Samohi Boys, Girls Get Home Playoff Openers:

The Santa Monica High boys and girls basketball teams will both have home games this weekend in the first round of the CIF playoffs.The boys will play Lynwood, the second place team from the San Gabriel Valley League, Friday night. Santa Monica is seeded 14th in the 1AA Division. If the Vikings win, they probably will play Temecula Valley, the No. 3 seed, in the second round Tuesday.The Samohi girls, who are seeded 11th in Division AA, will be home Saturday night against the winner of a wild card game between Long Beach Poly and Leuzinger. The team was rebuilt following the graduation of last season’s key players but was outstanding from the outset and has a 20-2 record.Boys’ PlayThe Samohi boys, 17-9 overall, finished second in the Ocean League with a 6-4 record that included a 55-48 win over Culver City and a 51-46 loss to Hawthorne last week. Hawthorne was 10-0 in league games to win its first league boys basketball championship since 1983.Will Freedman scored 22 points against Culver City and 14 against Hawthorne.Samohi, playing at home, had a three-point lead in the final three minutes Friday night. But Hawthorne took advantage of several turnovers down the stretch.“It was a playoff environment in our gym and a very competitive game,” said Samohi Coach James Hecht.This is the seventh consecutive season the Samohi boys have been chosen for the playoffs. The last time Samohi wasn’t picked, it was a member of the Bay League.St. Monica completed an 11-14 season with a pair of wins – 72-54 over St. Paul and 59-53 over St. Anthony – to finish 4-6 in the Camino Real League.Crossroads lost to Brentwood, 63-35. The Roadrunners are 2-18, including 1-7 in the Delphic League with one game result unreported.It was a vast departure from most recent Crossroads seasons, when Coach Daryl Roper’s teams frequently won. There wasn’t the usual amount of talent this season and the coach took a month off during the season.The losses are a stunning reversal, leaving the future of the program in doubt.New Roads lost to Rolling Hills Prep, 55-49 and defeated Community Harvest Charter, 63-57. The Jaguars are 15-9 overall, 4-4 in the Harbor League. They were awarded a CIF Division 4A playoff berth with a first round game at Viewpoint, the second place team from the Liberty League.Brentwood completed its Olympic League schedule with a 6-4 record following a 54-35 win over Kilpatrick. The Eagles are 14-12 overall and will play at Bishop Union, the second place team in the High Desert League in a CIF Division 4AA playoff game Friday. Center Andreas Schreiber, who is heading for the University of Pennsylvania, has been inconsistent but can be dominant on this level. He was held to nine points in a loss to Santa Monica and spent long stretches on the bench in a loss to Harvard Westlake but is 6-foot-9 and skillful.Malibu lost to Nordhoff, 64-62 and finished 7-16 overall and 1-7 in the Frontier League.In the Western League Venice edged Hamiton, 74-73 and beat University, 57-48 to even its record at 10-10 overall and 5-5 in the league.Palisades was crushed by league champion Fairfax, 95-49 and is 11-12 overall and 4-5 in the league with its final game against Westchester unreported.Fairfax is top-seeded for the upcoming LA City playoffs and is one of the highest-ranked teams in the state.Girls’ PlayIn girls’ play Santa Monica routed Hawthorne, 61-26 and defeated Culver City, 60-48 to complete the regular season with a 9-1 record in the Ocean League, losing only to Beverly Hills before beating Beverly in the second meeting.St. Monica defeated St. Matthias, 62-42 to even its record at 10-10, including 5-4 in league play.Crossroads defeated CAMS (California Academy of Math, Science), 54-39. The Roadrunners finished 4-16, including 3-7 in the Delphic League.New Roads remained undefeated in the Harbor League (7-0) by defeating Rolling Hills Prep, 36-26. The Jaguars’ overall record is 16-6.Brentwood’s 54-16 rout of Maranatha and 57-41 conquest of Valley Christian gave the Eagles a 15-8 overall record, including 8-2 in the league.Malibu lost to Nordhoff, 53-29 and defeated lighthouse Christian, 46-30. The Sharks are 12-9 overall and 3-5 in the Frontier League. They received an at-large berth in the CIF playoffs.There will be considerable Westside interest in the girls’ Division 4AA playoffs. Last season, Brentwood defeated fellow Olympic League member Windward in the championship game, 53-47. This time Windward is seeded first and Brentwood second, based on Windward defeating Brentwood in both league meetings.They’re at opposite ends of the bracket and can’t meet unless both make the final game. Brentwood’s first round game will be at home Saturday against New Community Jewish, the third place team from the Westside League.New Roads also qualified and will open against Santa Clara, the third place team from the Frontier League. New Roads is in Windward’s half of the draw. The teams will meet in the third round – if both advance. New Roads won’t meet Brentwood unless both make the final game.New Roads, led by leading scorer Desiree Davis, has done well in basketball even though the school, located on Olympic Boulevard, doesn’t have a gym. Home games have been played at Crossroads on Saturday mornings.Malibu will have a first round playoff game at St. Bonaventure, the Tri-Valley League’s second place team.In the Western League, Venice lost its second league game, 63-62 to University, but defeated Hamilton, 66-31. Venice repeated as league champion with an 8-2 record and is 18-7 overall heading into the playoffs.Palisades defeated last place Fairfax, 51-39 and also defeated Westchester, 44-33, to achieve a second place tie with University. The Dolphins’ overall record is 10-10. The season is over for teams that weren’t selected for the playoffs. The others must win their games to keep playing in the single elimination format.The high school baseball season is coming up, with practice starting this month and the first games scheduled at the start of March.