Local Hoopsters Continues in the "second season"

This past year has been, to say the least, different, where we had high school sports in the second half of the school year, where there were no football playoffs. “Spring” sports (basketball, baseball, soccer) will have playoffs, but only sectionals. There will be no state this year. For the participants, everyone is a winner because there was a season for them to play, especially for the seniors.

The basketball draws came out for the playoffs this past weekend, and several local school were invited to the postseason.

The Nogales boys basketball team join its boys soccer team, who was eliminated in the semifinals as it travels to Lakeside of Lake Elsinore for its Division 4A first round matchup. Nogales finished 6-5 (6-4 Montview League) and enters as the third seed. Lakeside finished 8-4 (6-2 Inland valley).

Walnut High School has both its boys and girls’ team make the playoffs, the girls entering as the Hacienda League champions (10-2, 8-0) and the boys entering as the third place (12-7, 6-4). The girls have a bye in the first round, and will host Covina in Saturday’s 2A second round at 5pm. Covina won the Valle Vista (10-2, 9-1 and was also awarded a first round bye.) The boys, however were not as fortunate as travels to San Clemente for Wednesday’s 2A first round game. Tipoff is at 7pm.

The only local boys’ basketball team to host a playoff game in the first round is Diamond Bar, who finished second in the Hacienda League (11-3. 7-3). They will host Orange Vista who entered as a second place from the Ivy League (4-4) in Wednesday’s Division 3A. The girls’ team, however finished third in the Hacienda League (6-6, 4-4) and it reward is a visit to Duarte who won the Montview League (9-1) in Thursday’s Division 4AA first round).