Boys’ basketball playoffs: Nine Catholic teams gain quarterfinals

One half of the Open Division became a free-for-all after the second round of pool play Feb. 12, while nine other Catholic school teams reached their divisional quarterfinals of the CIF-Southern Section boys’ basketball tournament.

In the Open Division’s A bracket, Rancho Verde beat Bishop Montgomery 50-41, and Rancho Christian beat Etiwanda 61-49, leaving all four teams at 1-1 going into the final round of pool play on Feb. 15, when Bishop Montgomery plays Etiwanda and Rancho Christian plays Rancho Verde.

In the B bracket, Sierra Canyon edged St. John Bosco 75-72, and Mater Dei downed Centennial/Corona 82-71. Sierra Canyon (2-0) plays Centennial/Corona (1-1) and Mater Dei (1-1) plays St. John Bosco (0-2) on Feb. 15.

The winners of each bracket (based on best overall record) meet in the finals Feb. 23. A two-way tie for best record (a reality in the A bracket) will be solved by head-to-head result, while a three-way tie (still possible in the B bracket) would be solved using an “opponent seeding” formula (to be explained if and when it happens).

In second-round games on Feb. 12 involving other divisions:

• Division 1: Santa Margarita beat Crespi 70-58, Loyola beat Pasadena 58-53, St. Anthony beat Poly/Riverside 67-50, Damien beat Los Altos 86-72, and Brentwood beat J.Serra 63-57. In the quarterfinals Feb. 14, St. Anthony is at Chino Hills, Loyola at Windward, and Santa Margarita at Damien, assuring at least one Catholic school semifinalist.
• D-2AA: Notre Dame/Riverside edged Chaminade 55-54, and Camarillo beat Cathedral 88-81.
• D-3AA: St. Francis walloped Beckman 94-52, and plays at Oxnard in the quarterfinals.
• D-3A: Mary Star beat Barstow 65-60, Salesian beat South Hills 39-35, and Santa Barbara beat St. Bonaventure 62-53. In the quarterfinals, Mary Star is at Santa Barbara, and Salesian hosts Capistrano Valley Christian.
• D-4A: No. 1 seed Providence/Burbank beat Pomona 77-64, and is at Wiseburn Da Vinci in the quarterfinals.
• D-5AA: No. 1 seed Santa Clara beat Riverside Prep 69-48, and plays its quarterfinal game at Indian Springs.

Mike Nelson is the former editor of The Tidings (predecessor of Angelus News).

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