PV for a second time on Feb. 6, his confidence grew.
“Once that happened, I had full confidence in us to go out and win on Friday,” Parent said. “It’s a great opportunity, and I’m super thankful.”
Friday will be Parent’s first Northern Section championship game appearance in his third year on the varsity team. When asked what makes this team different from previous teams, he emphasized, “trust and teamwork.”
Game Highlights and Key Performances
In the first quarter of Wednesday’s game, Pleasant Valley led 5-2 early after a pair of free throws from Noah Allyon and a 3-pointer from Bryn Cooper. However, the Panthers took the lead at 6-5 and went on an 11-0 run to take a 13-5 lead with 3:02 remaining in the first quarter.
Chico led 18-11 after the first quarter, but PV defense locked down in the next two quarters. The Vikings trimmed the Panthers’ lead to 24-19 in the second quarter, with four buckets coming from four different Vikings’ scorers.
“We defended well. Defensively, I feel like they did a great job. When you keep a good team at home under 55, I’m happy,” said PV coach Tim Keating.
Chico led 33-27 after the third quarter, but in the fourth quarter, the Panthers opened on an 8-0 run to take a 41-27 lead, forcing Keating to call a timeout. In the fourth quarter, the Panthers outscored the Vikings 20-13, led by seven points from John Bernardez. The sophomore finished with a team-high 18 points, adding four rebounds and four assists.
Fellow sophomore Leo Romano finished with 11 points and six rebounds for the Panthers, while Parent contributed eight points and 14 rebounds (four offensive). Remi Lefebvre added eight points for the Panthers.
For PV, Cooper had a team-high nine points, and Kyrie Penn and Shane Connaughton each scored eight points. Ashton Benson had seven points.
Championship Game Preview
Friday’s NSCIF section championship game will feature a battle of height between the Hornets and Panthers. Chico has three players listed 6-foot-5 or taller — Romano at 6-5, Parent at 6-6, and Vincent Boatwright at 6-7. Enterprise has junior center/forward Timothy Scheel listed at 6-9 and senior forward/guard Trevor Smith listed at 6-7.
When asked about what it will take to beat the Hornets on Saturday, Bernardez said, “Just taking it one practice, one play, and one game at a time.” He noted that the Panthers have had issues with consistency over four quarters, so playing to their level for four quarters will be key.
Barde described the upcoming game as a “dog fight” but said his team will be ready.
“That game is going to take on a life of its own, and it’s up to us to be ready to play,” Barde said.
Pleasant Valley’s Ashton Benson (24) goes for a layup as Chico’s Ej Park (5) goes for the block in the Northern Section CIF Division III semifinal on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026 at The Pit at Chico High School in Chico, California. (Ben Mota/All Axis Sports)
Pleasant Valley makes a basket Shane Connaughton (33) as Chico’s Davis Parent (31) and Vincent Boatwright (30) apply pressure in the Northern Section CIF Division III semifinal on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026 at The Pit at Chico High School in Chico, California. (Ben Mota/All Axis Sports)
Chico’s Davis Parent (31) makes a shot over Pleasant Valley defenders Noah Allyon (23) and Ashton Benson (24) in the Northern Section CIF Division III semifinal on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026 at The Pit at Chico High School in Chico, California. (Ben Mota/All Axis Sports)
