CIF-SS Divisional Previews: Open Teams to Watch (Pt. 1)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With first contests scheduled to tip-off on Nov. 14, there's no better time to take a dive into the upcoming boys high school basketball season in Southern California. As always, there's a number of teams vying for a coveted spot in the Southern Section Open Division playoff field, which accepts the eight best teams in the region as identified by the Open Division Selection Committee. Which teams should SoCal basketball fans keep an eye on to earn one of those spots? We tell you below.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Corona Centennial</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The defending State Open Division champions bring back a swath of players who contributed last season, including the "Big Three" of [player_tooltip player_id='992480' first='Jared' last='McCain'], [player_tooltip player_id='994973' first='Devin' last='Williams'] and [player_tooltip player_id='994950' first='Aaron' last='McBride']. McCain, a 6-foot-3 combo guard committed to Duke, is one of the best scorers and shooters in the state, while Williams, a 6-foot-10 forward/center, heading to UCLA next season, is an inside-out force on the offensive end and a defensive anchor for the Huskies. Though he's usually listed as the third guy when talking the Centennial Big Three, McBride is always the x-factor for me. The 6-foot-6 LMU-signee is a coach's dream because of his willingness to play in the trenches. McBride is a multi-positional defender, efficient scorer who doesn't need the ball in his hands and an elite offensive and defensive rebounder. Junior guard/forward [player_tooltip player_id='1502773' first='Eric' last='Freeny'] will take on a much bigger role this season on both ends of the floor and has the confidence to step into that spotlight. From what I have seen throughout the fall, the Huskies are still looking for that guy who can replace Donovan Dent who is now at New Mexico. Will Sierra Canyon transfer [player_tooltip player_id='992476' first='Mike' last='Price'] embrace and excel in that role or will Centennial have to go point guard by committee?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4>Harvard-Westlake</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Wolverines are one of the more veteran teams in all of Southern California and have the top echelon talent to go along with it. Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='992481' first='Brady' last='Dunlap'] (a Notre Dame signee) and [player_tooltip player_id='994936' first='Jacob' last='Huggins'] (bound for Princeton) along with juniors [player_tooltip player_id='1188984' first='Robert' last='Hinton'] (committed to the admissions process at Harvard) and [player_tooltip player_id='1502769' first='Trent' last='Perry'] (one of the top guards in the state) are four returners who saw major minutes on last year's Open Division team. The player who could separate the Wolverines from the rest of the pack is 6-foot-8 forward [player_tooltip player_id='1630618' first='Nik' last='Khamenia']. The sophomore saw spot minutes as a freshman last season and moves into the starting lineup a year older and is expected to be a highly productive player. The question mark with Harvard-Westlake is their depth. Can 6-foot-3 junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1502826' first='Christian' last='Horry'] stay healthy and will freshmen Dominique Bentho (a 6-foot-8 center) and Amir Jones (a 6-foot-3 guard) be ready to provide quality minutes come playoff time? One thing we do know about Harvard-Westlake is the team is well-versed in each other and their chemistry seems to always be on point.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4>Sierra Canyon</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There's no question the Trailblazers have the talent and star power to make a run at a Southern Section and State Open Division championship. [player_tooltip player_id='992475' first='Bronny' last='James'] is heading into his senior year as a high IQ playmaker, knock-down three-point shooter and physical downhill driver and finisher in transition. The additions of 6-foot-8 forward [player_tooltip player_id='1332638' first='Ashton' last='Hardaway'] (formerly of Bishop Montgomery and Duncanville in Texas), 6-foot-9 forward [player_tooltip player_id='1434419' first='Jimmy' last='Oladokun'] (formerly of Damien), 6-foot-6 swingman [player_tooltip player_id='1630626' first='Bryce' last='Cofield'] (formerly of West Ranch), 6-foot-8 forward [player_tooltip player_id='1502776' first='Noah' last='Williams'] (formerly of Village Christian) and 6-foot-2 guard [player_tooltip player_id='994956' first='Osiris' last='Nalls'] (formerly of Viewpoint) provide Sierra Canyon with plenty of offensive firepower and a good amount of depth, as well. The key for the Trailblazers success this season will be the healthy of [player_tooltip player_id='1502767' first='Isaiah' last='Elohim']. The highly-rated junior shooting guard is one of the most talented scorers in the state and has been dealing with injury since the summer. Players who will need to step up if there's any Elohim absence during the season are senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1434427' first='Dylan' last='Metoyer'] and junior forward/center <strong>Majok Chuol</strong>. A storyline to watch for in the early parts of the season will be the lineups that Andre Chevalier puts on the floor together. With so many new faces on the roster, there will likely be some shuffling and experimenting going on before the Trailblazers know which lineups mesh together.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4>Mater Dei</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Monarchs have been an Open Division staple since the CIF Southern Section developed this playoff format and, despite rumors of their demise, they will be in the Open conversation again this season. While Mater Dei has gone away from its past roster-building tactics, it has plenty of talent on its roster and it's put together in a very well-balanced and complementary way. Montana-signee Nick Davidson will be the focal point of the offense, but the skilled 6-foot-8 forward will have plenty of help surrounding him. Freshman forward <strong>Brannon Martinsen</strong> is one of the top 2026 prospects in the state, junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1502821' first='Scotty' last='Belnap'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1502807' first='Brady' last='Karich'] each have taken a step forward in their development and sophomores [player_tooltip player_id='1630665' first='Owen' last='Verna'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1630644' first='Blake' last='Davidson'] are poised to play big minutes this season. The biggest difference-maker for the Monarchs this season could be 6-foot-5 freshman forward <strong>Che Brogan</strong>. Brogan is the son of former Mater Dei standout Tom Lewis (now an assistant coach with the Monarchs) and is as skilled and savvy as they come in the 2026 class. One thing you know about Mater Dei is the roster will be well-coached and will not stray from its system-oriented offense that has won it so many games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4>Sherman Oaks Notre Dame</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On paper you have to put the Knights in the top five of the Open Division conversation because of their own "Big Three" of [player_tooltip player_id='992483' first='Dusty' last='Stromer'] (Gonzaga-signee), [player_tooltip player_id='1115502' first='Caleb' last='Foster'] (Duke-signee) and [player_tooltip player_id='1502768' first='Mercy' last='Miller'] (Houston-commit). The level of offensive talent those three players provide, not only individually, but collectively, is good enough to beat any team on any given night. Stromer is one of the smoothest perimeter scorers on the west coast, the 6-foot-5 Foster is a dynamic playmaker in the open court at the point guard spot and Miller is one of the better shot creators and shot makers I've seen. The question mark that stands out to me when looking at Notre Dame's roster is who do they go to if one or two of their main three guys is having an off night? Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='1630643' first='Angelino' last='Mark'] has shown flashes of being that guy and senior guard/forward [player_tooltip player_id='994958' first='Dante' last='Ogbu'] is an experienced contributor. Those two aside, the Notre Dame bench is looking thin, unless 6-foot-7 junior [player_tooltip player_id='1502795' first='Jayden' last='Harper'] can string together some consistency to match his upside.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->