Palma hoops

 The benefits of being moved into the CCS Open Division bracket for basketball ensures Palma of playing at least three more games.
 Plus, it will be moved back into Division IV for the State Northern California playoffs.
 There were no guarantees that remaining in the CCS Division IV bracket would have extended the Chieftains season, having fallen in the CCS semifinals five out of the last seven years.
 Still, the Open Division could be trial by fire for a Palma (21-3) squad that starts two underclassmen.
 Then again, this is a team that gave Open Division top seed St. Francis all it could handle on Jan. 2. The two powers were tied at halftime before Palma fell 55-46.
 Mitty, who Palma plays on Friday at Wilcox High, split its two games with St. Francis.