Updated SoCal Top 30, plus a look at key Wednesday playoff openers

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LAGUNA NIGUEL – The CIF Southern Section’s boys’ basketball playoffs tip on Wednesday night, with – obviously – no shortage of terrific viewing options on Night 1.

For the first time, the section used a computer program to rank and seed the teams in each playoff division.

And, also for the first time, the Open Division has expanded from eight to 10 teams.

In this format, the division continues with pool (instead of bracket, as in the other divisions) play with each team playing four times and the pool winners getting a fifth game via the March 1 championship game in Ontario.

In each of the other nine divisions, the semifinalists advance to the regionals filling 36 of the 44 slots  the Southern Section possesses.

Translated: The seasons of two  of the Open teams  – those finishing at the bottom of each pool – end on  Feb. 25.

*Fun fact: The updated BurlisonOnBasketball SoCal Top 30 ratings align just four times with the CIF SS Computer ratings (note: No. 30, Westchester, is an L.A. City Section member).

That’s with Harvard-Westlake, Roosevelt, St. John Bosco and Redondo Union at No.’s 1, 2, 3 and 7, respectively.

But each of the 10 Open selections falls somewhere in my Top 10 – as they did a week ago, too.

*There are three Division 1 “Top 30 vs. Top 30” matchups on Wednesday:

No. 28 Santa Barbara at No. 19 St. Anthony; No. 23 San Clemente at No. 24 Crean Lutheran; and No. 25 La Habra at No. 22 Windward.

*Eight of the Top 13 teams in the computer ratings – with No.’ s 11 Crespi (Mission) and 13 Mater Dei (Trinity) joining the Open participants – come from the Mission and Trinity leagues.

And four of those leagues’ teams – No. 30 St. Francis, 31 Loyola, 33 Orange Lutheran and 42 Servite – finished in the Top 24 of the computer pecking order but aren’t in the playoffs because there weren’t enough at-large slots to accommodate them.

Yes, those leagues are a couple tiers better than any other state-wide counterparts – as if anyone who has been paying attention needs to be reminded.

*As if another reason is needed as to why the Classic at Damien has become the preeminent California tournament:

Six of the Open Division teams played in the Dec. 26-30 event’s Platinum Division, during which Roosevelt (the champion), St. John Bosco (the runner-up), Santa Margarita, Redondo Union, La Mirada and Heritage Christian were a combined 18-6.

Nine of the next 14 teams in the computer ratings also played in the event, as did a collective 23 of the Top 50.

*Fourteen players among the Open teams have committed to play for NCAA Division I programs.

*Three key members of the adidas-fronted Compton Magic 17s team last spring and summer will be on the floor at Roosevelt Wednesday night.

Starting for the host Mustangs will be guards Isaac Williamson (pictured/headed for the University of New Mexico) and Myles Walker, while forward Dillan Shaw (he’s bound for St. Mary’s) will be playing for Heritage Christian in its first Open appearance.

 

Top 10 Players’ performances I watched in person last week

(Games of Feb. 3-8)

Most Outstanding: Eneasi Piuleini/Mira Costa/Sr.

Seniors

*Blake Davidson/Mater Dei

*Julien Gomez/La Mirada

*Jake Hall/Carlsbad

*Devin Hamilton/San Diego Montgomery

*Hudson Mayes/Redondo Union

*Dallas Washington/Santa Margarita

Juniors

*Kaiden Bailey/Santa Margarita

*Caleb Newton/Mission Bay

Sophomore

*Gene Roebuck/La Mirada

 

 

SoCal Top 30

School/Record/Last Week/CIFSS Computer #

1. Harvard-Westlake/27-1/1/1

Next up: CIF SS Open, Wednesday, vs. No. 4 La Mirada, 7 p.m.; Friday, bye.

2. Roosevelt/27-2/2/2

Next Up: Open, Wednesday, vs. No. 8 Heritage Christian, 7 p.m.; Friday, bye.

3. Saint John Bosco/24-4/3/3

Next Up: Open Wednesday, bye; Friday, vs. No. 7 Redondo Union, 7 p.m.

4. La Mirada/24-4/4/9

Next Up: Open, Wednesday, at No. 1 Harvard-Westlake, 7 p.m.; Friday, at No. 6 Notre Dame, 7 p.m.

5. Santa Margarita/22-5/7/4

Next Up: Open, Wednesday, bye; Friday, vs. No. 10 JSerra, 7 p.m.

6. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame/22-6/10/5

Next Up: Open, Wednesday, vs. No. 10 JSerra, 7 p.m.; Friday, vs. No. 4 La Mirada, 7 p.m.

7. Redondo Union/23-3/5/7

Next Up: Open, Wednesday, at No. 9 Sierra Canyon, 7 p.m.; Friday, at No. 3 St. John Bosco, 7 p.m.

8. Heritage Christian/25-3/6/10

Next Up: Open, Wednesday, at No. 2 Roosevelt, 7 p.m.; Friday, at No. 9 Sierra Canyon, 7 p.m.

9. Sierra Canyon/20-5/9/6

Next Up: Open, Wednesday, vs. No. 7 Redondo Union, 7 p.m.; Friday, vs. No. 8 Heritage Christian, 7 p.m.

10. JSerra/21-7/8/8

Next Up: Open, Wednesday, at No. 6 Notre Dame, 7 p.m.; Friday, at No. 5 Santa Margarita, 7 p.m.

11. Mira Costa/25-3/11/12

Next Up: D1, Wednesday, vs. Leuzinger, 7 p.m.; if win, Friday, vs. Alemany-St. Pius X/St. Matthias winner, 7 p.m.

12. Inglewood/26-4/12/17

Next Up: D1, Wednesday, vs. Westlake, 7 p.m.; if win, Friday, vs. No. 26 La Habra- 22 Windward winner, 7 p.m.

13. Crespi/20-8/13/11

Next Up: D1, Wednesday, vs. Edison, 7 p.m.; if win, Friday, vs. Chaminade-Campbell Hall winner, 7 p.m.

14. Los Alamitos/20-8/14/15

Next Up: D1, Wednesday, vs. Vista Murrieta, 7 p.m.; if win, Friday, vs. St. Bernard-No. 20 Long Beach Poly winner, 7 p.m.

15. Rolling Hills Prep/20-6/15/23

Next Up: D1, Wednesday, vs. Oaks Christian, at North Torrance High, 7 p.m.; if win, Friday, vs. Corona del Mar-No. 17 Rancho Cucamonga winner, 7 p.m.

16. Mater Dei/20-8/16/13

Next Up: D1, Wednesday, vs. Fountain Valley, 7 p.m.; if win, Friday, vs. St. Paul-Etiwanda winner, 7 p.m.

17. Rancho Cucamonga/23-7/17/14

Next Up: D1, Wednesday, vs. Corona del Mar, 7 pm.; if win, Friday, vs. Fountain Valley-No. 16 Mater Dei winner, 7 p.m.

18. Oak Hills/24-4/18/81

Next Up: CIF SS 2AA, Wednesday, at Pilibos, 7 p.m.; if win, Friday, vs. Rancho Christian-No. 27 Centennial winner, 7 p.m.

19. Saint Anthony/18-6/19/16

Next Up: D1, Wednesday, vs. No. 28 Santa Barbara, 7 p.m.; if win, Friday, vs. Damien-No. 26 Canyon winner, 7 p.m.

20. Long Beach Poly/22-6/21/22

Next Up: D1, Wednesday, vs. St. Bernard, 7 p.m.; if win, Friday, vs. Vista Murietta-No. 14 Los Alamitos winner, 7 p.m.

21. Brentwood School/24-4/22/18

Next Up: D1, Wednesday, vs, Culver City, 7 p.m.; if win, Friday, vs. No. 23 San Clemente-24 Crean Lutheran winner, 7 p.m.

22. Windward/20-7/23/20

Next Up: D1, Wednesday, vs. No. 25 La Habra, 7 p.m.; if win, Friday, vs. Westlake-No. 12 Inglewood winner, 7 p.m.

23. San Clemente/23-5/25/39

Next Up: D1, Wednesday, at No. 24 Crean Lutheran, 7 p.m.; if win, Friday, vs. Culver City-No. 21 Brentwood School winner, 7 p.m.

24. Crean Lutheran/15-11/26/19

Next Up: D1, Wednesday, vs. No. 23 San Clemente, 7 p.m.; if win, Friday, vs. Culver City-No. 21 Brentwood School winner, 7 p.m.

25. La Habra/20-8/27/38

Next Up: D1, Wednesday, at No. 22 Windward, 7 p.m.; if win, Friday, vs. Westlake-No. 12 Inglewood winner, 7 p.m.

26. Anaheim Canyon/29-9/20/21

Next Up: D1, Wednesday, vs. Damien, 7 p.m.; if win, Friday, vs. No. 28 Santa Barbara-No. 19 Saint Anthony winner, 7 p.m.

27. Corona Centennial/14-16/24/60

Next Up: 2AA, Wednesday, vs. Rancho Christian, 7 p.m.; if win, Friday, vs. Pilibos-No. 18 Oak Hills winner, 7 p.m.

28. Santa Barbara/23-5/28/44

Next Up: D1, Wednesday at No. Saint Anthony, 7 p.m.; if win, Friday, vs. Damien-No. 26 Canyon winner, 7 p.m.

29. Newport Pacifica Christian/19-7/29/77

Next Up: 2AA, Wednesday, at Saugus 7 p.m.; if win, Friday, vs. Corona Santiago-San Juan Hills winner, 7 p.m.

30. Westchester/16-9/30/L.A. City

Next Up: L.A. City final week regular season, Wednesday, vs. Venice, 4:30 p.m.; Thursday, vs. L.A. University, 4:30 p.m.; Friday, vs. Fairfax, 6 p.m.