CIF-SS BOYS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS

DIVISION 1

ST. JOHN BOSCO (22-9) VS. JSERRA (18-9)

Where, when: JSerra High School, Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Outlook: St. John Bosco and JSerra split their two Trinity League games during the regular season. JSerra defeated St. John Bosco 63-52 on Jan. 7. St. John Bosco defeated the Lions 59-54 on Jan. 25. JSerra’s Rob Diaz (6-0, Sr., G) scored a game-high 26 points in the Lion’ 65-56 win over St. Francis on Friday in the quarterfinals. He has been the best player all season for the Lions who are No. 4 in the latest Orange County top 25. JSerra, which finished fourth in the six-team Trinity League and qualified for the playoffs as an at-large team, beat Oak Park 63-44 in the first round and second-seeded Rolling Hills Prep 72-44 in the second round. St. John Bosco’s Jack Turner (6-4, So., G) scored 25 points with nine rebounds in the Braves’ 73-64 win over Loyola in the quarterfinals. The Braves, who finished third in the Trinity League, defeated Culver City 72-65 in the first round and Fairmont Prep 64-60 in the second round. The winner plays in the Division 1 championship game Friday against the winner of the St. Bernard vs. St. Anthony semifinal. That championship game, like all CIF-SS championship games, will be played at a site selected by the home team that can choose its campus gym for the game. JSerra and St. John Bosco, like all CIF-SS semifinalists, have qualified for the CIF Southern California Regionals that begin March 1.

DIVISION 2AA

LONG BEACH POLY (21-5) VS. FOOTHILL (27-2)

Where, when: Foothill High, Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Outlook: Long Beach Poly went 10-0 in the Moore League to win its 16th straight league championship. In the playoffs the Jackrabbits defeated Villa Park 51-43 in the first round, Simi Valley 48-46 in the second round and Crespi 58-48 in the quarterfinals. Poly’s Jovani Ruff (6-5,, Fr., G)  scored a team-high 18 points against Crespi. He scored 19 points in the win over Simi Valley. Long Beach Poly has won 21 CIF-SS boys basketball championships, the most recent in 2014. Fourth-seeded Foothill, No. 11 in the Orange County top 25, shared the Crestview League championship with Canyon. In the playoffs the Knights defeated Palms Springs 64-41 in the first round, Marina 75-58 in the second round and Cajon 58-49 in the quarterfinals. Cruz Billings (5-8, Sr., G) scored 19 points in the win over Marina and 18 in the win over Cajon. Foothill’s only two CIF-SS boys basketball finals appearances yielded victories, in 2010 and ’15. The winner plays Friday in the 2AA final against the winner of the Village Christian-Los Altos semifinal.

DIVISION 2A

ST. PAUL (22-9) VS. SAN JUAN HILLS (25-4)

Where, when: San Juan Hills High, Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Outlook: St. Paul, champion of the Camino Real League, in the playoffs defeated Cathedral 67-49 in the first round, Hillcrest 66-60 in the second round and El Dorado 49-23 in the quarterfinals. San Juan Hills is making its first appearance in a CIF-SS boys basketball semifinal. The top-seeded Stallions, champions of the Sea View League and No. 8 in the Orange County top 25, had a first-round bye. They defeated Aquinas 78-54 in the second round and Thousand Oaks 70-46 in the quarterfinals. Mark Reichner (6-2, Sr., G) leads the Stallions with 15 points a game. He scored a team-high 21 points in the win over Thousand Oaks. The winner plays in the division championship game Friday against the La Mirada-Edison semifinal winner.

LA MIRADA (18-13) VS. EDISON (26-4)

Where, when: Edison High, Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Outlook: Suburban League champion La Mirada defeated Beckman 95-64 in the first round, Tesoro 52-50 in the second round and Calabasas 57-54 in overtime in the quarterfinals. The Matadors are seeking their first CIF-SS boys basketball championship game appearance. Edison won the Surf League championship, its second outright league title in the school’s boys basketball history. The second-seeded Chargers, No. 9 in the Orange County top 25, beat Elsinore 75-57 in the second round and Pacifica Christian 57-54 in the quarterfinals. Edison’s Trey Wilborn (6-5, Sr., F) scored 15 points to lead a balanced scoring effort for the Chargers against Pacifica Christian. Tyler Hampton (6-4, Sr., F) is a steady contributor for Edison. The winner plays in the 2A final Friday against the winner of the St. Paul-San Juan Hills semifinal.

DIVISION 3A

DANA HILLS (18-9) VS. LONG BEACH MILLIKAN (15-17)

Where, When: Long Beach Millikan High, Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Outlook: Dana Hills finished third in the four-team Sea View League. The Dolphins, No. 21 in the Orange County top 25, were seeded third. In the playoffs they defeated San Jacinto 73-33 in the first round, Corona 57-35 in the second round and Bishop Amat 55-52 in the quarterfinals. Adam Pellini (6-5, Sr. F) scored 19 points against Bishop Amat. Collin Haugh (5-9, Fr., G) scored 14 against Bishop Amat. Dana Hills has not played in a CIF-SS boys basketball championship game. Millikan finished fourth in the seven-team Moore League. The Rams defeated AGBU/Canoga Park 51-46 in the first round of the playoffs,  West Torrance 51-48 in the second round and Highland 62-52 in the quarterfinals. Kamaury Washington (6-3, Sr., G) leads Millikan with 19 points a game. The winner’s championship-game opponent Friday will be the winner of the Bishop Diego-St. Pius/St. Mattias semifinal winner.

DIVISION 4AA

FULLERTON (16-14) VS. ARTESIA (26-4)

Where, when: Artesia High, Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Outlook: From 1922 through 1959, Fullerton was represented in five CIF boys basketball championship games. The Indians lost all five games. Fullerton finished third, behind league champion Sonora and Sunny Hills, in the Freeway League. In the playoffs the Indians defeated Santiago 58-49 in the first round, Rio Mesa 62-45 in the second round and San Dimas 44-38 in overtime in the quarterfinals. Top-seeded Artesia, champion of the 605 League, has won 12 in a row going into the semifinals including playoff wins over Muir 65-45 in the first round, Burroughs/Ridgecrest 60-47 in the second rond and Oakwood 57-53 in overtime in the quarterfinals. The winner advances to the championship game to play on Friday against the winner of the Garden Grove-Sunny Hills semifinal.

GARDEN GROVE (20-8) VS. SUNNY HILLS (24-7)

Where, when: Sunny Hills High, Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Outlook: Garden Grove is in the CIF-SS boys basketball semifinals for the first time in the history of the school that opened in 1921. The Golden West League champion Argonauts opened the playoffs with a 50-49 win over Golden Valley and followed with a 70-58 win over Alhambra in the second round and a 69-66 win over University in the quarterfinals. Senior guard Miguel Ortega has been the Argonauts’ leading scorer all season. He scored 17 points in the quarterfinals win but it was Vidal Jimenez who had high-game honors with 20 points including five 3-pointers. Sunny Hills finished second to Sonora in the Freeway League. Seeded third in the playoffs, the Lancers defeated Perris 67-39 in the first round, Trinity Classical Academy 68-52 in the second round and Ontario Christian 63-51 in the quarterfinals. Dylan Lawson (6-5, Sr., F) and Chad Nguyen (5-9, Jr., G) have been among the Lancers’ two top players. The winner advances to Friday’s championship game to play the winner of the Fullerton-Artesia semifinal.

DIVISION 4A

WESTERN (17-9) VS. EDGEWOOD (25-5)

Where, when: Edgewood High, Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Outlook: Western is shooting for its first CIF-SS boys basketball final. The Pioneers, champions of the Orange League, defeated Chadwick 56-47 in the playoffs first round, Cate 48-47 in the second round and St. Monica 57-47 in the quarterfinals. Western is led by Ahmad Hammouri (6-3, Sr., F) and Jameson Labasan (5-4, Sr., G). Miramonte League co-champion Edgwood in the playoffs defeated St. Genevieve 79-49 in the first round, Moreno Valley 56-46 in the second round and Indio 65-56 in the quarterfinals.  The winner plays the winner of Tuesday’s over semifinal, Valley Torah vs. Dos Pueblos, in the championship game Friday.

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DIVISION 5A

LA QUINTA (19-10) VS. RIVERSIDE PREP (18-7)

Where, when: Riverside Prep High, Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Outlook: La Quinta’s only CIF-SS boys basketball finals appearance was a victorious one in 1980. The Aztecs finished second to Santiago in the Garden Grove League. They were seeded second for this division’s playoffs in which they defeated Duarte 78-51 in the first round, buckley 51-47 in the second round and Tarbut V’Torah 54-43 in the quarterfinals. La Quinta is led by Viggo Nguyen (5-9, Sr., G) and Shuaib Tahir (5-11, Sr., G). Riverside Prep, Cross Valley League co-champion, in the playoffs defeated Ambassador 77-59 in the first round, Acaciawood Academy 73-28 in the second round and Temecula Prep 72-48 in the quarterfinals. The winner plays in the championship game Friday against the United Christian Academy-Fontana semifinal winner.