Top 5 CIF Southern Section boys basketball first-round playoff storylines, matchups

Big-time matchups, top scorers and other headlines to keep tabs on as we head into the first round of the playoffs.

JSerra takes on Eastside Catholic. / Rudy Schmoke

The CIF Southern Section high school basketball playoffs are here.

Of course, the lede story into the 2024-25 postseason in boys basketball is the new-look, 10-team Open Division playoffs, which boasts a field more than eight teams for the first time since 2018.

"I like that teams have something to fight for until the end," Roosevelt coach Stephen Singleton said of the new Open Division format, which makes teams compete for a berth to the CIF State playoffs. "The field is stacked."

COLUMN: CIF's 10-team Open Division gives fresh feel with new teams, format

But after the Open Division comes the gauntlet of the Division 1 field and beyond, which are littered with big-time players and appealing storylines to keep an eye on.

Here's a look at the top storylines and matchups in the opening round of the playoffs on Wednesday night.

TOP 5 STORYLINES, MATCHUPS

1. No. 7 Redondo Union at No. 6 Sierra Canyon, OPEN

Sierra Canyon's Bryce Cofield. / Photo: Mike Bouffard

The Open Division will begin Wednesday night, and the matchup that could provide the most drama is the No. 7 vs. No. 6 matchup in Pool B.

Both teams like to play fast and have versatile athletes. That game is a tossup. (WATCH ON NFHS)

2. Big scorers to watch

Campbell Hall's Isaiah Johnson handling the ball against Brentwood on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025 at the Intuit Dome. / Greg Fiore

Get ready for 30 or 40-point games in the first round. Here are the names that are averaging 30 points or more this season.

Isaiah Johnson, Campbell Hall (vs. Chaminade), D1
Jason Crowe Jr, Inglewood (vs. Westlake), D1
Brandon Benjamin, Anaheim/Canyon (vs. Damien), D1
Luke Zuffelato, Santa Barbara (vs. St. Anthony), D1
Anto Balian, Pilibos (vs. Oak Hills), D2AA
Vaughn Zargarian, Crescenta Valley (vs. Blair), D2A

3. Teams with youthful magic

Sophomore AJ Okoh (left) and freshman Shalen Sheppard have Brentwood 22-3 after stunning Windward on the road Monday night. / Tarek Fattal

There are a few teams that are led by underclassmen and non-seniors this postseason like Brentwood (D1) and Corona Centennial (D2AA). Brentwood has freshmen Shalen Sheppard and sophomore AJ Okoh, two underclassmen that helped the Eagles win the Gold Coast League.

Corona Centennial has star junior Isaiah Rodgers who is guiding a crop of talented freshman starters in Josh Agbo and Kai Patton.

4. How many at-large teams will advance?

Mater Dei competing against St. John Bosco at the Intuit Dome / Heston Quan

One of the biggest changes to the new playoff system is how at-large teams are handled. A max of three at-large teams were berthed in any one division. For example, Division 1 got three while Division 4AA got just two at-large berths.

An at-large team is a team granted participation to the postseason despite not finishing in the top half of its league (automatic qualifier).

However, seven at-large teams in the playoffs are among the top four seeds in their respective division due to their computer rankings. Could an at-large team win a CIF title? We'll see how Round 1 shakes out.

5. How many road teams will win?

Santa Barbara senior Carter Battle averages 13.8 points per game for the 10-3 Dons as of Dec. 28, 2024. / Photo: Mike Bouffard

Due to the competitive equity model, which used computer rankings to place all the teams, its possible to see a lot of road teams win Wednesday night. Home court advantage in the opening round is solely based on which team was ranked higher in the computer rankings.

In theory, a better team could be on the road in the first round. Dangerous first-round teams on the road in Division 1 include St. Bernard, Damien, Santa Barbara, La Habra and Alemany. In Division 2AA, Oak Hills, Rancho Christian, Pacifica Christian, Fairmont Prep and Village Christian are dangerous.

PLAYOFF PICK 'EM

Predict the winners of each game in each round of the CIF Southern Section high school basketball boys and girls playoffs! (PICK EM)

---

Bookmark High School on SI for all of the latest high school sports news.

To get live updates on your phone - as well as follow your favorite teams and top games - you can download the SBLive Sports app:

Download iPhone App | Download Android App