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Canyon coach Nate Harrison, left, says "inconsistent" play has been a problem for his team this season, but he thinks Chandler Dignam, right, and teammates could surprise some people in the playoffs.
Canyon coach Nate Harrison, left, says “inconsistent” play has been a problem for his team this season, but he thinks Chandler Dignam, right, and teammates could surprise some people in the playoffs.

LOS ALAMITOS – Being defending champions meant little for Canyon and JSerra on Sunday.

Canyon won the CIF-Southern Section boys basketball Division 2AA championship last year. JSerra won the 4AA title.

Both will take long trips for their first-round playoff games this week.

Canyon goes to Hesperia to play Oak Hills in a 2AA first-round game Friday. JSerra heads to Riverside to play Hillcrest in 4AA. Those matchups were among the pairings announced Sunday when the CIF-SS office released its boys basketball playoff brackets.

Teams that finish third or higher in the final standings of five- and six-team leagues receive guaranteed entry into the playoffs. Teams that finish second or higher four-team leagues receive guaranteed entry into the playoffs.

Canyon is the No. 3 team from the four-team Crestview League and is seeded No. 5 in 2AA. Unseeded Oak Hills is Mojave League champion.

Comanches coach Nate Harrison said the team is where it should be in the bracket.

“We’ve been inconsistent at times,” said Harrison, last season’s county coach of the year. “We put together some halves where we look like one of the best teams in the state. Then we’ve had some halves where we look pretty average.”

The one good angle for Canyon and JSerra is that there is a good chance of being at home if they advance to the second round. Oftentimes those second-round opponents are superior to first-round opponents.

“All seeded teams complain that they have to play on the road in the second round,” Harrison said. “If we win in the first round, maybe we’ll get a second-round home game against a higher-seeded team.”

JSerra, which lost four from last year’s team, went 0-10 in the Trinity League to finish sixth in the six-team league. The Lions are 9-17 overall and seeded No. 8 in 4AA. Unseeded Hillcrest is the No. 3 team from the River Valley League.

Like Harrison, JSerra coach Joedy Gardner looked on the bright side.

“Last year we went to Palmdale for the first round,” Gardner said. “This is going to be an easier trip.”

Santa Margarita, last year’s 3AA champion, was promoted to 1AA. The Eagles, seeded fourth in 1AA, plays at Montebello on Friday.

Another of the the county’s other defending CIF-SS champion, Mater Dei, is seeded second in the Open Division. Mater Dei won that division last season. A panel chose 16 teams for the Open Division, for which the selections were announced Friday.

The Open Division is a double-elimination division. The other 11 boys basketball playoff divisions are single-elimination tournaments. Like in a regular-season tournament, the Open Division has a consolation bracket.

First-round games are Wednesday in divisions 3AA, 3A, 4AA, 4A, 5AA, 5A and 6. First-round games are Thursday in the Open Division, and on Friday in divisions 1AA, 1A, 2AA and 2A.

CIF-SS championship games are March 6 and 7. Many division finals, including the Open Division final, will be at Honda Center on March 7.

All first-round winners in the Open Division will be sent to the CIF State tournament. The CIF-Southern Section can select up to four teams to represent it in the CIF State Open Division playoffs.

CIF-SS Open Division teams not selected to the CIF State Open Division playoffs will be placed in their CIF State enrollment-based divisions for the CIF Southern California Regionals, the qualifying tournament for the state championships.

Contact the writer: sfryer@ocregister.com