Boys’ basketball: In Open Division, it comes down to how do you beat No. 1 Chino Hills?
The seedings were announced on Saturday morning for the Southern Section Open Division, and Santa Margarita was the lucky _ or unlucky _ winner of the chance to face No. 1-seeded Chino Hills (27-0) in an opening playoff game on Friday night at Chino Hills.
No. 16-seeded Santa Margarita (17-9) finished in third place in the Trinity League. The Eagles were supposed to play Chino Hills in the MaxPreps tournament last December but lost a first-round game.
Coach Jeff Reinert knows the challenge ahead.
“I’m OK with it,” he said. “You can’t beat the best unless you play the best.”
As for Chino Hills, he said, “Its a show. They play a different game. We have to adjust. The bottom line is we have to take care of the ball.”
The winner will face either No. 9 Inglewood or No. 8 Alemany. Other opening games: No. 12 Compton at No. 5 Corona Centennial; No. 13 Cantwell-Sacred Heart at No. 4 Mater Dei; No. 14 Los Alamitos at No. 3 Sierra Canyon; No. 11 Eastvale Roosevelt at No. 6 Redondo; No. 10 Crespi at No. 7 Damien; No. 15 Orange Lutheran at No. 2 Bishop Montgomery.
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