CIF playoffs begin

The CIF-Southern Section basketball playoffs get underway this week and as for the locals, the boys and girls teams at Edison, Huntington Beach, Marina and Ocean View, have all qualified for the playoffs.

Playoff action began Wednesday with wild-card games. First- and second-round games will be played Friday and Saturday.

Boys

Edison and Marina both played wild-card games in Division IA Wednesday, but the results weren’t available at press time.

Edison played at West Torrance of the Bay League. The winner of that game advances to play at Sea View League champ and No. 3-ranked El Toro Friday.

The Chargers entered the playoffs at 14-12 overall and tied for third-place in the Sunset League.

Marina finished fifth in the Sunset standings and headed into Wednesday’s wild-card game at Tustin (Century League) at 13-13 overall. The reward for the winner is a first-round date Friday at ML King, the division’s top-ranked team.

In Marina’s league finale, a Feb. 6 loss to Newport Harbor, Brendan Holmes hit three three-point shots to establish a new Marina single-season record for three-pointers in a season. With 144 heading into the playoffs, the sophomore eclipsed the previous mark of 142 set last year by Troy Lewis.

Holmes’ 144 puts him fourth all-time in CIF for three-pointers in a season. He’s just one away from third-place and three away from the second-place spot.

In a game against Norwalk at the Beckman Tournament in December, Holmes hit 13 three-point shots which ranks fifth all-time in CIF for three-pointers made in a single game.

Huntington Beach and Ocean View will begin their playoff runs with first-round games Friday.

Huntington secured second-place in the Sea View league on Feb. 7 by defeating Foothill, 71-62, getting 32 points from Nick Becker and 21 from Zach Kimber. The Oilers, despite their being ranked seventh in Division IA, have an interesting first-round draw Friday as they hit the road to take on Sunset League runner-up Newport Harbor.

The home site for the game was decided by coin flip, Huntington Coach Fabian Luna said.

A win by the Oilers Friday could set up a potential second-round game Tuesday against sixth-ranked Rancho Cucamonga.

Huntington is 22-4 overall.

Newport Harbor, led by 6-foot-9 senior center Kyle Caldwell, has won six-straight games and is 17-8 overall.

“They have an extremely good player in Caldwell who we will need to contain.” Luna said. “Newport is playing well as of late, and we are playing well. It should be a great game. They are well-coached and play hard. We will need to come out with good energy and play good defense.”

Becker, who in January became Huntington’s career-scoring leader, averages 20 points per game. Kimber is next for the Oilers with a 17 points per game average.

Ocean View, which is on a seven-game win streak and is 21-6 overall, begins its quest for the Division IIA title Friday. The third-ranked Seahawks entertain Channel Islands, the No. 3 team from the Pacific View League.

Huntington and Newport tip off at 7 p.m. Friday. Ocean View plays at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

All second-round boys games will be played Wednesday. The quarterfinal round will be played Feb. 22, semifinal games Feb. 26 and the Division IA and IIA finals March 1 at the Honda Center in Anaheim.

Girls

Edison, which won the Sunset League championship outright, opens the Division IIAA playoffs at home Saturday against Monrovia.

The Wildcats are 15-11 and the third-place representative from the Rio Hondo League.

“We know Monrovia will be a tough opponent, and we are excited for the challenge,” Edison Coach Corey Kelly said. “I feel that the girls are playing solid, together as a team and have continued to improve throughout the year.

“We are just going to stay the course where we look to work hard and improve each day. I am proud of our entire team, all 11 players.”

Edison tuned up for the postseason by dismantling Fountain Valley, 64-29, Feb. 6. That win allowed the Chargers to finish 9-1 in Sunset League play and notch their 20th victory of the season.

Edison, 20-3 overall, is the No. 2-seed in the Division IIAA playoffs.

The winner of Saturday’s game moves on to second-round play Wednesday and will face the winner of another Saturday first-round game between third-ranked Mira Costa and Canyon (Canyon Country).

Marina also is in contention for the Division IIAA crown. The 14th-ranked Vikings, the No. 3 team out of the Sunset League, travel to Pasadena to face Rio Hondo League champ Blair.

Huntington Beach heads into the Division IA playoffs as the No. 2 representative from the Sea View League. The No. 12 Oilers will be at home for their first-round game Saturday against La Mirada. The Matadores are the No. 3 team from the Suburban League.

The winner advances to Wednesday’s second-round to face the winner of Saturday’s first-round matchup between No. 3 Mira Costa/Canyon of Canyon Country.

Ocean View was one of seven schools to receive a first-round by in the Division IIIA playoffs, which open today. The Golden West League champion Seahawks play at home Saturday where they will face the winner of today’s first-round game between Mt. Baldy League runner-up Chaffey and Burroughs of Ridgecrest, the No. 3 team from the Desert Sky League.

The Edison, Marina and Ocean View games will be played at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The La Mirada at Huntington Beach game is at 6 p.m. Saturday.

The Division IA, IIAA and IIIA title games will be played Feb. 29-March 1 at The Walter Pyramid at Cal State Long Beach.