Top Row: Bryce Hamilton, Darius Brown, Hunter Woods, Joey Walsh. Bottom Row: Julia Macabuhay, Sarah Johnson, Kaitlyn Chen, Renae Tamura By Brian Reed-Baiotto, Sports Editor When the CIF-Southern Section released its boys and girls basketball playoff brackets, two Pasadena area schools got rewarded for their undefeated league championships. ** On the girls side, Flintridge Prep […]
Top Row: Bryce Hamilton, Darius Brown, Hunter Woods, Joey Walsh.
Bottom Row: Julia Macabuhay, Sarah Johnson, Kaitlyn Chen, Renae Tamura
By Brian Reed-Baiotto, Sports Editor
When the CIF-Southern Section released its boys and girls basketball playoff brackets, two Pasadena area schools got rewarded for their undefeated league championships.
** On the girls side, Flintridge Prep (23-2 overall, 12-0 in league) got a first-round bye after running their Prep League schedule unscathed.
The Rebels won’t play until Satuday, when they host the winner of the Granite Hills-Perris wildcard winner in the Division 3-A bracket.
Renae Tamura and Taylor Yoshida have both averaged 13 points per game, while Kaitlyn Chen and Andie Kim pour in approximately 12 points each night.
** On the boys side, Pasadena enters on the playoffs on a 16-game win streak, including a 13-0 Pacific League run.
The Bulldogs (21-5) won’t play until Friday, when they host the winner of the Beaumont-Rancho Cucamonga winner in a Division 1-A wild card game.
Pasadena is led by a three-headed monster in juniors Bryce Hamilton, Darius Brown II and sophomore Darius Mason.
Hamilton is averaging 22 points and 11 rebounds per game.
Brown II contributes 18 points and 7 assists per game, while Mason averages 13 points and 6 rebounds.
** There are two potential area showdowns in the second round.
In Division 2-A, La Salle hosts Eisenhower, and Muir will welcome Simi Valley on Wednesday night.
If both the Lancers (18-9) and Mustangs (17-9) win, they will face off in the second round.
**In Division 4-AA, Flintridge Prep hosts Quartz Hill, and Blair will do battle with Ontario.
A win by the Rebels (11-8) and Vikings (20-6) will set up another all-area contest in the second round.
** Poly earned a first-round home game Wednesday night because of their Prep League championship. The Panthers (17-4) host Vista Del Lago of Moreno Valley (11-9)
** Maranatha won a share of the Olympic League title, and will get a home game with Viewpoint (14-11) in a Division 1-AA contest.
** St. Francis finished sixth in the seven-team Mission League, but they qualified because the Golden Knights (14-12) were above the .500 win percentage.
But St. Francis gets a tough first-round match up in the Division 3-AA playoffs when they travel to La Sierra (24-2).
** Marshall earned a Division 5-AA wild card game at Temecula Prep on Wednesday.
** The La Salle girls finished second in league, and the Lancers will host Chaffey on Thursday evening in a Division 3-A match up.
** The Pasadena girls got a first round bye, and will host the Arroyo-Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks wild card winner on Saturday in a Division 4-AA game.
** Prep League competitors Poly and Westridge both earned Division 5-AA wild card playoff berths.
The Panthers host Webb on Thursday, and Westridge will welcome Calvary Chapel Downey.
