CIF-Southern Section basketball has a system by which teams are moved to higher divisions based upon their recent success in the playoffs.
It does not always work.
Price of Los Angeles was a semifinalist in CIF-SS Division 4A last season. Price was a quarterfinalist in Division 4AA two years ago and was a 4AA semifinalist three years ago.
Price this season is in Division 6, the section’s lowest division.
Jump stops around Orange County basketball:
• Orange Lutheran was in the Division 1AA playoffs last year. The Lancers are in Division 4AA this year. Tustin, 3AAA champion two years ago and a 2A semifinalist last year, has been bumped up to 1AA.
• Coming into this week, first-place teams in county leagues that have played league games: Academy League, Crean Lutheran and St. Margaret’s (both 4-0 in league); Empire, Tustin and Valencia (2-0); Freeway, Buena Park and Sonora (2-0); Garden Grove, Santiago and Garden Grove (2-0); Golden West, Ocean View and Westminster (3-0); Orange, Anaheim, Katella and Savanna (2-0); Orange Coast, Godinez and Laguna Beach (2-0); Pacific Coast, Corona del Mar (3-0); Sea View, Tesoro and Trabuco Hills (2-0); South Coast, San Clemente (2-0); Sunset, Edison and Los Alamitos (3-0); and Trinity, Mater Dei (4-0).
• League play begins this week in a few county leagues. Among the league openers this week is No. 5 Foothill at No. 8 Canyon in the Crestview League. Those schools have a couple of the better student cheering sections in county basketball.
• Santa Margarita and Orange Lutheran lost to Mater Dei last week in Trinity League games. Santa Margarita and Orange Lutheran play each other Wednesday at Orange Lutheran.
• Other top games this week: Savanna at Katella (Orange League) and Tesoro at Trabuco Hills (Sea View), Wednesday; St. Margaret’s at Crean Lutheran (Academy), Tustin at Valencia (Empire), Buena Park at Sonora (Freeway) and Saddleback Valley Christian at Capistrano Valley Christian (San Joaquin), Friday.
• The top five scorers in the county: Brent Cahill, St. Margaret’s (24.1 points per game); Jarrett Brodbeck, Esperanza (23.6); Brandon Smith, Godinez (23.3); Michael Enis, Savanna (22.0); and Trevor Treinen, Servite (22.0).
• Garden Grove’s trio of Colin O’Farrell, Paul Singh and Felix Ramirez had a strong week last week for the 17-2 Argonauts in two Garden Grove League wins. O’Farrell scored 22 points with 10 rebounds in an 81-54 win over Rancho Alamitos and 32 points with 10 rebounds in an 86-59 win over Bolsa Grande; Singh scored 31 points with nine 3-pointers in the Bolsa Grande game; and Ramirez scored 11 points with 15 assists in the Bolsa game and scored 23 points with five 3-pointers against Rancho.
• This reporter’s county top 25: 1. Mater Dei (15-3); 2. Santa Margarita (11-2); 3. Orange Lutheran (14-3); 4. Sonora (15-3); 5. Foothill (15-3); 6. Los Alamitos (17-1); 7. Canyon (12-6); 8. Tustin (16-2); 9. Edison (15-5); 10. Esperanza (14-4); 11. Servite (10-8); 12. Saddleback Valley Christian (10-7); 13. Tesoro (11-8); 14. Corona del Mar (13-6); 15. San Clemente (11-7); 16. Yorba Linda (13-8); 17. Aliso Niguel (14-6); 18. El Dorado (12-7); 19. Villa Park (15-3); 20. Trabuco Hills (11-8); 21. Valencia (16-2); 22. Buena Park (15-3); 23. Garden Grove (17-2); 24. JSerra (8-9); 25. Godinez (15-4).
• Santa Margarita is the choice at No. 2 over Orange Lutheran because Santa Margarita was more competitive last week against Mater Dei than was Orange Lutheran. All four Crestview League teams are in the top 25, as are all five county teams that are in the Trinity League.
• Capistrano Valley Christian has won 13 in a row.
• Because of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday Monday, the CIF-Southern Section did not release updated rankings or a new Open Division watch list. The polls and watch list will be released today.
• CASportsZone.com carries live audio coverage of several games a week. This week’s schedule includes San Clemente at Mission Viejo, Wednesday; and Buena Park at Sonora, Friday.
Contact the writer: sfryer@ocregister.com
