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Now that Taft has been afforded the No. 1 in the City Section basketball playoffs beginning Friday against visiting West Adams, the Toreadors (24-3) Taft (23-3) look to repeat as City champions.

Taft finsiehd the regular season with 14 wins in a row, 11 by 10 points or more.

Taft has won three City titles since 2004, and the Toreadors, led by forwards Anthony January and Brandon Perry and guard Kris Yanku, have made a smooth transition under new coach Jason Hart, who replaced longtime coach Derek Taylor (now at St. John Bosco).

"We're really playing well right now. I think we're starting to come together as a team," Perry said. "Coming into the playoffs, we're excited about making a run for the City title again - and the state playoffs."

Hart, a former NBA player with City Section roots after graduating from Westchester High, has stressed defense and fundamentals.

"The playoffs are going to be exciting," Hart said. "We have to play our best every night. We'll be ready for the challenge."

Div. I

West Adams Prep at Taft
Sylmar at Crenshaw
Cleveland at Dorsey
Poly at Westchester

Div. II

Van Nuys at El Camino Real
Gardena at Granada Hills
South Gate at Kennedy
Reseda at Venice
Verdugo Hills at Carson

Div. III

Bravo at Grant
Chatsworth at Panorama

There was a clean sweep for City Section boys' basketball teams from the region when playoff pairings were released Saturday at Roybal High in Los Angeles.

Taft, El Camino Real and Grant were awarded the top-seed in Div. I, Div. II and Div. III, respectively.

And, all are favored to win City championships.

The playoffs begin Friday ans continue with quarterfinal games Feb. 22.

"I think the San Fernando Valley is really starting to get some resepct," ECR coach David Rebibo said. "It is more spread out now. There really aren't just a few good teams anymore. There are good players everywhere. I would love the opportunity to play in Div. I."

Taft will have the toughest road because of the depth of its division.

Fairfax, Westchester and Palisades took the No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 spots. Undefeated Coliseum League champion Crenshaw was seeded No. 5 and Marine League champion Washington, which owns an impressive victory against Crespi took No. 6

The Toreadors open Friday with No. 16 West Adams Prep and could face West Valley League rival No. 8 Birmingham, which really helped itself with a 70-67 victory Friday against Cleveland to claim third place in League.

Birmingham hosts No. 9 University in the first round Friday.

No. 10 Cleveland opens at No. 7 Dorsey. The Cavaliers hosted the Dons in last years first round and won a thriller after erasing a 19-point lead.

If Cleveland can pull off the upset things won't get easier with a potential quarterfinal matchup against Fairfax.

"I am going back to my home," Cleveland coach Damon Charlot said. "That's where i came from."

No. 14 Poly opens at No. 3 Westchester. The Parrots are not expected to shock the world.

ECR will host outmanned No. 16 Van Nuys in the first round.

An interesting game could happen in the semifinals when ECR could host No. 4 Kennedy in a matchup of two up-and-coming programs in the area.

The Conquistadores feature sophomores Julian Richardson, Maleke Haynes and Evan Wardlow.

Kennedy clinched a share of the Valley Mission League championship Friday and features juniors Dom Vargas, Jordan Taylor and Danny Jiron.

Granada Hills was seeded No. 3 and could face No. 2 Garfield in the semifinals before a possible all-valley championship game with ECR or Kennedy.

Grant easily took the top spot in Div. III, and should hardly be challenged.

The Lancers finished 23-5 and 12-0 in East Valley League play.

Grant features 6-foot7 forward Gor Palvchyan, Tullio Parry and Gurgen Harutyunyan.

Grant hosts No. 16 Bravo Medical Magnet in the first round.

The Lancers will play the winner of No. 9 Chatsworth at No. 8 Panorama in the quarterfinals.

Chatsworth finished the regular season 9-22 but could surprise because they have played a tough schedule.

1. Grant
2. Bell
3. Locke
4. Banning
5. Franklin
6. Hamilton
7. Huntington Park
8. Panorama
9. Chatsworth
10. Los Angeles
11. Marshall
12. Roosevelt
13. Jefferson
14. Wilson
15. Lincoln
16. Bravo

Fri. Feb. 17

No. 16 Bravo at No. 1 Grant
No. 9 Chatsworth at No. 8 Panorama
No. 12 Roosevelt at No. 5 Franklin
No. 13 Jefferson at No. 4 Banning

No. 14 Wilson at No. 3 Locke
No. 11 Marshall at No. 6 Hamilton
No. 10 Los Angeles at No. 7 Huntington Park
No. 15 Lincoln at No. 2 Bell

City Div. 2 playoff seedings

1. El Camino Real
2. Garfield
3. Granada Hills
4. Kennedy
5. Narbonne
6. Venice
7. Carson
8. San Pedro
9. L.A. Jordan
10. Verdugo Hills
11. Reseda
12. Torres
13. South Gate
14. Gardena
15. Belmont
16. Van Nuys

Fri. Feb. 17

No. 16 Van Nuys at No. 1 El Camino Real
No. 9 L.A. Jordan at No. 8 San Pedro
No. 12 Torres at No. 5 Narbonne
No. 13 South Gate at No. 4 Kennedy

No. 14 Gardena at No. 3 Granada Hills
No. 11 Reseda at No. 6 Venice
No. 10 Verdugo Hills at No. 7 Carson
No. 15 Belmont at No. 2 Garfield

1. Taft
2. Fairfax
3. Westchester
4. Palisades
5. Crenshaw
6. Washington
7. Dorsey
8. Birmingham
9. University
10. Cleveland
11. Fremont
12. Sylmar
13. Manual Arts
14. Poly
15. Roybal
16. West Adams

There it is.

Friday Feb. 17

No. 16 West Adams Prep at No. 1Taft
No. 9 University at No. 8Birmingham
No. 12 Sylmar at No. 5 Crenshaw
No. 13 Manual Arts at No. 4 Palisades

No. 14 Poly at No. 3 Westchester
No. 11 Fremont at No. 6 Washington
No. 10 Cleveland at No. 7 Dorsey
No. 15 Roybal at No. 2 Fairfax

NEWHALL - Putting the finishing touch on a grueling final stretch consisting of four consecutive road victories to close the regular season, Canyon High clinched a share of the Foothill League boys' basketball championship Friday in a 78-69 win at Hart before a loud, near-capacity crowd.

Canyon's Clay Kasdorf scored 34 points and Coley Apsay added 28 points, including five 3-pointers.

Hart closed to within six points in the fourth quarter. But over the final two minutes, Canyon (23-3, 8-2) made the key plays, as Apsay scored on an inside basket and two free throws, and Kasdorf hit a jump shot and two free throws.

"This is the biggest win so far because it locked everything up," Kasdorf said. "We had a lot of momentum, and the team really came through tonight. I've never felt better in my life."

Kasdorf has scored 110 points in the past three games, including a school-record 48 on Feb. 3 at West Ranch. The 6-foot-3 senior went right to work at Hart, scoring 20 points in the first 11 minutes, as it was clear Kasdorf had the green light every time he touched the basketball.

"I do have the green light. It's great to have that kind of freedom," Kasdorf said. "I don't have to refrain from anything. I can just play my game."

Canyon has yet to lose a road game this season, so the Cowboys, expected to be seeded No. 1 in the Southern Section Div. II-AA playoffs beginning next week, could be tough to beat in the postseason.

"This was a tough, gutsy win, to come on this court and win like this, and Clay and Coley are remarkable basketball players," Canyon coach Chad Phillips said. "Don't quote me for the playoffs, but we're good on the road. We haven't lost one, winning the Burbank tournament and the Ventura tournament and all the nonleague road games."

Clay Kasdorf has scored 20 points -- all over the first 11 minutes -- to help Canyon to a 39-20 halftime lead at Hart in a key Foothill League game.

There is a buzz of excitement at Hart, as visiting Canyon and the host Indians face off in a Foothill League finale that could decide the league title.

Canyon is 22-3 and Hart is 17-9, 6-3. If Hart wins and Valencia upsets West Ranch (13-10, 7-2), there could be a three-way tie

Harvard-Westlake 69
Sierra Canyon 58 (7th grade championship game)

Sierra Canyon 78
Campbell Hall 35 (8th grade championship game)

Seventh-grader Cody Riley (6'7) scored 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the Sierra Canyon.

Devearl Ramsey scored 16 points and had 12 assists.

Trevor Stanback grabbed 18 rebounds. Stanback is the younger brother of former Fairfax and current UNLV standout Chase Stanback.

Adam Seiko, whose future may lie more in football had a good all-around game