CIF SOUTHERN SECTION BOYS’ BASKETBALL PREVIEWS:
GLENDALE — The following are CIF playoff previews pertaining to area high school teams.
San Gorgonio at Crescenta Valley, 7 p.m.: After finishing tied for second in the Pacific League, 12th-seeded Crescenta Valley (19-7) will look to take advantage of having home-court advantage against San Gorgonio (9-17) in a Division I-A first-round contest. The Falcons won their final two league games of the season to finish tied with Burbank. Unseeded San Gorgonio placed third in the San Andreas League after winning three of its last five league contests.
The Crescenta Valley-San Gorgonio winner will face fifth-seeded Chaparral or Tesoro in a second-round game Friday.
Hoover at Woodbridge, 7 p.m.: Though Hoover (14-13) finished fifth in the Pacific League, it still managed to receive an at-large entry into the Division III-AA playoffs. The unseeded Tornadoes, who might be without starting guard Narek Abcarian to an ankle injury, closed out league with a win against host Glendale.
Twelfth-seeded Woodbridge (13-13) took second in the Sea View League behind second-seeded Foothill. Woodbridge has won three games in a row.
The winner of the Hoover-Woodbridge game will meet fifth-seeded Palm Springs or unseeded Los Altos on Friday in a second-round tilt.
St. Francis at Gabrielino, 7 p.m.: For the second straight season, the 13th-seeded Golden Knights (11-15) have earned an at-large berth in the Division IV-AA playoffs after taking sixth in the tough Mission League. Now, they will look to challenge a Gabrielino squad that went 9-16 and shared the Mission Valley League crown with Rosemead.
Gabrielino is unseeded.
The St. Francis-Gabrielino winner will battle fourth-seeded Bishop Amat or unseeded Desert Hot Springs in a second-round contest Friday.
Santa Clara at Flintridge Prep, 7 p.m.: Fresh off winning its eighth Prep League championship since 2002, fourth-seeded Flintridge Prep (18-6) will look to make some noise in the Division V-AA playoffs. The Rebels, who wrapped up the league title Friday with a home win against Rio Hondo Prep, have won 10 of their last 12 contests.
Unseeded Santa Clara (8-15) dropped three of its last five games and took fourth in the Tri-Valley League.
The winner of the Santa Clara-Flintridge Prep contest will then compete in a second-round game against 13th-seeded Western Christian or unseeded Lancaster Desert Christian on Friday.
Arrowhead Christian at Renaissance Academy, 7 p.m.: Top-seeded Renaissance Academy (17-8) will look to win the program’s first CIF championship after making final appearances in 2006 and 2007 before missing the playoffs last season. The Wildcats, who went 17-8 as a freelance squad, will face an unseeded Arrowhead Christian squad that went 7-18 and received an at-large entry from the Christian League after placing fifth.
Renaissance has won five in a row and seven of its last 10 games entering the Division V-A playoffs.
The Renaissance-Arrowhead Christian winner will next participate in a second round contest against 16th-seeded Chadwick or unseeded Wildwood on Friday.