Column: Redondo squeaks by Eastvale Roosevelt, 56-54, in Open Division playoffs opener

On the opening night of the Southern Section Open Division boys’ basketball playoffs, there was little doubt the matchup of No. 6-seeded Redondo against No. 11-seeded Eastvale Roosevelt was going to be decided by a final shot on Friday night. And it happened.

Down by two points with 3.7 seconds left, Roosevelt got the ball to the player it wanted, junior guard Jemarl Baker, a California commit who rarely misses when he’s open. And he was open for a 30-footer.

“He got a good look,” Redondo Coach Reggie Morris Jr. said.

But Baker’s shot struck the rim and fell to the court as time expired, enabling Redondo to come away with a 56-54 victory and earn a quarterfinal matchup at home Tuesday night against Chatsworth Sierra Canyon.¿

“I just knew it was going in,” Baker said. “It fell a little bit short. I shoot deep shots all the time. It was nothing new. I just left it short.”

Thirty years ago, Baker’s father, also named Jemarl, played for Manual Arts and Morris’ father. Baker was limited to 10 points after being in foul trouble.

“It was hard to get a rhythm,” he said.

Roosevelt (21-7) had the ball in the right players’ hands, Baker and its other junior standout, Matt Mitchell. With 5.4 seconds, Mitchell missed two free throws. Leland Green of Redondo (22-4) made one of two free throws with four seconds left.

“It’s a learning experience,” Roosevelt Coach Stephen Singleton said. “They’ll bounce back.”

Ryse Williams led Redondo with 15 points. Mitchell had 12 points for Roosevelt. Jalen Taylor contributed 10 points off the bench in the second quarter for the Mustangs.

Jordan Griffin scored 33 points in Corona Centennial’s 83-64 win over Compton. In a battle of two defending state champions, Bryce Peters scored 23 points to help La Verne Damien defeat Encino Crespi, 65-61.

Lonzo Ball scored 30 points in Chino Hills’ 100-66 win over Santa Margarita. Chino Hills has scored 100 or more points 14 times this season, four short of the state record. Spencer Freedman scored 17 points in Santa Ana Mater Dei’s 58-46 win over Montebello Cantwell-Sacred Heart. Jordan Schakel scored 19 points in Torrance Bishop Montgomery’s 68-51 win over Orange Lutheran.

Tuesday’s quarterfinal matchups: No. 1 Chino Hills at No. 9 Inglewood; No. 5 Centennial at No. 4 Santa Ana Mater Dei; No. 3 Sierra Canyon at No. 6 Redondo; No. 7 Damien at No. 2 Torrance Bishop Montgomery.

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com

Twitter: @LATSondheimer