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Boys’ basketball: Who benefits most from Open Division?

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One of the ideas for the creation of the Southern Section Open Division was by pulling out the best teams and putting them together in one super division, other schools would be given a chance to win a section title.

Lots of people still insist that divisions are not diluted, but in fact, eight 1AA teams were removed and put in the Open Division. That’s clearly diluting a division.

Great Oak is the major beneficiary, moving up to the No. 1 seed, with Village Christian No. 2, Tustin No. 3 and Santa Margarita No. 4. The 1AA division is now loaded with parity, so beware of Inglewood, Renaissance, Oak Park and Los Alamitos.

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Loyola played in the Open Division last season and didn’t get picked this season, particularly after suffering a 60-point loss to Bishop Montgomery on Jan. 31. The Cubs aren’t complaining, because they’re the No. 1 seed in 1A.

Beverly Hills is another big winner. The Normans get the No. 1 seed in 3A after the division’s top three teams _ Cathedral, Alemany and Cantwell-Sacred Heart _ were sent to the Open Division.

In 4AA, Crespi became the No. 1 seed after Bishop Montgomery and Orange Lutheran went to the Open Division, leaving five Mission League schools to fight it out.

And Windward is celebrating even after giving up the final 10 points in a loss to Sierra Canyon last week. That’s because the Wildcats are No. 1 seed in 5AA, which no longer includes Sierra Canyon.

Twitter:@LATSondheimer

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