Still some openings for the CIF SS’s top playoff field

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LAGUNA NIGUEL, Ca. – The final regular-season week of the 2021 boys’ basketball season, CIF Southern Section-variety, gets underway Monday night.

And, despite a couple of down-to-the-wire games involving Ribet Academy, as well as some nifty showdowns during the 26^th Mater Dei Extravaganza over the weekend, there is still much to play out before the makeup of the playoffs – notably the Open Division – is put into place.

Significant results from last week:

*Ribet Academy got an even later start than most everyone else in the “modified 2020-21 season”, with COVID-19 issues delaying the Frogs’ debut until May 1.

Those wondering just how good the Frogs are found out via a couple of down-the-wire tilts last week with Corona Centennial (a 79-75 overtime loss last Monday night in Los Angeles) and Heritage Christian (a 71-69 win Saturday afternoon in Northridge), the respective No.’s 3 and 11 teams in this week’s BurlisonOnBasketball “21 for 2021” SoCal ratings.

Barrington Hargress made a strong case in each game as to why he may be at least as good as any junior point guard in the region.

*Centennial, after rolling past a couple of Big VIII League foes following the thriller with Ribet Academy, held up well in a tough test against now-No. 18 Capistrano Valley, 64-50, in the final game Saturday night at Mater Dei.

As anyone who was at Mater Dei Saturday night (or watched the game on KDOC) and/or at Ribet Academy last Monday is aware, the Kylan Boswell-Jared McCain sophomore guard combination for the Huskies is nothing short of dazzling.

Centennial, Mater Dei and Sierra Canyon – in any order – are expected to be the top three seeds when the CIF SS’s Open Division, eight-team field is unveiled this weekend.

*The “180 of the week” honor goes to No. 8 Harvard-Westlake.

Three nights after a 66-54 loss, at home, to Chaminade in a Mission League game, the Wolverines picked up the most significant victory in any of the Mater Dei X matchups.

Coach David Rebibo’s team – especially relative to the caliber of opponent – turned in a superb, start-to-finish effort against then-unbeaten Etiwanda Saturday night, 71-62, putting the Wolverines back firmly in the “Open Division hunt”.

They got a combined 10 of 17 shooting performance behind the arc by sophomore Brady Dunlap (13 points, sis rebounds and three assists), junior Cameron Thrower (18 points) and senior Adam Hinton (a game-high 22 points, on seven of nine from the fielding, including four of five 3s, and four of four free throws).

The 6-foot-4 Hinton (pictured) is not only one of the most improved “shooting guards” in the regional Class of 2021 but also has a 3.7 grade point average with Ivy League and medical school aspirations.

Key matchups, relative to the CIF SS Open Division, set for this week are:

*No. 2 Mater Dei at No. 18 Santa Margarita (Tuesday night) and No. 7 St. John Bosco (Thursday afternoon);

*Centennial at No. 14 Roosevelt (Tuesday night);

*No. 1 Sierra Canyon at Heritage Christian (Saturday afternoon).

The updated ratings, with records reflecting games played as of May 15:

 

21 for 2021

1. Sierra Canyon (9-0/Southern Section D1)

Close regular season: Tuesday, vs. Paraclete; Thursday, vs. Beverly Hills; Saturday, at Heritage Christian.

2. Mater Dei (23-0/SS D1)

Close regular season: Tuesday, at Santa Margarita; Thursday, at St. John Bosco; Friday, vs. Rolling Hills Prep; Saturday, vs. San Diego Cathedral Catholic.

3. Corona Centennial (16-1/SS D1)

Close regular season: Tuesday, at Roosevelt; Thursday, vs. Corona.

4. Ribet Academy (8-1/SS D1)

Close regular season: Tuesday, at Price; Thursday, at San Gabriel Academy; Friday, at Birmingham.

5. Etiwanda (7-1)/SS D1)

Close regular season: Tuesday, vs. Rancho Cucamonga; Friday, vs. Upland.

6. Damien (25-2/SS D1)

Close regular season: Friday, vs. Rancho Cucamonga.

7. Saint John Bosco (16-2/SS D1)

Close regular season: Monday, vs. Long Beach Jordan; Tuesday, at Orange Lutheran; Thursday, vs. Mater Dei.

8. Harvard-Westlake (13-3/SS D1)

Close regular season: Wednesday, at Crespi; Friday, vs. St. Francis.

9. Westchester (4-0/L.A. City D1)

This week’s schedule: Wednesday, at University; Thursday, vs. Narbonne; Saturday, at Fairfax.

10. Colony (15-1/SS 2AA)

Close regular season: Tuesday, vs Ayala; Wednesday, at Bonita; Friday, vs. Claremont.

11. Heritage Christian (16-5/SS D1)

Close regular season: Tuesday, at Maranatha; Thursday, at Whittier Christian; Saturday, vs. Sierra Canyon.

12. Chaminade (12-3/SS D1)

Close regular season: Wednesday, vs. Loyola; Saturday, vs. Village Christian.

13. West Ranch (7-0/SS 2A)

Close regular season: Tuesday, at Canyon Country Canyon; Thursday, at Hart; Friday, at Valencia.

14. Eastvale Roosevelt (12-1/SS D1)

Close regular season: Tuesday, vs. Centennial; Thursday, at Norco; Saturday, vs. Hillcrest.

15. Fairfax (4-0/L.A. City D1)

This week’s schedule: Wednesday, at Hamilton; Friday, vs. University; Saturday, vs. Westchester.

16. Saint Bernard (6-1/SS D1)

Close regular season: Wednesday, at Bishop Montgomery.

17. Santa Margarita (10-4/SS 2AA)

Close regular season: Tuesday, vs. Mater Dei; Thursday, at Servite.

18. Capistrano Valley (10-2/SS D1)

Close regular season: Wednesday, at Trabuco Hills; Friday, at Mission Viejo.

19. Fairmont Prep (11-3/SS D1)

Close regular season: Friday, at Newport Pacifica Christian.

20. Rolling Hills Prep (6-1/SS 2AA)

Close regular season: Tuesday, vs. Vistamar; Wednesday, at Geffen Academy; Friday, at Mater Dei.

21. Brentwood School (11-4/SS D1)

Close regular season: Tuesday, at Crossroads.