Foothills Christian gets third pop at Chino Hills

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LAGUNA NIGUEL, Ca. – The State Southern Regional semifinals are on tap for Tuesday night, with finals set for Saturday at Ontario Colony High (Division’s III-V) and Long Beach State’s Pyramid (Open-Division II).

Here is a look at the seven regional semifinals involving matchups of teams ranked in the most recent BurlisonOnBasketball Top 25, as well as the updated Top 25:

 

1. No. 3 Foothills Christian vs. No. 1 Chino Hills at Ontario Colony High

FB Says: The third meeting, with the Huskies prevailing by 20 points on Dec. 5 at Corona Centennial and then the Knights came the closest of any California opponent of knocking off the Huskies before falling, 85-83, on Jan. 9 at Sierra Canyon. T.J. Leaf has averaged 43.5 points and 18.5 rebounds in the two games for Foothills Christian! Do 50 points from Leaf get Foothills Christian to Saturday’s final at Long Beach State? If you don’t already have a ticket in hand and are willing to show up very early, don’t come to this game.

2. No. 5 Cathedral Catholic vs. No. 2 Bishop Montgomery at Torrance El Camino College

FB Says: Brandon McCoy played just 13 minutes in the first half (because of three fouls in the first three minutes) at Sierra Canyon Friday. Does something close to 32 minutes help his team get to Saturday’s finale?

3. No. 12 St. Augustine at No. 4 Crespi

FB Says: The host Celts have won six post-season games in a row by an average margin of approximately 10 points. The Saints are the stunners in the D-I field so far.

4. No. 11 Narbonne at No. 7 Redondo Union

FB Says: The visiting Gauchos have rallied from second-half deficits at home to knock off Southern Section Open squads Compton and Alemany in the first two rounds.

5. No. 14 Oak Park at No. 10 Ayala

FB Says: Six-eight sophomore Riley Battin has been a monster in the post all season for Oak Park. And Ayala’s matchup zone has been the staple of the team’s success.

6. No. 22 Poly at No. 19 Los Alamitos

FB Says: Other than Chino Hills-Foothills Christian, this should have the most in-gym congestion Tuesday night. Two future Big West guards (Drew Buggs/LB Poly/Hawaii and Eyassu Worku/Los Alamitos/UC Irvine) could go mano y mano.

7. No. 21 JW North at No. 20 Orange Lutheran

FB Says: If the host Lancers can keep the Huskies’ jump shooters in check they will be playing in the Long Beach State Pyramid Saturday afternoon.

 

BurlisonOnBasketball Southern California Top 25

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

(Record/last week’s rating)

1. Chino Hills (32-0/#1)

FB Says: The Huskies are three wins away from wrapping up “a season for the ages.” Tuesday semifinal: Southern Open Regional semifinal, vs. No. 3 Foothills Christian at Ontario Colony High.

2. Torrance Bishop Montgomery (27-2/#3)

FB Says: There is no rematch with Sierra Canyon but Brandon McCoy presents a multitude of problems. Tuesday semifinal: Southern Open regional semifinal, vs. No. 5 Cathedral Catholic at Torrance El Camino College.

3. El Cajon Foothills Christian (25-4/#5)

FB Says: The second time proved the charm at Mater Dei. Tuesday semifinal: Southern Open Regional semifinal, vs. No. 1 Chino Hills at Ontario Colony High.

4. Encino Crespi (30-4/#6)

FB Says: Other than Chino Hills there is no hotter team in South Regional action. Tuesday semifinal: Southern D-I regional semifinal, vs. No. 12 St. Augustine.

5. San Diego Cathedral Catholic (21-6/#13)

FB Says: Tuesday semifinal: Southern Open Regional semifinal, vs. No. 2 Bishop Montgomery at Torrance El Camino College.

6. Chatsworth Sierra Canyon (26-5/#2)

FB Says: The Trailblazers closed season with losses to No. 1 Chino Hills and (now-) No. 5 Cathedral Catholic and now look forward to Marvin Bagley III joining the lineup next winter.

7. Redondo Beach Redondo Union (26-6/#7)

FB Says: The Sea Hawks advanced to the Southern Regional semifinals for the fourth year in four seasons under Reggie Morris Jr. Tuesday semifinal: Southern D-I regional semifinal, vs. No. 11 Narbonne.

8. Westchester (27-6/#9)

FB Says: Despite losing likely L.A. City Player of the Year Keith Fisher to a torn ACL late in the first quarter, the Comets took No. 2 Bishop Montgomery into OT before losing Friday night.

9. Santa Ana Mater Dei (27-5/#4)

FB Says: The Monarchs still seemed a bit out-of-sorts (following their 48-point Southern Section loss to Chino Hills two weeks before) during their home Southern Regional Open loss to No. 3 Foothills Christian Friday night.

10. Chino Hills Ayala (31-3/#11)

FB Says: This is still looking like the squad that should have been included in the Southern Section’s Open Division. Tuesday semifinal: Southern D-III regional semifinal, vs. No. 14 Oak Park.

11. Harbor City Narbonne (25-7/#14)

FB Says: The Gauchos collected back to back comeback home wins over Southern Section Open opponents (Compton and Alemany) last week and get a third (Redondo) next. Tuesday semifinal: Southern D-I regional semifinal, at No. 7 Redondo.

12. San Diego St. Augustine (24-7/UR)

FB Says: The Saints bounced back from consecutive SD Open losses to Cathedral Catholic and Torrey Pines to knock off Southern Section Open squads Centennial and Roosevelt in D-I competition. Tuesday semifinal: Southern D-I regional semifinal, at No. 4 Crespi.

13. Corona Centennial (23-9/#10)

FB Says: The Huskies never seemed to gain the rhythm or consistency needed to become as good as most thought they would be this season.

14. Oak Park (28-6/#17)

FB Says: How many teams in the West have two sophomores playing as well as Riley Battin and Wes Slajchert are playing right now? Tuesday semifinal: Southern D-III regional semifinal, at No. 10 Ayala.

15. Eastvale Roosevelt (22-9/#18)

FB Says: If you haven’t seen it already, be sure to catch YouTube of Jemarl Baker’s game-winning shot against Fairfax last week. Wow!

16. Inglewood (22-9/#19)

FB Says: The Sentinels’ last two losses of 2015-16 came to the same squad – No. 4 Crespi.

17. Mission Hills Alemany (24-9/#16)

FB Says: It was quite a season for the Warriors, especially considering that they didn’t start a player taller than 6-4 junior Earnie Sears III.

18. Fairfax (29-5/#15)

FB Says: Guards Jamal Hartwell, Ethan Anderson and Robert McRae will form the Lions’ foundation in 2016-17.

19. Los Alamitos (25-6/#20)

FB Says: The Griffins had last week’s biggest comeback (down 15 points to Santa Margarita Saturday night) victory. Tuesday semifinal: Southern D-II regional semifinal, vs. No. 23 Long Beach Poly.

20. Orange Lutheran (23-8/#21)

FB Says: The Lancers will try to inhibit a couple of very good JWN jump shooters. Tuesday semifinal: Southern D-II regional semifinal, vs. No. 22 JW North.

21. Riverside JW North (29-4/#22)

FB Says: The Huskies beat another Trinity League team on the road in the Southern Section I-AA semifinals (St. John Bosco). Tuesday semifinal: Southern D-II regional semifinal, at No. 21 Orange Lutheran.

22. Long Beach Poly (22-10/#23)

FB Says: Zafir Williams is demonstrating succinctly why he is one of the best 2017 prospects in Southern California – and beyond. Tuesday semifinal: Southern D-II regional semifinal, at No. 20 Los Alamitos.

23. Lake Balboa Birmingham (22-10/UR)

FB Says: With four underclassmen starters, this is a program that could win an L.A. City Open title in 2017.

24. La Verne Damien (25-6/#12)

FB Says: Collected its only post-season victory over the now-favored team to win the Southern Regional D-1 title (Crespi).

25. La Verne Bonita (27-6/UR)

FB Says: Tuesday’s game is a rematch – Bonita knocked off host Calabasas, 67-56, in a semifinal of the Southern Section 3AA bracket on Feb. 26. Tuesday semifinal: Southern D-II regional semifinal, vs. Calabasas.

Tapping at the cusp of the Top 25 (alphabetical): Calabasas 26-7; Compton 21-11; Pomona Diamond Ranch 25-9; L.A. Washington Prep 20-12; La Canada 27-3; Lynwood 23-7; Newhall Hart 23-9; Oceanside El Camino 29-6; Moreno Valley Rancho Verde 28-3; Rancho Santa Margarita/Santa Margarita 18-12; Woodland Hills Taft 26-8; San Diego Torrey Pines 26-5; Santa Barbara 31-3; Santa Monica 29-3 and Temecula Valley 29-6.