Frank Burlison

REDONDO BEACH – Twenty-four hours after a couple of dandy State Southern Regional Open Division semifinals were set for Saturday night, the same thing happened in the Division I boys’ basketball playoff action.

The No.’s 1 (Sierra Canyon, 78-45 vs. Santa Barbara), 2 (Redondo Union, 89-66 over Los Alamitos) and 3 (JSerra, pounding Carlsbad, 79-54) seeds rolled to wins Thursday night, while No. 7 Mira Costa held off No. 15 San Diego Torrey Pines, 44-39.

Those results set the table for Saturday night’s games pitting JSerra at Sierra Canyon, and Mira Costa traveling to Redondo Union.

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STUDIO CITY – The Harvard-Westlake High boys’ basketball team spotted visiting St. John Bosco the game’s first seven points and finished with 20 turnovers in a State Open Southern Regional quarterfinal on the Wolverines’ homecourt Wednesday night.

Ultimately, though, the hosts’ half-court defense was too stout, the playmaking of 6-foot-8, McDonald’s All-American Nikolas  Khamenia too fined-tuned and the Wolverines’ jump shooting too crisp for the visiting Braves, 70-55.

The win against the defending State Division I champions (who finished 26-7) advanced Coach Dave Rebibo’s squad (31-2) another step on the road to Sacramento and a March 15 opportunity to win a third consecutive State Open crown.

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Tuesday night’s first round of the California State Boys Basketball Regional Division I playoffs went to script – with one notable exception.

The Santa Margarita High Eagles – who played in the CIF Southern Section’s Open Division and was awarded the No. 2 seed in the division by the state office Sunday afternoon – were stunned by visiting and 15 seed Torrey Pines of San Diego, 66-59, as junior forward Trent Green scored 21 points.

The upset by the 24-6 Falcons means that No. 7 seed Mira Costa (which rallied to beat another CIF SS squad, Crean Lutheran, 61-48, Tuesday night to go to 30-4) will get to stay on its home court in Manhattan Beach Thursday night for a second-round/quarterfinal game with Torrey Pines.

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LAGUNA NIGUEL – The State CIF Office in Sacramento released the State Regional playoff basketball brackets late Sunday afternoon.

And, oh my goodness . .  . the South’s Open Regional field could not be more challenging for all concerned – top seed Eastvale Roosevelt included.

From my perspective, the state’s five-best teams – along with San Diego Open champion Montgomery (29-2) – make up the South bracket.

Those are Roosevelt (32-2 after its CIF Southern Section Open win over Notre Dame Saturday night in Ontario), Central Section D-I champion Santa Maria St.

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ONTARIO – The Roosevelt High boys’ basketball team’s “Big 3” – with a lot of help – was plenty good enough Saturday night in the Toyota Arena to give the Mustangs their first-ever CIF Southern Section Open Division championship.

Seniors Brayden Burries, Myles Walker and Issac Williamson combined for all but 21 of their team’s points in the 74-67 victory over Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks.

Along with all the championship hardware they left the building with for the short drive back to Eastvale, the Mustangs (32-2) undoubtedly also earned the No.

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