Notre Dame boys basketball not selected to Open Division playoffs; CIF makes statement, Open field breakdown

CIF says the Open Division candidate pool was the deepest since 2018, when the field went from 16 to eight teams

All year long, the Notre Dame/Sherman Oaks boys basketball team was a top-ranked team in SBLive's Top 25 rankings, along with other local media outlets.

The Knights were even included in ESPN's National Top 25 on Jan. 26, coming in at No. 23 led by standout senior Mercy Miller.

• SCROLL: Resumé breakdown of each Open team below. 

On Sunday afternoon, Notre Dame learned it wasn't selected to the CIF Southern Section Open Division playoffs (eight teams). The Knights had been selected in 2022 and 2023, but due to what the CIF deemed the deepest pool of candidates since the field went to eight teams, they will compete in the Division 1 playoffs starting Wednesday.

"This was an extremely difficult process – with committee members and administrators alike agreeing that the depth of “quality Open candidates” and “similar quality Open resumes” among the schools under consideration exceeded any year since the Open Division format went from 16 to eight teams in 2018," the CIF's statement read.

"The CIF Southern Section administration expresses full support for the committee members and the process used in making what were very difficult decisions."

Open Division playoffs; Harvard-Westlake, Roosevelt top seeds

Notre Dame (24-3) finished fourth in the Mission League after falling to Harvard-Westlake, and Crespi defeated Sierra Canyon, in the league tournament semifinals.

“I believe our resume speaks for itself," Notre Dame coach Matt Sargeant said. "It certainly felt like we were an Open team, but ultimately it’s not my decision and I can’t control how other people think. We have to focus on what we can control, and right now, that is preparing to give our best effort against Crean Lutheran.”

Notre Dame, which is the defending CIF State Division 1 champion, is the No. 1 seed in Division 1, but will travel to take on Crean Lutheran in first-round action Wednesday night at 7 p.m.

HOW DOES NOTRE DAME STACK UP?

Despite beating Harvard-Westlake (59-54) and Concord De La Salle (74-70) earlier in the year, the CIF committee clearly didn't think Notre Dame's body of work was good enough for an Open Division berth.

Notre Dame finished the year with one win against the Open Division field, three key losses and five key wins:

*Record against Open field: 1-2

Key losses:

• Sierra Canyon, 81-75*
• Bishop Gorman (Nev.), 64-53
• Harvard-Westlake, 60-56*

Key wins:

• Mira Costa, 71-55
• Campbell Hall, 81-60
• De La Salle, 74-70 (OT)
• Harvard-Westlake, 59-54*
• Crespi, 64-61

Here's a look at each Open Division team's 2023-24 key wins and losses that helped the committee decide on the eight Open Division teams:

No. 1 Harvard-Westlake (26-3)

*Record against Open field: 1-1

Key losses: 

• Miami Columbus, 55-54
• Notre Dame, 59-54
• at Sierra Canyon, 74-68*

Key wins:

• Carlsbad, 83-44
• La Mirada, 83-67
• Perry (Ariz), 61-53
• St. Pius X/St. Matthias, 72-71*
• Campbell Hall, 92-66
• Rancho Christian, 78-37
• Liberty (Ore), 101-62
• Beaverton Southridge, 77-43
• Perry (Ariz.), 78-56
• Heritage Christian, 74-62
• Crespi, 70-55
• McEachern (Ga.), 60-59 (OT)
• Foothill, 74-54
• Notre Dame, 60-56

No. 2 Roosevelt (27-2)

*Record against Open field: 2-2

Key losses:

• JSerra, 90-76 (2OT)*
• Corona Centennial, 82-78*

Key wins:

• Foothill, 76-38
• Riordan, 77-72 
• Rancho Christian, 73-56
• Branson, 68-64 
• Owyhee (Idaho), 71-66
• Damien, 76-71 (OT)
• St. John Bosco, 68-65*
• Oakland Park Northeast, 68-62 
• Santa Maria St. Joseph, 62-61
• St. Pius X/St. Matthias, 59-54*
• Coronado (Nev.), 75-51

No. 3 Mater Dei (26-2)

*Record against Open field: 3-1

Key losses: 

• Long Island Lutheran, 81-68
• JSerra, 68-62*

Key wins:

• Oak Cliff Family Academy (Tex.), 70-49
• Windermere (Fla.), 71-47
• Riviera Prep (Fla.), 84-70
• Herriman (Utah), 81-71
• JSerra, 78-67*
• St. John Bosco, 83-62*
• Catholic Memorial (Mass.), 87-69
• Santa Margarita, 57-52
• Campbell Hall, 91-80
• Los Alamitos, 65-64
• St. John Bosco, 72-66*
• Santa Margarita, 73-59

No. 4 St. John Bosco (23-5)

*Record against Open field: 2-3

Key losses:

• Christ the King (NY), 74-71
• Roosevelt, 68-55*
• Mater Dei, 83-62*
• Paul VI (NJ), 71-53
• Mater Dei, 72-66*

Key wins:

• Sunnyslope (Ariz.), 75-68
• Fairmont Prep, 78-34
• La Mirada, 79-60
• Windward, 88-53
• DeMatha (MD), 71-67
• Clovis North, 80-60
• American Fork, 69-64
• Salesian, 68-66
• JSerra, 67-51*
• Santa Margarita, 51-45
• Central (Mo.), 68-37
• Edmond North (Oka.), 69-61
• JSerra, 65-58*
• Santa Margarita, 64-55

No. 5 Sierra Canyon (24-2)

*Record against Open field: 2-1

Key losses:

• Desert Mountain (Ariz.), 81-74 (OT)
• Crespi, 64-61 (OT)

Key wins:

• Rancho Christian, 79-50
• Clovis North, 79-39
• Redondo Union, 68-59
• Coronado (Nev.), 83-55 
• St Pius X/St. Matthias, 51-42*
• Crespi, 84-57
• Harvard-Westlake, 74-68*
• Notre Dame, 81-75

No. 6 St. Pius (22-5)

*Record against Open field: 0-3

Key losses:

• Harvard-Westlake, 72-71*
• San Ramon Valley, 67-62
• West Ranch, 67-60
• Sierra Canyon, 51-42*
• Roosevelt, 59-54*

Key wins:

• La Mirada, 71-67
• Coronado (Nev.), 67-62
• Alta (Utah), 81-69
• St. Augustine, 62-50
• Desert Mountain, 89-79 (Tarkanian Classic final)
• Lone Peak (Utah), 69-52
• (Damien) Redondo, 85-74
• St. Anthony, 68-64
• St. Bernard, 78-76, OT
• St. Anthony, 61-46 
• St. Bernard, 63-61

No. 7 JSerra (24-4)

*Record against Open field: 2-3

Key losses:

• Faith Family Academy (Tex.), 60-42
• St. John Bosco, 67-51*
• Mater Dei, 78-67*
• St. John Bosco, 65-58*

Key wins:

• Waxachacie (Tex.), 68-55
• Bakersfield Christian (Oka.), 90-56
• Eastvale Roosevelt, 90-76 (2OT)*
• Boulder Creek, 82-57 
• St. Mary’s, 69-60 
• Heritage Christian, 74-55
• Foothill, 69-29
• Torrey Pines, 72-45
• St. Francis Prep (NY), 75-57
• Montgomery, 67-53
• Santa Margarita, 47-39
• Mater Dei, 68-62*
• St. Augustine, 54-48 
• Santa Margarita, 49-3

No. 8 Corona Centennial (20-10)

*Record against the Open field: 1-1

Key losses:

• Sunnyslope (Ariz.), 65-62
• Concord de LaSalle, 62-51 
• NY Stepinac, 76-66 
• Richmond Salesian, 62-51
• Ft. Lauderdale Christian (Fla.), 55-46
• Bishop O’Connell (Va.), 60-44
• Salesian, 59-57
• Archbishop Wood (Pa.), 73-71
• Riordan, 69-58
• Eastvale Roosevelt, 63-50* (only CIF-SS loss)

Key wins:

• West Ranch, 69-60 
• Rancho Christian, 73-58 
• Los Alamitos, 77-71
• Pocatello (Idaho), 76-68
• Madison (Idaho), 58-51
• St. Bernard, 76-52
• Sagemont (Fla.), 83-60
• Basha (Ariz.), 48-45
• American Fork (Utah), 64-54
• Owyhee (Idaho), 64-54
• Campbell Hall, 78-66
• Roosevelt, 82-78*