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LAGUNA NIGUEL, Ca. – The CIF Southern Section’s eight-team Open Division playoff bracket was unveiled Saturday at the section’s office in Los Alamitos.

During the first four seasons of the Open Division, a 16-team bracket was employed.

The change to an eight-team field was made, in very large part, to increase the strength of Division I (which was strengthened even more so in that it was consolidated from I-AA and I-A brackets).

Are you curious how the 2018 Open field might have presented itself in its previous 16-team parameter?

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STUDIO CITY, Ca. – Even with its star guard on the bench all of the second half, the Crespi High boys’ basketball team took care of the last of its Mission League and regular-season business Friday night at Harvard-Westlake.

The Celtics wrapped of the league portion of its schedule at 12-0 with its 72-63 victory over the host Wolverines in front of a full house.

Coach Russell White’s team will take a 25-2 overall record mark and 14-game winning streak into the Feb. 17 first round of the CIF Southern Section playoffs.

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LAGUNA NIGUEL – League play wraps up this week in the CIF Southern and Los Angeles City sections, while concluding next week in the San Diego Section.

The Southern Section Boys’ Open Playoff pairings will be unveiled on Saturday, as will as the all of the L.A. City pairings.

The remainder of the Southern Section divisional pairings will e released at the section’s Los Alamitos on Sunday.

Barring upsets, Bishop Montgomery and Etiwanda are expected to be first two seeds in the Southern Section’s Open Division, with Fairfax and Westchester – or vice-versa – 1-2 in the L.A.

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SANTA ANA, Ca. – The host Mater Dei High Monarchs turned in perhaps their most impressive performance of the season Saturday night in the finale of the 23^rd Nike Extravaganza in front of approximately 2,200 in the Meruelo Athletic Center.

Coach Gary McKnight’s club – rounding into form for the Feb. 16 start of the CIF Southern Section Open Division playoffs – pulled away in the fourth quarter to knock off Onyeka Okongwu-led Chino Hills, 81-63, in the last of the nine games played in the building Saturday.

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SANTA ANA, Ca. – Two teams that are locks to be in the CIF Southern Section’s Open Division playoff bracket when it is announced on Feb. 10 pretty much looked the part Friday during the 23^rd Nike Extravaganza in Mater Dei High’s Meruelo Athletic Center.

The host Monarchs, in the last of five games Friday (including the Monarchs’ girls’ victory against Esperanza), improved to 17-6 with their 67-55 decision over Heritage Christian from Northridge.

And, in the second game played Friday, Rancho Christian ran its record to 24-2 with a 64-39 victory against JSerra.

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