Talk about a kick in the pelvic region. The new State Basketball Tournament Open Division pairings did no favors for two San Diego Section stalwarts.
The seedings and pairings were announced by the state CIF this evening.
St. Augustine (28-3) will visit Santa Ana Mater Dei (31-0), the nation’s No. 2-ranked team, Friday night, March 14.
Santa Ana Mater Dei is the top seed in the Open Division and the Saints are No. 8.
On the same evening, La Costa Canyon (27-5), seeded sixth, goes to Redondo Beach Redondo (24-5), seeded third.
La Costa Canyon, playing from behind as the fourth seed, won the San Diego Section Open championship by defeating St. Augustine, 62-60, before more than 4,000 persons at the Jenny Craig Pavilion on the University of San Diego campus on Saturday night.
The Saints were the state D-III champions last season and would have been accorded at least an even chance to repeat, but they will not get that more competitively friendly opportunity.
The Open Division includes four Southern Section squads (Mater Dei, Redondo, Riverside North, and Etiwanda), two from San Diego, two from the Los Angeles Section (El Camino Real and Westchester), and zero from the Central Section.
No San Diego Section team gets a home game until Division II. The highest seed for any San Diego Section squad is 3 by the La Jolla Country Day women. Mount Miguel’s women are seeded fourth.
Chula Vista Mater Dei is the highest seed among men’s teams, with a 4.
Unhappiness award goes to San Diego D-I winner Morse (18-12) and IV winner Orange Glen (26-5), who are uninvited.
All divisions except Open begin play Wednesday, March 12.
First round airings:
MEN’S DIVISION I
–No. 13 seed Torrey Pines (26-5) at 4 Lakewood Mayfair (23-6).
–No. 10 El Camino (27-4) at 7 Mission Viejo (24-7).
II
–No. 13 Tustin (22-8) at 4 Chula Vista Mater Dei (28-2).
–No. 10 Santa Ana Foothill (23-7) at 7 Francis Parker (26-5).
–No. 14 San Diego Hoover (18-11) at 3 Anaheim Canyon (28-4).
III
–No. 11 La Canada St. Francis (19-12) at 6 Kearny (25-2).
–No. 13 Sweetwater (28-1) at 4 Brea Olinda (23-10).
IV
–No. 9 Tri-City Christian (21-9) at 8 San Juan Capistrano JSerra (18-11).
V
–No. 10 Palm Springs Desert Chapel (23-5) at 7 Escondido Adventist (20-6).
–No. 12 Lutheran (16-7) at San Juan Capistrano Saddleback Valley Christian (25-6).
WOMEN’S DIVISION I
–No. 8 Mission Hills (22-8) at 9 Alhambra Mark Keppel (26-3).
–No. 13 Mt. Carmel (25-7) at 4 Fullerton Troy (22-7).
II
–No. 10 Redondo Beach Redondo (20-10) at 7 La Costa Canyon (25-3).
–No. 9 Poway (17-11) at Norco (26-5).
–No. 14 San Diego Serra (19-10) at Placentia El Dorado (26-5).
III
–No. 13 Yorba Linda (11-15) at 4 Mount Miguel (25-5).
IV
–No. 11 Fullerton Rosary (17-14) at 6 Chula Vista Mater Dei (22-8).
–No. 13 Ocean View Christian (17-3) at 4 San Juan Capistrano JSerra (21-10).
V
–No. 14 L.A. Shalhevet (19-3) at 3 La Jolla Country Day (16-11).
–No. 9 San Bernardino Aquinas (27-2) at 8 Horizon (9-18).
No. 12 Foothills Christian (17-5) at 4 Garden Grove Orangewood (23-8).
