Stanley Johnson and No. 1 Mater Dei begin a rugged postseason gauntlet Friday in the CIF Southern Section Open Division playoffs.
Photo by Nick Koza
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1. (No. 1 last week) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 27-0The Monarchs begin CIF Southern Section Open Division play Friday against Cantwell-Sacred Heart (Montebello). The 16-team bracket could be one of the nation's toughest postseason tests with heavyweights like Chino Hills, Centennial (Corona), Etiwanda, Loyola (Los Angeles), Redondo Union (Redondo Beach), Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) and St. John Bosco (Bellflower), among others, joining Mater Dei.
Click here to see the bracket2. (2) Rainier Beach (Seattle), 22-0The Vikings were tested Saturday night in the Metro League tournament title game, escaping with a 68-65 win over Eastside Catholic (Sammamish). It was just the second time this season that Rainier Beach was held to less than 70 points.
3. (3) Curie (Chicago), 22-1Cliff Alexander has carried the mail in big games for the Condors all year but got some help Sunday in a 71-64 win over Simeon in the Chicago Public Schools Tournament quarterfinals. Brother act
Joshua and
Joseph Stamps combined for 28 points as Curie advanced to face Hyde Park in the semifinals Wednesday.
4. (4) Montverde Academy (Fla.), 24-1The Eagles got a push Sunday against St. Joseph (Metuchen, N.J.) but pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 79-70 win. Combined with a victory over defending state champ Roselle Catholic on Friday, Montverde Academy went 2-0 in head coach Kevin Boyle's return to New Jersey over the weekend. Boyle spent two decades as the head coach at St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.).
5. (5) White Station (Memphis, Tenn.), 26-1After a full week off, the Spartans begin District 16-AAA tournament play Monday.
