Boys hoops regional comments

I just saw the matchups for the State Southern Regional basketball playoffs that get under way. I would have checked them out earlier but I was enjoying a combo birthday/Academy Awards party. Props to The Hurt Locker.

Among area teams, Poly shockingly drew only a No. 11 seed in the Division I and will play at L.A. City semifinalist Crenshaw Tuesday. If the Jackrabbits (which they should, if they play reasonably well and don't commit a lot of turnovers), they'll likely get a rematch with the team that beat them in the CIF SS I-AA semifinals -- Etiwanda, this time on the road.

Mater Dei got the No. 1 seed; I thought L.A. City champion Westchester (the defending state champion) deserved it for playing a MUCH MORE difficult schedule than the Monarchs faced.

Compton drew a No. 5 seed in Division II and will play a home game Tuesday night against San Joaquin Memorial of Fresno. If the Tarbabes prevail, they are likely bound for a quarterfinal in San Diego Thursday night against Hoover, which was upset by San Diego Lincoln in the San Diego Section finale.

Southern Section IIIA runner-up Centennial was the No. 3 seed in the Division III bracket and is at home Tuesday night to El Camino of Woodland Hills. Assuming they Apaches win, they will have another home game in a Thursday night quarterfinal -- probably against Southern Section IVAA runner-up Orange Lutheran.

Gahr, which lost to eventual champion Serra in the IIIA semifinals on Feb. 26, drew San Diego Section champion Mt. Miguel and will travel to San Diego County for that game Tuesday night. If the Gladiators come back with a victory, they will play in Santa Ana Thursday night against Southern Section IIIAA champion Foothill.

Serra drew the No. 1 seed and gets a bye into the second round Thursday, when the Cavaliers will play host to the winner of the Harvard-Westlake at Bakersfield RidgeviewTuesday affair.