IRVINE – The Mater Dei and JSerra basketball teams cruised to quarterfinal wins at Irvine Valley College Monday night, leading to a couple of potentially terrific Tuesday night semifinals.
Those were among some of the key games throughout the CIF Southern Section Monday, setting the stage for games on the regular-season finals two days – Tuesday and Wednesday – that will largely impact the look of the section’s Open and D-1 playoff divisions.
The Mater Dei Monarchs (17-12) snapped a three-game losing streak while cruising past Orange Lutheran (18-9), 92-65.
In the second game at IVC, the JSerra Lions (18-11) smacked Servite, 78-53, for their fourth consecutive victory.
The Tuesday night Trinity action moves to Fullerton’s Hope International University, where the Monarchs face No. 1 seed St. John Bosco (19-6) at 5:30, followed by No. 2 seed Santa Margarita (24-3) vs. JSerra at 7:30.
The third-place game is set for 5:30 on Wednesday at Hope International, followed by the championship tilt at 7:30.
The results of those games will dictate the league’s three automatic qualifiers to the playoffs.
Northwest into the San Fernando Valley, the Trinity League playoff semifinals saw No. 1 Sierra Canyon improve to 22-1 with its 103-74 win against visiting Loyola while host Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks – led by the 32 points from junior guard NaVorro Bowman Jr. (pictured) – held off Crespi, 82-78.
That sets up Wednesday night’s 7 o’clock championship between host Sierra Canyon and Notre Dame (19-6 and No. 4 in the most recent BurlisonOnBasketball.com SoCal Top 30).
The Trailblazers – despite Bowman’s 36 points – edged the visiting Knights, 78-74, on Jan. 9.
Four other games set to be played Tuesday or Wednesday will also have heavy impact on the makeup and seeding in the CIF SS’s Open and D-1 playoff configurations.
*No. 13 Etiwanda (25-2) visits No. 8 Damien (26-4) Tuesday night at 6:30 in the Baseline League tourney championship game.
The Eagles were 13 and host Spartans 8 in the most recent CIF SS computer ratings (expected to be updated Tuesday afternoon).
The Spartans prevailed, 56-43, when they met in Etiwanda’s gym on Jan. 8.
*Redondo Union (24-3), No. 2 in both the BurlisonOnBasketball.com Top 30 and computer standings, visits Mira Costa (23-4), Tuesday night at 7 in a Bay League finale.
The host Mustangs, No. 19 in the Top 30 and 21 via the computer, lost to the Sea Hawks, 85-51, when the teams played in Redondo Beach on Jan. 16.
But an upset by the Mustangs Tuesday would give them a share of the league title with the Sea Hawks for the second year in a row and possibly deal a huge blow to Redondo Union’s chances of being at least the No. 2 seed when the CIF SS office releases the Open Division makeup Sunday at noon.
*Inglewood (24-5 and No.’s 14 and 15 in the respective pecking orders) plays host to Leuzinger (17-12) Tuesday night at 7 at Morningside High for the Bay League tourney crown.
The Jason Crowe Jr.-led Sentinels toppled the host Olympians, 96-61, on Jan. 5.
But Coach Arturo Jones’ team has won eight games in a row since that loss to Inglewood.
*Corona Centennial (24-5 and No.’s 9 and 7) takes on Corona Santiago (25-4) Tuesday night (7) at Roosevelt High in Eastvale in the Big VIII tourney championship game.
The Huskies (who beat Santiago on the road, 71-66, on Jan. 23) have won nine in a row since losing at Coronado in Henderson (NV) on Jan. 3, 70-63, in overtime.
Returning to the action at IVC Monday night, senior Luke Barnett and juniors Richie Ramirez and Zain Majeed combined for all but 18 of the Monarchs’ points against Orange Lutheran.
And JSerra – which led by 26 points at intermission – got between nine and 22 points (by sophomore post Ryan Doane) from each starter.
Thirty-one of Servite’s points came from freshmen starters Carlos Galvan, Tariq Johnson and Saiger Smith.
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