Napa Valley Faces Top-Seeded Columbia in NorCal Regional Opener

COLUMBIA, Calif. (Interstat) — A stark contrast in seasons converges Wednesday when the seed Napa Valley Storm visit the top-seeded Columbia (Calif.) Claim Jumpers in the first round of the California Community College Athletic Association Northern California Regional men’s basketball playoffs.

The game tips off at 7 p.m. on Feb. 25, 2026.

Columbia (22-4) enters as a heavy favorite, boasting a dominant regular season in Central Valley Conference play. The Claim Jumpers’ potent offense is led by sophomore guard Dylon Hanna, who averages 17.3 points per game. Hanna is coming off a 17-point, 4-rebound, 4-assist performance in a rare loss to Sequoias on Feb. 20, which snapped a seven-game winning streak. Prior to that, he posted 18 points and 5 assists in a road win at Porterville.

Napa Valley (11-16), which finished fourth in the Bay Valley Conference, arrives as a significant underdog. The Storm secured their playoff berth with a narrow 71-69 home victory over Contra Costa on Feb. 19. Consistency has been an issue; that win was preceded by a 36-point loss to Yuba and a 14-point win at Solano.

The Storm will rely on forward Kenneth Brown, who provided a spark off the bench with 16 points and 6 rebounds in 17 minutes in the Feb. 11 win at Solano. Generating similar efficient production from Brown will be critical against Columbia’s formidable frontcourt, which includes Ahsan Huff, who notched a double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds) in the Sequoias game.

Columbia’s defense, which held opponents under 70 points in 16 of its 22 wins, will aim to disrupt Napa Valley’s rhythm. The Storm have shown they can score, averaging over 73 points per game, but have also surrendered 80 or more points in eight losses.

History heavily favors the home team. Columbia’s only four losses came against teams with a combined record of 81-23. Napa Valley has just one road win since Jan. 10.

The winner advances to the second round of the Northern California Regional on Saturday, Feb. 28.