Palisades High girls basketball coach Torino Johnson doesn’t shy away from challenges, he embraces them. He hoped his team would be picked for the Open Division of the CIF Southern California Regional playoffs and sure enough, it was.
The Dolphins are seeded seventh in the eight-team bracket and will travel to Santa Ana to take on No. 2-seeded Mater Dei in the first round at 6 p.m. tomorrow.
Riding a 20-game winning streak, Palisades will have a chance to show how much it has improved since its 42-point loss to the Monarchs at the Palisades Beach Invitational in November.
“This is a huge honor because it means we’re considered one of the top 16 teams in the state,” Johnson said. “This is a great opportunity for us. I have nothing but respect for Mater Dei’s program, but we’re going there to win.”
Mater Dei has lost two games this season, both by one point to West Hills Chaminade, which was awarded the No. 1 seed after beating the Monarchs 64-63 Saturday in the Southern Section Open Division final.
Should it win Friday, Palisades will travel to Long Beach Poly or San Marcos Mission Hills next Tuesday.
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.
