Frank Burlison

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.

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SAN DIEGO – The programs expected to play in the CIF San Diego Section’s Open championship game were among the 14 teams that took part in Saturday’s Battle at the Bay at Mission Bay High.

Top-ranked and 24-2 Montgomery – which lost to Carlsbad in the 2024 title game – overcame a five-point deficit early in the second quarter and pulled away from San Diego, 65-49.

And Carlsbad – which knocked off the Aztecs in the Open finale a year ago and took Harvard-Westlake to the wire in a State Southern Regional semifinal – toppled Chula Vista Olympian, 65-58, in the final game of the evening.

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As expected, defending champion Harvard-Westlake and runner-up Eastvale Roosevelt are the top seeds in the boys CIF Southern Section Open Division.

A somewhat mild surprise, though, is the make-up of the division’s two pools:

The field was expanded from eight to 10 teams, as announced by the section office in Los Alamitos Saturday.

With the Southern Section using a computer program for the first time to rank its boys and girls teams for the playoffs, teams finishing No.’s 9 and 10 – La Mirada (24-4) and Heritage Christian (25-3) – placed in pool A (where 27-1 Harvard-Westlake sits) and B (27-2 Roosevelt heading that group), respectively.

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LA MIRADA – So now, the La Mirada High Matadores wait until Saturday at noon – as does every other CIF Southern Section boys’ basketball team that has qualified for the playoffs.

Coach Randy Oronoz’s team rolled past visiting and short-handed Mayfair, without much fuss or muss, 87-51, Wednesday night to complete its Gateway League schedule unbeaten and regular season at 24-4.

But the waiting – until the CIF SS office in Los Alamitos announced all the divisional playoffs’ brackets (or, for the Open Division, pool play seeding) Saturday – is the hardest part for Oronoz and his players.

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REDONDO BEACH – And, with just Wednesday night’s action remaining in the “regular season”, can trying to project what the CIF Southern Section’s Open Division boys’ basketball playoff field will look like when its unveiled Saturday, at noon, be any more headache inducing?

Pass the Excedrin, please . . .

CIF SS Computer ratings (as of Monday) are included . .

Tuesday night road victories by No. 9 Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks (83-72 over No. 6 Sierra Canyon, in a Mission League tourney semifinal); No.

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