New challengers for CIF SS Open spots emerge

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LAGUNA NIGUEL, Ca. – The first “pre-Christmas” portion of the Southern California boys’ high school basketball season provide a solid look at the teams that are in contention or the eight spots in the CIF Southern Section Open Division playoffs that are set to begin on Feb. 11.

Six of those squads should be familiar to even the most casual follower of SoCal high school hoops, with in Centennial, Sierra Canyon, Damien, Harvard-Westlake, Bishop Montgomery and Mater Dei – the respective No.’s 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8 teams in the updated BurlisonOnBasketball Southern California ratings (which encompass teams from the CIF Southern and L.A. City sections).

But the No.’s 5 (Crean Lutheran) and 6 (Riverside Poly) teams should count as at least mild surprises to many – if not to the guy doing these ratings.

The Crean Lutheran Saints missed their final three games during Corona Del Mar Tournament because of COVID protocol issues but put on a remarkable display over four games – against high-level competition from across the country – to roll to the Gold Division title during the Tarkanian Classic at Las Vegas last week.

Led by sophomore Vyctorius Miller (the Gold MVP in Las Vegas) and 6-foot-9, UC Santa Barbara-bound Koat Keat (pictured), the Saints open their run at another Gold title – in the Classic at Damien – Monday afternoon at 12:30 when they take on 11-3 Oak Park.

Oak Park is led by one of Southern California’s better juniors, 6-7 Isaiah Sherrard.

And the other program in the hunt for its first-ever CIF SS Open playoff spot, 14-1 Riverside Poly, has lost only to Damien (52-49) in the first week of the season.

The Bears, with one of the top freshmen in the west in 6-5 Brayden Burries, open play in The Classic at Damien’s Platinum Division Monday, at 4, against West Ranch.

A recent uptick in COVID-related issues, nationally, has impacted sports across the country and the many tournaments on tap for Southern California this week are no different.

   Multiple teams have dropped out, in all of the tournaments, because of those issues and schedules are changing almost hour-to-hour.

  For the most accurate schedules, it’s recommended that those hoping to attend some of those events constantly check social media accounts and websites of those respective tournaments/showcases.

 

The SoCal Top 15

1. Corona Centennial

Big VIII/CIF Southern Section D-1

W-L: 8-1

Next up: The Classic at Damien, Platinum. Monday: vs. Lake Balboa Birmingham, 5:30 p.m.

2. Chatsworth Sierra Canyon

Gold Coast/SS D-1

W-L: 13-1

Next up: Wednesday: vs. Venice, 7 p.m.

3. La Verne Damien

Baseline/SS D-1

W-L: 14-0

Next up: The Classic at Damien, Platinum. Monday: vs. Carmichael Jesuit, 7 p.m.

4. Studio City Harvard-Westlake

Mission/SS D-1

W-L: 13-1

Next up: Mission League opener: Jan. 5: at West Hills Chaminade, 7 p.m.

5. Irvine Crean Lutheran

Empire/SS D-1

W-L: 7-0

6. Riverside Poly

Ivy/SS D-1

W-L: 14-1

Next up: The Classic at Damien, Platinum. Monday: vs. Valencia West Ranch, 4 p.m.

7. Torrance Bishop Montgomery

Del Rey/SS D-1

W-L: 11-1

Next up: SoCal Christmas Classic, at South Pasadena High. Monday: vs. Paramount, 4:30 p.m.

8. Santa Ana Mater Dei

Trinity/SS D-1

W-L: 9-2

Next up: Rancho Mirage Holiday Showcase. Monday: vs. Lakewood Mayfair, 3 p.m.

9. Bellflower St. John Bosco

Trinity/SS D-1

W-L: 11-2

Next up: The Classic at Damien, Platinum. Monday: vs. To Be Determined.

10. Playa del Rey St. Bernard

Del Rey/SS D-1

W-L: 10-2

Next up: The Classic at Damien, Platinum. Monday: vs. Meridian (ID) Owyhee, 10 a.m.

11. San Pedro Rolling Hills Prep

Coastal/SS D-1

W-L: 10-0

Up next: The Classic at Damien, Gold. Monday: vs. Eastvale Roosevelt, 11 a.m.

12. Ontario Colony

Palomares/SS D-1

W-L: 11-0

Next up: Next up: The Classic at Damien, Gold. Monday: vs. Newport Pacifica Christian, 8 p.m.

13. Gardena Serra

Del Rey/SS D-1

W-L: 10-3

Next up: Rancho Mirage Holiday Showcase. Monday: vs. To Be Determined.

14. SJC Capistrano Valley Christian

San Joaquin/SS D-2AA

W-L: 11-2

Next up: The Classic at Damien, Gold. Monday: vs. Long Beach Poly.

15. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame

Mission/SS D-2AA

W-L: 11-2

Next up: The Classic at Damien, Platinum. Monday: vs. American Fork (UT), 2:30 p.m.

Next Group: (alpha) Anaheim Canyon; Anaheim Fairmont Prep; Crossroads; Etiwanda; Fairfax; Heritage Christian; Los Altos; RSM Santa Margarita; Santa Clarita Christian; SJC JSerra; St. Anthony; St. Francis; St. Paul; Taft; and West Ranch.