CIF-SS Playoffs: Open Division Preview
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The CIF Southern Section playoffs begin Wednesday for many high school basketball programs across the Southland. In this preview we take a closer look at the teams and players in the cream of the crop Open Division grouping, which features…
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Continue ReadingThe CIF Southern Section playoffs begin Wednesday for many high school basketball programs across the Southland. In this preview we take a closer look at the teams and players in the cream of the crop Open Division grouping, which features eight of the best teams in the Southern Section.
The Favorite
No. 1 Harvard-Westlake | 26-3 | Mission League (Champion)
The defending state Open Division champions from a season ago have the “Big Three” talent and highly-improved role players and reserves to make another run. McDonald’s All-American Trent Perry Trent Perry 6'4" | PG Harvard-Westlake | 2024 State #70 Nation CA-S leads the way at the point guard spot while wings Robert Hinton Robert Hinton 6'4" | CG Harvard-Westlake | 2024 State #147 Nation CA-S (Harvard-commit) and top 2025 prospect Nik Khamenia Nik Khamenia 6'7" | SF Harvard-Westlake | 2025 State #18 Nation CA-S provide size and versatility both inside and outside. The key to the Wolverines winning it all will be which role guy will step up in a close game. Christian Horry Christian Horry 6'4" | SF Harvard-Westlake | 2024 State CA-S , Isaiah Carroll Isaiah Carroll 6'7" | PF Harvard-Westlake | 2025 State CA-S , Amir Jones Amir Jones 5'5" | PG American Canyon | 2027 CA-N and Dominique Bentho Dominique Bentho 6'8" | C Harvard-Westlake | 2026 State CA-S have all had their moments in big games this season.
The Contenders
No. 2 Eastvale Roosevelt | 27-2 | Big VIII League (Champion)
The trio of Brayden Burries Brayden Burries 6'4" | SF Roosevelt | 2025 State #13 Nation CA-S , Darnez Slater Darnez Slater 6'1" | PG Roosevelt | 2024 State #216 Nation CA-S and Isaac Williamson Isaac Williamson 6'1" | SG Riverside Poly | 2025 State #351 Nation CA-S have proven to be explosive on the offensive end while also possessing the ability to lock opponents down defensively. The Mustangs enter the postseason on a 9-game winning streak which includes two wins over fellow Open Division opponents in St. Pius at the State Preview Classic and Corona Centennial in the Big VIII tournament championship game. For Roosevelt to win its pool and advance to the championship game, point guard Myles Walker Myles Walker 5'9" | PG Roosevelt | 2025 State CA-S must be healthy and Tochi Anigbogu Tochi Anigbogu 6'10" | C Roosevelt | 2024 State CA-S must be an effective rim protector.
No. 3 Mater Dei | 26-2 | Trinity League (Champion)
The third-seeded Monarchs took a big hit with the news that starting forward Brannon Martinsen Brannon Martinsen 6'7" | SF Mater Dei | 2026 State CA-S will miss the postseason with an injury but Mater Dei still has plenty of fire power to make things interesting in its pool. Either 6-foot-9 junior forward Blake Davidson Blake Davidson 6'8" | PF Mater Dei | 2025 State CA-S or sophomore guard Luke Barnett Luke Barnett 6'2" | SG Mater Dei | 2026 State CA-S will step into the starting lineup looking to fill the 17.3 point void left behind by Martinsen and the Monarch’s already thin bench will become thinner. Mater Dei can go six deep with those six being very talented, smart and disciplined, but, foul trouble could derail the Monarchs in a crucial moment.
No. 4 St. John Bosco | 23-5 | Trinity League (2nd Place)
The Braves bring one of the more talented rosters into the Open Division field with four future Division 1 players in the starting lineup. Sophomore Brandon McCoy Brandon McCoy 6'4" | CG St. John Bosco | 2026 State CA-S , Jr. is one of the most gifted offensive talents and athletes in the state, junior point guard Elzie Harrington Elzie Harrington 6'5" | PG St. John Bosco | 2025 State #25 Nation CA-S is a high IQ playmaker at 6-feet-5 and 6-foot-3 guard Jack Turner Jack Turner 6'3" | SG St. John Bosco | 2024 State #253 Nation CA-S has the ability to fill up the scoring column from three-point range. The fourt, Kade Bonam Kade Bonam 6'6" | PF St. John Bosco | 2025 State #110 Nation CA-S , might be the most important piece to the Bosco puzzle. The 6-foot-6 forward has missed the last few weeks due to injury and his offensive versatility and physical inside presence are imperative to the Braves’ success.
No. 5 Sierra Canyon | 24-2 | Mission League (3rd Place)
The Trailblazers were victim to the upset of the high school season thus far as they fell to Crespi in overtime of the Mission League tournament semifinals. It will be interesting to see how Sierra Canyon bounces back in a road game at St. John Bosco in its Open Division opener but the Trailblazers definitely have the talent and size to shake things up. Senior point guard Justin Pippen Justin Pippen 6'3" | PG Sierra Canyon | 2024 State CA-S is one of the most improved players on the west coast and is seeing high major recruitment while Bryce Cofield Bryce Cofield 6'4" | SF Sierra Canyon | 2025 State #372 Nation CA-S and Cal State Northridge-commit Noah Williams Noah Williams 6'8" | SF Sierra Canyon | 2024 State CA-S are rangy defenders and finishers in transition. The health and effectiveness of Isaiah Elohim Isaiah Elohim 6'4" | SF Sierra Canyon | 2024 State #47 Nation CA-S is always the x-factor for Sierra Canyon and he has looked good in his last couple of outings.
No. 6 St. Pius X-St. Matthias | 22-5 | Del Rey League (Champion)
Pius is making its first appearance in the Open Division and the makeup of this team gives it a chance to make some noise. The things that win in the postseason are defense and rebounding and both of those attributes run through the Warriors’ roster. University of San Francisco-signee Tyrone Riley Tyrone Riley 6'5" | SF St. Pius X St. Matthias | 2024 State #152 Nation CA-S is one of the better two-way wings in the state, junior center Douglas Langford Douglas Langford 6'8" | PF St. Pius X-St. Matthias | 2025 State #314 Nation CA-S is one of the best rebounders in the state and senior guard David Mack David Mack 5'8" | PG St. Pius X-St. Matthias | 2024 State CA-S can really pressure ball handlers and create turnovers. Tariq Bridges Tariq Bridges 6'5" | SG St. Pius X-St. Matthias | 2025 State CA-S ‘ three-point shooting ability will be a key factor in how competitive this group will be.
No. 7 JSerra | 24-4 | Trinity League (3rd Place)
The Lions are looking to bury the infamous “shoe game” by winning the eventual rubber match against Mater Dei and proving to the naysayers that they did belong in the Open Division. The dynamic senior duo Aidan Fowler Aidan Fowler 5'10" | PG JSerra | 2024 State CA-S and Sebastian Rancik Sebastian Rancik 6'9" | PF JSerra | 2024 State #89 Nation CA-S (Colorado-signee) has the one-two punch ability to keep JSerra in any game as they’ve shown multiple times this season but the role guys must play big in big moments. Look for Korin Hull Korin Hull 6'3" | SG JSerra | 2024 State CA-S , Diego Martinez Diego Martinez 6'2" | SG JSerra | 2024 State CA-S , GC Eboigbodin and Drew Bowman Drew Bowman 6'3" | SG Jserra Catholic Highschool | 2024 State CA-S to make plays and shots when needed.
Corona Centennial | 20-10 | Big VIII League (2nd place)
Some might be surprised seeing the three-time defending Southern Section Open Division champions sitting in the eight-seed but the road hasn’t been as smooth for the Huskies this season. Still, even with some bumps throughout their tough schedule, Centennial has good of a duo as anyone in this field with Arizona-signee Carter Bryant Carter Bryant 6'8" | SF Corona Centennial (CA) | 2024 State #12 Nation CA-S and UCLA-bound wing Eric Freeny Eric Freeny 6'5" | SG Corona Centennial | 2024 State #73 Nation CA-S . Bryant and Freeny have both shown the ability to take over a game and put the team on their back but they are going to need help with three straight road games on the horizon. The other players who see big minutes are all talented, but very young and inexperienced in playoff basketball. Sophomores Isaiah Rogers Isaiah Rogers 6'3" | PG Corona Centennial | 2026 State CA-S , CJ Richardson, Tariq Iscandari, Justice Griffith Justice Griffith 6'0" | CG Corona Centennial | 2026 State CA-S and Markee White will have to grow up quickly.