Roosevelt and Centennial selected for Open Division

The Roosevelt boys basketball team hasn’t had the luxury of playing many games inside its gymnasium this season.

The gym floor was undergoing repairs when the season started, so the Mustangs had to practice and play games on the road until the Thanksgiving break. When his team defeated Centennial for the Big VIII League tournament championship last week, Roosevelt coach Stephen Singleton had a big wish for the postseason: “I hope we can get a couple of home games,” he said.

Wish granted. Roosevelt earned the No. 2 seed for the CIF Southern Section’s Open Division playoffs, meaning the Mustangs will host all three of their poolplay games against Jserra (Feb. 9), St. Pius X-ST. Matthias (Feb. 13) and Mater Dei (Feb. 16).

“Being in the comfortable surroundings of our own gym and having a big crowd behind us is going to be a great feeling,” said Singleton, whose team has played only five games at home this year. “We feel excited for this opportunity to go out there and play against the best teams the Southern Section has to offer. We’ve earned this opportunity and look forward to competing.”

Roosevelt has lost only two games this season. The Mustangs avenged one of the losses with that victory over Centennial and will look to do the same against Jserra. Roosevelt lost a double-overtime game (90-76) to the Lions back in November.

“We will go back and look at the film and see what we need to do better this time around,” Singleton said about the rematch.

Centennial is the threetime Open Division defending champion, and the Huskies will have a chance to win an unprecedented fourth consecutive Open Division championship. However, the Huskies are the No. 8 seed this season and will have to play all three of their pool-play games on the road: Harvard Westlake (Feb. 9), St. John Bosco (Feb. 13) and Sierra Canyon (Feb. 16). Those just happen to be the three programs Centennial beat in Open Division championship games over the past three years.

This is Centennial’s 10th selection for the Open Division since its creation in 2004, tied with Mater Dei for second most among section programs. Sierra Canyon has been selected for the Open Division all 11 seasons and is the No. 5 seed this season.

“We are always about competition and challenging ourselves,” Centennial coach Josh Giles said about another Open Division appearance. “We now have the opportunity to go into the hardest of environments and show what we’re made of. It’s exciting.”

Six other Inland boys basketball teams received a Top 4 seeding in their respective playoff divisions.

Damien is the No. 3 seed in the Division 1 bracket and has a first-round bye. The Spartans will open the postseason at home Friday night against Rancho Christian or Crossroads.

Western Christian is the No. 2 seed in Division 4AA, and the Lancers will host Segerstrom in a first-round game Wednesday.

Temecula Valley finished in a tie for second place in the Southwestern League standings, but the Golden Bears still received the No. 1 seed in Division 4A. Temecula Valley will make the trip to Oak Grove for Wednesday’s opening round.

Inland teams snagged the top three seeds in the Division 5A bracket. Ontario is the No. 1 seed and will host West Valley in a first-round game Wednesday. Notre Dame is seeded No. 2 and hosts St. Jeanne de Lestonnac or River Springs-hemet in a first-round game. Big Bear is the No. 3 seed and will open at home Wednesday against Ambassador Christian or Packinghouse Christian.