Mission Bay Buccaneers' Playoff Run Ends in Early Upset

Confident Bucs fall to Francis Parker in first round of CIF Open Division playoffs

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The Mission Bay Buccaneers, who had won 10 of their last 11 games and the Western League championship, saw their season come to an unexpected end with a 55-50 loss to Francis Parker in the first round of the CIF Open Division playoffs. Despite building an early lead, the Buccaneers were unable to overcome Francis Parker's advantage on the glass, which led to second-chance opportunities and key three-pointers down the stretch.

Why it matters

Mission Bay had been one of the hottest teams in San Diego County heading into the playoffs, making their early exit a surprise. The loss raises questions about the Buccaneers' ability to compete with the top teams in the Open Division and highlights the importance of rebounding and limiting second-chance points in high-stakes playoff games.

The details

The Buccaneers led 12-10 after the first quarter, but Francis Parker took a 26-25 lead at halftime. In the second half, the Lancers began to dominate the boards, leading to numerous second-chance opportunities that helped them build a 41-35 lead by the end of the third quarter. Francis Parker then went on a 7-2 run to start the fourth quarter, putting Mission Bay in a double-digit hole that they were unable to overcome despite a late rally.

  • The game was played on Friday night, March 2, 2026.
  • Mission Bay had won 6 straight games and 10 of their last 11 heading into the playoffs.

The players

Marshawn Cherry

The head coach of the Mission Bay Buccaneers.

Clay Grebing

A senior on the Mission Bay Buccaneers who led the team with 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists in the loss.

Lucky Davis

A sophomore on the Mission Bay Buccaneers who scored 11 points and grabbed 3 rebounds in the game.

Jocori Bartlett

A senior on the Mission Bay Buccaneers who finished with 10 points, 2 rebounds, and 4 assists.

Tavid Johnson

A player for the Francis Parker Lancers who scored a key layup in the final minutes to help seal the win.

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What they’re saying

“We came in confident. We knew they were a good team and it would be a battle, and told the guys it was going to be a two-of-three-possession game.”

— Marshawn Cherry, Head Coach, Mission Bay Buccaneers (timesofsandiego.com)

“Rebounding was the biggest difference. We gave them too many second-chance opportunities. Also, on our rotations, we had times where a guy didn't bump and allowed them to get opportunities to hit some key three pointers late.”

— Marshawn Cherry, Head Coach, Mission Bay Buccaneers (timesofsandiego.com)

What’s next

The Mission Bay Buccaneers' season has come to an end with their first-round playoff loss, but the team will look to build on their success from this year and make another deep playoff run next season.

The takeaway

Despite losing one of San Diego's top players in Caleb Newton, the Mission Bay Buccaneers proved they could still be a force to be reckoned with, winning 20-plus games and capturing the Western League title. However, their early playoff exit highlights the importance of rebounding and limiting second-chance opportunities against the top teams in the CIF Open Division.