HS Basketball: Bishop Montgomery leads “Watch List” teams

They’re only “Watch Lists,” but the initial CIF-Southern Section boys’ basketball polls show plenty of Cathiolic school representation.

In powerful Division 1, Bishop Montgomery, last year’s Open Division finalist, is among the ranked teams (as is Sierra Canyon, which beat the Knights in the 2019 finals). Also listed in D-1 are Damien J.Serra, Mater Dei, St. Anthony and St. John Bosco are among the 16 teams ranked among the best. 

The initial “ordered” rankings (1 through 16 in each division) will be issued sometime in December. Playoffs begin in February.

Other Catholic schools named on the “Watch Lists” include:

2AA: Alemany, Cathedral, Chaminade, St. Bernard and St. Francis.

3AA: Paraclete, Providence/Burbank (D-4A finalist last season), Salesian and Servite.

3A: Cantwell Sacred Heart, Santa Clara (D-5AA champion in 2019) and St. Bonaventure.

4A: St. Pius X-St. Matthias.

5AA: Verbum Dei.

5A: Villanova Prep.

Girls’ Basketball

Chaminade, last year’s Division 1 CIF-SS champion, is among five Catholic schools on the initial D-1 “Watch List” for 2019-2020. Others are Bishop Montgomery, Mater Dei, Rosary and Serra/Gardena.

The other divisional lists include the following schools:

2AA: St. Anthony and St. Paul.

2A: Cantwell Sacred Heart and St. Bonaventure.

3A: Providence.

4AA: Flintridge Sacred Heart, La Salle and Marymount.

4A: Bishop Conaty-Loreto (5A finalist last season), Mary Star and St. Genevieve.

5A: La Reina, Ramona Convent and Villanova Prep.