RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA – The CIF Southern Section’s top four seeds into the State Southern Regional Division I playoffs that get underway on March 7 were set Tuesday night.
Host Bellflower St. John Bosco’s 72-60 decision Encino Crespi in the SS’s Open Division “fifth-place” game means the victorious Braces will be the SS’s top seed to the regional D-I bracket that is unveiled on Sunday (March 4).
And visiting Temecula Rancho Christian’s 61-56 decision at Santa Margarita makes Coach Ray Barefield’s club the No. 3 SS seed into the D-I field with Santa Margarita taking the No. 4 slot.
In a game that determined the Southern Section’s No.’s 3 and 4 spots in regional Open bracket (which begins on March 9), host Torrance Bishop Montgomery handled Etiwanda, 65-51.
The 1-2 Southern Section Open representatives will be setting following the sectional title game between Santa Ana Mater Dei and Chatsworth Sierra Canyon Friday night in The Pyramid on the Long Beach State campus.
Brothers Evan (a 6-foot-10 sophomore) and Isaiah (a 6-9 junior) scored 21 and 19 points, respectively, to help the Rancho Christian Eagles to 27-4 while Santa Margarita (which also carries the “Eagles” mascot/nickname) fell to 20-9.
Coach Jeff Reinert’s team lost each of its three sectional games, the two of which came without its best overall player, Jake Kyman, who was sidelined with an infection.
The 6-7 junior, who scored 22 points in the Eagles’ 67-62 opening-round loss at Etiwanda, is expected to be back in the starting lineup for his team’s state regional-opener next week.
Another junior, 6-8 Max Agbonkpolo, scored 24 points with seven rebounds and two blocked shots to lead Santa Margarita while Boston University-bound Jordan Guest added 13 points and seven rebounds and sophomore guard Ryan Evans hit three 3s in the second half for all nine of his points.
Evan Mobley (pictured) grabbed seven rebounds and blocked five shots while his older brother had nine rebounds and two blocks.
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