South Bay is the center of SoCal hoops Tuesday

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LAGUNA NIGUEL, Ca. – The “South Bay” portion of Los Angeles County will play host to three of Tuesday night’s CIF Southern Section Open championship quarterfinals.

Top-ranked Chino Hills takes on host Inglewood (the division’s No. 9 seed and No. 16 in the updated BurlisonOnBasketball Southern California Top 25); No. 2 Bishop Montgomery plays No. 7 Damien (at El Camino College in Torrance) while No. 3 Sierra Canyon is at No. 6 Redondo Union.

The fourth Open matchup will pit No. 5 seed Centennial (No. 9 in the BurlisonOnBasketball Top 25) against No. 4 (by seed and BurlisonOnBasketball ranking) Mater Dei in the Monarchs’ Meruelo Center.

Each of the games is set to tip off at 7 p.m., as are the CIF Southern Section’s other divisional quarterfinals Tuesday.

Those planning to attend any of the Open quarterfinals – especially the one being played at Inglewood High – are advised to not dilly-dally en route and, if at all possible, arrive with tickets already in hand.

As has been the case for every Chino Hills game played this season, the Huskies’ contest with the host Sentinels will result in a jammed-to-the-edges-facility with those looking to get an up-close look at the phenomena that is the Ball Family-led Chino Hills team.

“On paper” the top four seeds are solid favorites to advance to Friday night’s championship semifinal round.

But keep this in mind: the complete Top 4 seeds did not advance to the semifinals in either of the first two years of the event.

So history – at least – tells us there will be at least one upset Tuesday night.

A look at the updated BurlisonOnBasketball ratings . . .

 

BurlisonOnBasketball Southern California Top 25

(From the CIF Southern, L.A. City and San Diego sections)

(Record/last week’s rating)

1. Chino Hills (28-0/#1)

FB Says: The Huskies scored at least 100 points for the 14^th time Friday night in the blowout of Santa Margarita. Tuesday schedule: CIF Southern Section Open championship quarterfinal, at. No. 16 Inglewood.

2. Torrance Bishop Montgomery (25-1/#2)

FB Says: The Knights were a tad sluggish in the first half vs. Orange Lutheran. Tuesday schedule: SS Open championship quarterfinal, vs. No. 7 Damien at Torrance El Camino College.

3. Chatsworth Sierra Canyon (24-3/#3)

FB Says: A win vs. the Sea Hawks will put this program into the Open semifinals for the first time. Tuesday schedule: SS Open championship quarterfinal, at No. 6 Redondo Union.

4. Santa Ana Mater Dei (26-3/#4)

FB Says: The Monarchs will do all they can to beat passes to Jordan Griffin and chase the Huskies’ jump-shooting standout off the 3-point line. Tuesday schedule: SS Open championship quarterfinal, vs. No. 9 Centennial.

5. El Cajon Foothills Christian (21-4/#5)

FB Says: It will take a significant upset to keep this program from being the top SD Open seed in the State Southern Regional bracket. Saturday schedule: SD Open championship quarterfinal, vs. Grossmont.

6. Redondo Beach Redondo Union (22-4/#6)

FB Says: The Sea Hawks will need a much superior performance to the one they got against Roosevelt to collect an upset on their home court vs. a nationally-ranked opponent. Tuesday schedule: SS Open championship quarterfinal, vs. No. 3 Sierra Canyon

7. La Verne Damien (25-3/#7)

FB Says: As the win over Crespi demonstrated, the Spartans have many more dimensions and scoring options than just by way of Colorado-bound Bryce Peters. Tuesday schedule: SS Open championship quarterfinal, vs. No. 2 Bishop Montgomery at Torrance El Camino College.

8. Santa Monica (26-2/#8)

FB Says: Jonah Mathews has looked the part of the best player in this division over the first two playoff games. Tuesday schedule: SS 1A quarterfinal, vs. Palmdale Highland.

9. Corona Centennial (22-6/#9)

FB Says: The Huskies’ 6-9 UCLA-bound Ike Anigbogu missed the opener vs. Compton with a banged-up right knee and could be a no-go, again, vs. the Monarchs. Tuesday schedule: SS Open championship quarterfinal, at No. 4 Mater Dei.

10. Fairfax (27-3/#10)

FB Says: The Lions needed a bucket at the buzzer to get past Washington’s upset bid Saturday night. Saturday schedule: L.A. City Open championship semifinal, vs. No. 15 Narbonne at Roybal High (6 p.m.)

11. Westchester (25-5/#11)

FB Says: The Comets are facing an L.A. City semifinal rematch from a year ago, when they rolled past the Dons and into the title game. Saturday schedule: L.A. City Open championship semifinal, vs. No. 22 Dorsey at Roybal High (8 p.m.).

12. Chino Hills Ayala (26-3/#13)

FB Says: The Bulldogs can get to the championship game without beating a team that finished better than second place in its league. Tuesday schedule: SS 2AA quarterfinal, vs. Perris.

13. Encino Crespi (24-4/#12)

FB Says: Early fouls issues hampered Coach Russell White’s team Friday night at Damien. Tuesday schedule: SS Open consolation quarterfinal, vs. No. 23 Orange Lutheran.

14. San Diego Cathedral Catholic (18-5/#15)

FB Says: Two more Dons’ wins would give us a Brandon McCoy vs. T.J Leaf championship matchup in the University of San Diego’s Jenny Craig Pavilion. Saturday schedule: SD Open championship quarterfinal, vs. Poway.

15. Harbor City Narbonne (22-6/#16)

FB Says: There isn’t a team that plays any harder or more “together” than do the Gauchos. Saturday schedule: L.A. City Open championship semifinal, vs. No. 10 Fairfax at Roybal High (8 p.m.).

16. Inglewood (21-6/#18)

FB Says: The Sentinels came from 17 points down in the first half to stun host Alemany Friday night and earn their pop at the nation’s top-ranked team and best guard in high school hoops. Tuesday schedule: SS Open championship quarterfinal, vs. No. 1 Chino Hills.

17. Eastvale Roosevelt (21-7/#17)

FB Says: This team was just-about-this-close to knocking off host Redondo Union Friday night. Tuesday schedule: SS Open consolation quarterfinal, at No. 21 Los Alamitos.

18. San Diego St. Augustine (21-5/#19)

FB Says: The Saints will be facing a very good guard in Justin Moore Saturday night. Saturday schedule: SD Open championship quarterfinal, vs. Mission Bay.

19. Mission Hills Alemany (21-7/#21)

FB Says: Mission Hills to Rancho Santa Margarita is going to be one very long drive come Tuesday afternoon for Coach Tray Meeks and his Road Warriors. Tuesday schedule: SS Open championship consolation quarterfinal, at Santa Margarita.

20. La Canada (26-3/#23)

FB Says: No team in any division has more quality jump shooters than does this one. Tuesday schedule: SS 4AA quarterfinal, vs. San Gabriel Academy.

21. Los Alamitos (23-5/#14)

FB Says: Friday’s night experience in the San Fernando Valley more than just bordered on nightmarish. It was an old-fashioned horror show, for sure, vs. Sierra Canyon. Tuesday schedule: SS Open consolation quarterfinal, vs. No. 17 Roosevelt.

22. Dorsey (24-6/#UR)

FB Says: The Dons were probably the night’s most impressive winner while rolling past Taft in the Saturday first round. Saturday schedule: L.A. City Open semifinal, vs. No. 11 Westchester at Roybal High.

23. Orange Lutheran (21-7/#22)

FB Says: The Lancers’ KaVaughn Scott made a valiant effort to play against Bishop Montgomery despite his hobbled right ankle. Tuesday schedule: SS Open consolation quarterfinal, at No. 13 Crespi.

24. Oak Park (23-6/#UR)

FB Says: A “program of the future” led by two sophomores is playing pretty darn well in the present. Tuesday schedule: SS 3AA quarterfinal, at L.A. Cathedral.

25. Lynwood (21-5/#UR)

FB Says: The Knights are another underclass-laden squad playing quite well despite their youthfulness. Tuesday schedule: SS 2A quarterfinal vs. Whittier.

Tapping at the cusp of the Top 25 (alphabetical): Lake Balboa Birmingham 19-8; Calabasas 23-6; Compton 20-9; Long Beach Poly 18-9; Riverside JW North 24-4; Moreno Valley Rancho Verde 27-2; Santa Barbara 28-1; Santa Margarita 17-10, Woodland Hills Taft 25-6 and L.A. Washington Prep 19-10.