Opponents will have Campbell Hall in their sights during postseason

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

There were no big surprises when the pairings for the Southern Section Division III-AA boys’ basketball playoffs were announced Sunday afternoon. As expected, Campbell Hall received the top seed. Come to think of it, the only surprise would be if the Vikings, ranked No. 6 in the Southland by The Times, were upset somewhere along the way en route to a successful title defense.

‘We’ve had a target on our back all year, so I think we’ll do just fine with being labeled as the team to beat in the playoffs,’’ Coach Terry Kelly said. ‘It’s something the kids are used to. They’ve embraced it. They know we have an opportunity to make this a real special season. The challenge is in front of us and we’re ready to get started.’’

Jrue Holiday and the boys from North Hollywood play their first-round game Friday against Azusa. Beyond that, La Canada and Santa Clara loom as threats. Price is another team capable of posing a problem, that is, provided the Knights don’t stumble against someone like Oak Park. Ultimately, the Vikings could prove to be too tough -- at least it appears that way.

-- Sean Ceglinsky