SoCal playoff brackets still being shaped in regular season’s final week

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LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA – And then there was one . . . week remaining in the Southern California high school basketball regular season.

The L.A. City Section playoff brackets will be unveiled on Saturday with the Southern Section following on Sunday.

There are multiple games remaining this week that will impact those brackets, notably for the eight-team field in the Southern Section’s Open Division.

*The first of those tips off in Playa del Rey Monday evening, with St. Bernard (No. 7 in the updated BurlisonOnBasketball Top 25) plays host to No. 3 Bishop Montgomery at 7 o’clock.

Coach Doug Mitchell’s Bishop Montgomery crew (which has only lost to No. 2 Harvard-Westlake) is a lock to be in the Open bracket.

And Tony Bland’s Vikings (which dropped a two-point decision to the Knights when the teams played in Torrance in their first Del Rey League meeting on Jan. 13) are also firmly in the Open hunt.

*Harvard-Westlake (with a loss to Henderson, NV, Liberty in the Dec. 30 Classic at Damien Platinum final as the only blemish on its schedule) is another Open lock and will play host to a Mission League tournament semifinal on Wednesday.

The other Mission tourney semi (also Wednesday) will be played in Sherman Oaks and hosted by No. 5 Notre Dame – with No. 10 Sierra Canyon, baring upset, the likely opponent for the Knights.

The Mission tourney final is set to be played at Alemany High in Mission Hills Friday night.

*No. 6 St. John Bosco has clinched a share of the Trinity League title but needs a win either Tuesday (at No. 16 Orange Lutheran) or Thursday (at No. 15 Santa Margarita) to secure the crown, outright – safely secure one of the Open slots.

*No. 9 Etiwanda is at home Friday night to No. 17 Damien with the opportunity to go 10-zip in the Baseline League.

*No. 1 (and two-time Open Division champion) Corona Centennial closes its regular season with games Tuesday (at home vs. No. 13 Roosevelt) and Thursday (at Corona).

The Huskies, behind the 34-point performance of junior Eric Freeny (pictured), toppled Henderson (NV) Liberty Saturday, 90-64, at Mater Dei in one of their most impressive victories of the season.

 

Updated SoCal Top 25

(Records as of results of Jan. 28)

1. Corona Centennial (CIF SS D-1) 23-3

Next Up: Tuesday, vs. No. 13 Roosevelt, 7:15 p.m.

2. Studio City Harvard-Westlake (D-1) 26-1

Next Up: Wednesday, home to Mission semifinal, 7 p.m.

3. Torrance Bishop Montgomery (D-1) 24-1

Next Up: Monday, at No. 7 St. Bernard, 7 p.m.

4. Valencia West Ranch (D-1)             25-1

Next Up: Tuesday, at Golden Valley, 7 p.m.

5. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (D-1) 19-8

Next Up: Wednesday, home to Mission semifinal, 7 p.m.

6. Bellflower St. John Bosco (D-1) 22-4

Next Up: Tuesday, at No. 16 Orange Lutheran, 7 p.m.

7. Playa del Rey St. Bernard (D-1) 18-5

Next Up: Monday, vs. No. 3 Bishop Montgomery, 7 p.m.

8. Temecula Rancho Christian (D-2A) 16-9

Next Up: Tuesday, vs. Rancho Verde, 6 p.m.

9. Etiwanda (D-1) 20-4

Next Up: Wednesday, at Los Osos, 6:30 p.m.

10. Chatsworth Sierra Canyon (D-1) 19-6

Next Up: Tuesday, vs. Crespi or Chaminade, Mission quarterfinal, 7 p.m.

11. Santa Ana Mater Dei (D-1) 20-6

Next Up: Tuesday, vs. Santa Margarita, 7 p.m.

12. Manhattan Beach Mira Costa (D-1) 24-1

Next Up: Tuesday, at Santa Monica, 7 p.m.

13. Eastvale Roosevelt (D-1)             21-5

Next Up: Tuesday, at No. 1 Centennial, 7:15 p.m.

14. SJC JSerra (D-1) 18-8

Next Up: Tuesday, at Servite, 7 p.m.

15. RSM Santa Margarita (D-1) 21-6

Next Up: Tuesday, at No. 11 Mater Dei, 7 p.m.

16. Orange Lutheran (D-2AA)             16-8

Next Up: Tuesday, vs. No. 6 St. John Bosco, 7 p.m.

17. La Verne Damien (D-1) 23-3

Next Up: Wednesday, vs. Rancho Cucamonga, 6:30 p.m.

18. Anaheim Canyon (D-1) 21-5

Next Up: Tuesday, vs. Yorba Linda, 7 p.m.

19. La Mirada (D-2A) 19-7

Next Up: Tuesday, vs. Mayfair, 7 p.m.

20. Santa Ana Foothill (D-1) 23-4

Next Up: Tuesday, at Villa Park, 7 p.m.

21. Irvine Crean Lutheran (D-1) 18-7

Next Up: Monday, vs. Cypress, 6:15 p.m.

22. Harbor City Narbonne (L.A. City D-1) 15-8

Next Up: Tuesday, vs. Gardena, 4:30 p.m.

23. San Pedro Rolling Hills Prep (CIF SS D-1) 21-5

Next Up: Thursday, vs. Wildwood, 7 p.m.

24. Brentwood School (D-1) 22-4

Next Up: Monday, vs. King/Drew, 7 p.m.

25. Windward (D-1) 19-7

Next Up: Friday, vs. No. 24 Brentwood School, 7 p.m.