Weekend Sports Highlights

The bouncing balls did not go the way of high school soccer teams from Santa Barbara in the CIF Southern Section playoffs, but four basketball teams have advanced to this weekend’s semifinals.

Bishop Diego (boys Division 5AA) and Santa Barbara High (girls 3AA) will have home games, Bishop playing Saddleback Valley Christian on Friday (Feb. 28) at Westmont College, the Dons girls hosting Yorba Linda on Saturday.

Also on Friday, the Santa Barbara boys (3A) will travel to Oak Park, and Laguna Blanca (6) will visit Trinity Classical in Valencia.

Hitting a roadblock in the second round of the boys soccer playoffs were Santa Barbara (2-1 loss to Santa Margarita), Dos Pueblos (3-0 loss to Palos Verdes) and Cate (losing a penalty-kick shootout after a 2-2 tie with Arroyo Valley).

There will be some women’s soccer on display Sunday. China’s U-17 World Cup team is scheduled to play an exhibition match against UCSB. Admission is free to the 7 pm game, which will take place at Harder Stadium or the Rob Gym field, if the Harder field is too rain-soaked.

Several college baseball games this weekend are tentative because of the predicted rainstorm. UCSB is scheduled to play a three-game series against Princeton. The Gauchos do not expect to be on the field Friday but hope to get in a game Saturday afternoon and play a double-header Sunday.

On basketball home floors, UCSB’s women take on UC Irvine Thursday night and UC Davis Saturday afternoon, while Westmont College hosts Biola’s women and men.

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS

Thursday, 2/27: Baseball – El Camino at SBCC, 2 pm. Men’s basketball – UCSB at UC Irvine, 7 pm. Women’s basketball – UC Irvine at UCSB, 7 pm.

Friday, 2/28: Baseball (tentative) – Arizona Christian at Westmont, 2 pm. Softball – Long Beach at SBCC, 2:30 pm. Men’s volleyball – L.A. Pierce at SBCC, 6 pm.

Saturday, 3/1: Baseball – Princeton at UCSB, 2 pm; Arizona Christian at Westmont (2), 11 am. Men’s basketball – UCSB at UC Davis, 5 pm (TV: ESPN2); Biola at Westmont, 7:30 pm. Women’s basketball – UC Davis at UCSB, 2 pm; Biola at Westmont, 5:30 pm.

Sunday, 3/2: Baseball – Princeton at UCSB (2), 11 am. Men’s tennis – Pacific at UCSB, 1 pm. Men’s golf – SBCC hosts Santa Barbara Invitational, first round at Marshallia Ranch, Vandenberg AFB, 10 am. Women’s soccer – China U-17 team at UCSB, Harder Stadium (or Rob Gym Field if weather dictates), 7 pm.

Monday, 3/3: Men’s golf – SBCC hosts Santa Barbara Invitational, final round at La Purisima (Lompoc), 10 am.

HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

Friday, 2/28:> Boys basketball – CIF semifinals: Santa Barbara at Oak Park, 7 pm; Laguna Blanca at Valencia Trinity Classical Academy, 7 pm; Bishop Diego vs. Saddleback Valley Christian at Westmont College, 8 pm.

Saturday, 3/1: Girls basketball – CIF semifinals: Yorba Linda at Santa Barbara, 7 pm.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Saturday, 3/1: Rugby – Oceanside at Santa Barbara Grunion, Elings Park, 2 pm.

RUNNING, WALKING, CYCLING

Information for most events: sbrunning.org.

March: 2 – Peabody School 5K/10K, Goleta Beach Park. 8 – Girl on Fire 5K/10K, Leadbetter Beach. . . . Solvang Century, 100- and 50-mile bike rides. bikescor.com 15 – Orchard to Ocean 5K/10K/mile, Carpinteria Main School.

FUND-RAISERS

Monday, 3/10: Golf – SBCC Golf Classic, La Cumbre County Club, benefits the SBCC athletic program. Four-person scramble. Information: 805-730-4076.

Sunday, 3/16: Walking – Barbara Ireland Walk for Breast Cancer Research, Chase Palm Park. Information: 805-898-2116.