La Mirada Secures Exciting Victory Against St. John Bosco in Open Division Basketball Match
La Mirada Claims Key Victory in Open Division Playoffs
La Mirada secured a pivotal win in the Southern Section Open Division basketball playoffs, narrowly defeating St. John Bosco 56-53 on Friday night. This victory marks a significant turnaround for the Matadores, who had struggled in last year’s playoffs.
Enteri to the game with a record of 23-7, La Mirada was eager to improve upon a disappointing previous season where they finished 1-3 and missed out on the state playoffs. After a rocky start with a loss to Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, which snapped their 14-game winning streak, the Matadores regrouped to hand St. John Bosco a rare home defeat.
Jordyn Houston led La Mirada’s offense with 22 points. St. John Bosco, despite the loss, had an opportunity to equalize in the final moments of the game but missed a crucial three-point attempt.
Looking ahead, St. John Bosco will face Notre Dame on Tuesday. Meanwhile, La Mirada appears well-positioned to secure the second place in their pool, potentially advancing to the quarterfinals.
In other notable games, Harvard-Westlake edged Damien 67-62, with Joe Sterling contributing 22 points. Corona Centennial dominated Etiwanda, winning 74-48, while Crespi triumphed over Corona del Mar, 82-70, with standout performances from Isaiah Barnes and Jasiah Williams, who scored 24 and 23 points respectively. Maxwell Scott tallied an impressive 35 points for Corona del Mar.
In Division 1, Jaden Bailes scored 22 points to lead JSerra to a convincing 75-46 victory against Loyola, and Mater Dei continued its strong season with an 85-59 win over Westlake in Division 2.
The CIF-SS boys’ basketball playoffs are heating up, with Edison narrowly defeating Valencia 58-56 in a closely contested match.
Additionally, Rolling Hills Prep beat Orange Lutheran 63-52, fueled by 23 points from Josahn Webster, while Shalhevet edged Palm Springs 42-41, thanks to Sam Jacobsen’s game-winning basket. Venice advanced in the City Section Division I playoffs, defeating Sun Valley Poly 58-40.
