San Pedro vs. Washington Prep tops City basketball playoff openers

The high school basketball playoffs begin Wednesday across the Southland, and there’s no question what the best City Section opener should be: San Pedro at Washington Prep.

No. 5 seed San Pedro (22-6) won the Marine League title and features a veteran team under coach John Bobich. No. 4 seed Washington Prep (17-11) won the Coliseum League title thanks to City Section leading scorer Jayshawn Kibble, who averages 28 points per game.

“We’re ready,” Washington Prep coach Jovante King said. Washington Prep lost to Cleveland last season in an Open Division first-round game.

The winner will face either top-seeded Palisades or No. 8-seeded El Camino Real in the semifinals on Feb. 21 at LA Southwest College. A Washington Prep-Palisades game would almost be a home game for Washington Prep.

San Pedro likes to play zone defense and rely on its three-point shot.

Here is the link to the twinning of the municipal sections.

The Southern Section Open Division begins with Mission League rivals Crespi and top seed Sierra Canyon playing at Sierra Canyon. Crespi has shown improvement in recent weeks, beating Harvard-Westlake and giving Sherman Oaks a scare at Notre Dame before losing.

Here is the program for the South section.

This is a daily look at positive happenings in high school sports. To submit news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.