Video: Sabrina Ionescu high school highlights Watch the University of All-American while at Miramonte, ranked No. 22 in state.
Beating ranked teams by the narrowest of margins or handling over-matched squads convincingly?
That is the question.
The MaxPreps computer obviously values the former more than the latter as Mater Dei moved past La Jolla Country Day, which continued to dominant teams in the San Diego Section.
The Monarchs (29-2) defeated state-ranked squads Lynwood (70-68) and No. 6 Sierra Canyon (61-60) to move into the No. 1 spot. They'll now play No. 3 Windward for the Southern Section Open Division title 7 p.m. Friday. Windward last week beat Rosary Academy (57-40) and previous No. 8 Long Beach Poly (52-41) to advance to the finals.
All the Southern Section Open teams advance to the Southern California regional playoffs.
La Jolla Country Day meanwhile, the state's No. 1 team for the last two months, beat Mater Dei Catholic (74-38) to advance to the San Diego Section Open Division semifinals to face Bonita Vista Wednesday.
In Northern California, No. 4 Archbishop Mitty continues to roll in the Central Coast Section and figures to be on a collision course with No. 12 Pinewood. One of those two teams or North Coast Sections squads Salesian, Cardinal Newman, St. Joseph Notre Dame or Bishop O'Dowd are all potential NorCal Open participants along with Sac-Joaquin Section power St. Mary's (Stockton).
