Double Revenge Motivates Drake in NCS Opener

's boys basketball team got drawn on the opposite side of the bracket from Marin County Athletic League powerhouse San Marin in the North Coast Section Championships, but that doesn't mean the Pirates don't have a score to settle early in the tournament.

Coming off a loss to the Mustangs in the MCAL Tournament finals Saturday night, the Pirates, 18-11, were seeded seventh in the 13-team field and were matched up with San Rafael in Round 1.

Yes, the same San Rafael team that beat Drake twice during the MCAL season, including a 55-54 thriller at Drake on the final night of the regular season. It wasn't that close -- 66-60 -- when they met earlier at San Rafael.

That didn't stop the seeding committee from giving the Pirates more respect in its bracketing, and that's why Drake will once again host San Rafael, the 10th seed at 19-9, on Tuesday night at 7 p.m.

The winner will advance to face El Cerrito, the No. 2 seed, Friday night in the second round at El Cerrito.

Drake's girls also earned an invitation to the NCS event, but they'll have to go on the road as the 12th seed on opening night to face Acalanes of Lafayette. Game time Tuesday is 7 p.m.

The Pirates didn't play Acalanes, 17-8, in the preseason, but did fare well against two of the Dons' neighbors, beating Mt. Diablo of Concord 55-44 and Alhambra of Martinez 50-28.

The Drake-Acalanes winner must travel to fourth-seeded Moreau Catholic of Hayward for its quarterfinal game Friday.