Southern California High School Basketball Regionals: Semifinals Recap and Finals Preview
The excitement of Southern California high school basketball reached new heights this weekend with the completion of the semifinals in various divisions. This thrilling phase of the tournament showcased intense matchups and remarkable performances, moving teams closer to the coveted championship titles. Here’s a breakdown of the results and what’s next for the finalists.
Boys Results from the Southern California Regionals
Open Division
In a gripping contest, #1 Sierra Canyon emerged victorious against #5 Santa Margarita, finishing the game at 72-60. Meanwhile, #2 Harvard-Westlake narrowly defeated #3 Santa Maria St. Joseph with a score of 56-52, setting up an exciting championship clash.
Division I
#4 St. John Bosco pulled off an impressive win against #16 Mater Dei, finishing 75-71. In another close matchup, #6 Damien edged out #7 Crean Lutheran with a score of 49-44.
Division II
The surprises kept coming as #8 Palisades triumphed over #13 Torrey Pines 81-67, and #3 Bakersfield Christian secured a solid 65-50 win against #15 Carlsbad.
Division III
#5 Colony narrowly defeated #8 Shalhevet, ending the game at 48-45, while #3 Birmingham showcased strength against #7 Poway, winning decisively at 82-69.
Division IV
Top seed #1 Tulare Union squeezed past #12 Vasquez in a nail-biter, finishing 73-70, while #3 San Juan Hills bested #2 Granada Hills with a narrow 66-61 victory.
Division V
#1 Coalinga remained strong, defeating #4 Rowland by a margin of 58-50. #2 Sylmar delivered an impressive performance against #3 Canyon Country Canyon, winning 102-94.
Girls Results from the Southern California Regionals
Open Division
In a stunning upset, #4 Sage Hill defeated top-ranked #1 Sierra Canyon 57-54. Additionally, #2 Ontario Christian convincingly administered a 80-66 win over #3 Etiwanda.
Division I
#5 Corona Centennial continued its postseason surge by defeating #1 Mater Dei 60-48. Additionally, #2 Rancho Christian secured a thrilling victory against #3 Francis Parker, with a score of 85-79.
Division II
#4 Saugus dominated against #1 Birmingham, winning 64-43, while #2 Santa Maria St. Joseph edged out #6 Rosary Academy in a close match, finishing 68-63.
Division III
In the third division, #5 Leuzinger overcame #8 King/Drew with a score of 66-54. #2 El Dorado won against #11 Anaheim Canyon, completing the game at 44-39.
Division IV
#5 Palisades delivered an outstanding performance against #1 Marina, winning 61-49. #2 Godinez squeezed past #3 Tulare Union 41-39 in a tightly contested matchup.
Division V
In another unexpected turn, #4 Laguna Hills secured a 37-31 victory against #1 Rosamond. #6 Schurr demonstrated their strength with a 43-35 win over #2 Vista.
Upcoming Finals Schedule
As the anticipation builds, here’s what to expect in the finals scheduled for Tuesday at 7 p.m.:
Boys Finals
- Open Division: #2 Harvard-Westlake vs. #1 Sierra Canyon
- Division I: #6 Damien vs. #4 St. John Bosco
- Division II: #8 Palisades vs. #3 Bakersfield Christian
- Division III: #5 Colony vs. #3 Birmingham
- Division IV: #3 San Juan Hills vs. #1 Tulare Union
- Division V: #2 Sylmar vs. #1 Coalinga
Girls Finals
- Open Division: #4 Sage Hill vs. #2 Ontario Christian
- Division I: #5 Corona Centennial vs. #2 Rancho Christian
- Division II: #4 Saugus vs. #2 Santa Maria St. Joseph
- Division III: #5 Leuzinger vs. #2 Placentia El Dorado
- Division IV: #5 Palisades vs. #2 Godinez Fundamental
- Division V: #6 Schurr vs. #4 Laguna Hills
Mark your calendars for an exciting culmination of high school basketball talent!
For more details and updates, refer to the Los Angeles Times for in-depth analysis and coverage.
Note: The State Championships will take place on March 13-14 at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.
