CITYWIDE — If polls and preseason results are to be trusted, the Ocean League opener between Santa Monica and Inglewood on Wednesday may hint at who will win league.
CalHi Sports had both boys' basketball teams in its preseason state top-20, but Inglewood has struggled to a 7-5 record while Samohi has held up its end of the bargain with an 11-4 mark with a schedule featuring some of the top teams in Southern California. Samohi is currently ranked No. 19 in the state. Inglewood is among the teams that dropped out of the poll after being ranked No. 15.
A pair of Samohi's losses have come at the hands of powerhouse Loyola, with Chaminade and Corona Centennial rounding out the select group of teams that have defeated the Vikings, a team ranked No. 1 in the latest CIF-Southern Section Division 1A poll. Inglewood is ranked No. 13 in the tougher Division 1AA.
Samohi is the defending league champ. Inglewood took second a year ago.
The game is scheduled for Wednesday at Inglewood. It begins at 7:30 p.m.
Samohi will wrap up the week at home against Culver City on Friday. That game also begins at 7:30 p.m.
St. Monica continues to roll
As St. Monica's girls' basketball team prepares to open the Camino Real League season on Tuesday against Saint Joseph it brings into the game a 14-3 preseason record and No. 1 ranking in the latest CIF-Southern Section Division 4A poll.
St. Monica has won five of the last six. Saint Joseph is 10-6 overall.
The game is scheduled for Tuesday at Lakewood's Saint Joseph. Game time is 7 p.m.
On Thursday, St. Monica travels to Santa Fe Springs St. Paul. That game also begins at 7 p.m.
