HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS : Faith Baptist Opponent Bidding for a Pair of Titles : Division V: Ripon Christian is seeking to become the first school in the state to twice record a sweep by boys and girls.

Things are a little hectic at Ripon Christian High, a school of approximately 230 students located a few miles north of Modesto, smack-dab in the middle of the sleepy San Joaquin Valley.

Early this morning, the boys’ and girls’ basketball teams will board the same bus and drive north on Highway 99.

Sacramento, here we come.

“It’s been a little bit, well, different,” boys’ Coach Mike Terpstra said. “But it’s a lot of fun.”

Today at 12:15 p.m., the Ripon Christian boys’ team will face Faith Baptist in the state Division V final at Arco Arena in Sacramento. The Ripon Christian girls’ team will play for the Division V title at 10:30 a.m. Many in Ripon, a town of 7,500, are expected to attend the doubleheader.

“We get a lot of people from around the community and from Modesto,” Terpstra said. “The support has been fantastic.”

So has his basketball team.

In the Northern regional final last Saturday at UC Davis, Ripon Christian (33-1) hammered Hoopa Valley of Humboldt County, 83-57.

The Ripon Christian boys’ and girls’ teams each won Division V titles in 1988. Ripon Christian is seeking to become the first school in state history to twice record a sweep.

Against Hoopa Valley, Tim Schoolland scored 30 points and Jeremy Miller added 27 for Ripon Christian, which shot 58% and led by at least 18 points throughout the fourth quarter. In the first half, Schoolland provided the Knights with a huge lead by scoring 22 points, including 18 in a row. The 6-foot-5 senior center made nine of 12 shots from the field and 12 of 13 free throws.

Miller’s performance, Terpstra said, was more indicative of the Ripon Christian scheme. Miller (6-3) is the team’s fifth-leading scorer--he averaged nine points in the regular season--which means an opponent could have difficulty executing a double-team.

“We are really balanced,” said Terpstra, whose teams have a 106-15 record over the past four seasons. “We don’t have a go-to guy, which makes it hard for teams to cheat (defensively).”

Faith Baptist (27-6) is seeking to become the first team from the San Fernando Valley to win a state title in any division. The Contenders also feature a balanced attack, with all five players averaging in double figures.