It’s more of a level playing field this season in boys’ basketball

It’s close to the midway point in the high school basketball season, and one clear trend is emerging: parity.

There are top teams, but none are way better than another, and all are capable of losing on a given night when players aren’t focused.

“There’s a lot of good players out there these days,” Encino Crespi Coach Russell White said. “They’re not all at the same place. You look at the Mission League. I think you could argue there are at least 10 Division I players.”

In the Southern Section, the strongest group of teams can be found in Division 4AA, and they’re all from private schools — La Verne Lutheran (14-4), Torrance Bishop Montgomery (14-3), Gardena Serra (15-2), Los Angeles Windward (13-6), Crespi (17-1), Los Angeles Price (12-5) and Westlake Village Oaks Christian (14-3).

In 1AA, Santa Ana Mater Dei (15-2), Long Beach Poly (12-1), Etiwanda (17-1) and Los Angeles Loyola (14-2) have been the top teams since the season began and there’s no reason to think they won’t be fighting it out for a championship come March.

Parity is most prevalent in the City Section, where there’s a wide-open competition in Division I among defending champion Woodland Hills Taft (13-3), Fairfax (11-6), Westchester (10-4), Palisades (9-8) and Washington (11-9).

And what has made the season so fun is that the teams are playing each other and no one knows who’s going to prevail.

[For the record, 10:44 a.m.: The below paragraph incorrectly states that Windward defeated Price.]

Serra lost to Bishop Montgomery and defeated Bishop Montgomery. La Verne Lutheran defeated Etiwanda and lost to Windward. Price lost to Bishop Montgomery, lost to Crespi and defeated Serra. Windward defeated Taft, defeated Price and lost to St. John Bosco. Loyola defeated Long Beach Poly and lost to Crespi.

Injuries and eligibility questions are influencing the season. When the City Section cleared 6-foot-7 Anthony January to play for Taft, it put the Toreadors on a path to the finals. Orange Lutheran (12-4) has struggled while waiting for Gabe York to return from an appendectomy.

As for exceeding expectations, let’s start with Crespi, which is 4-0 in the Mission League.

“There’s some grit there,” White said of a team that has been winning close games and doesn’t have a player taller than 6-4.

What Crespi has is junior point guard London Perrantes, who has begun to receive recruiting interest from Pac-12 Conference schools.

“He is playing phenomenal basketball,” White said. “He sees the floor so good. His head is always up. He’s shooting 40% from three-point range and over 80% from the free-throw line.”

Others exceeding expectations: Etiwanda, Pasadena Muir (16-1), Mission Viejo (18-1), Canyon Country Canyon (18-1), Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley (17-2), St. John Bosco (13-2), Pacific Hills (15-3), La Cañada Renaissance (15-2), Montebello Cantwell-Sacred Heart (17-1) and Los Angeles Garfield (16-3).

One developing story could be at Palm Desert (12-3). Ten years ago, the team reached the championship game in its division with neighborhood kids who grew up together and used chemistry, intelligence and team work to succeed.

The Aztecs are ranked No. 4 in Division 3AAA and are led by brothers John and Brian Serven. John is a 6-3 senior, averaging 20 points per game. Brian is 6-1 junior and a defensive specialist. Both have 4.3 grade-point averages and also play baseball. Palm Desert’s only losses have come to Mater Dei, Capistrano Valley and Calabasas.

Another developing story is the play of freshmen. On Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at Los Angeles Pierce College, two of Southern California’s top freshman guards, Marcus LoVett Jr. of Burbank Providence and Aaron Holiday of North Hollywood Campbell Hall, will meet in a nonleague game.

LoVett is averaging 32.8 points and has a high game of 57 points. Holiday is averaging 24.1 points and has a high game of 39.

There’s a long way to go before March arrives, so expect lots of twists, turns and excitement.

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com

twitter.com/latsondheimer