The Birmingham girls basketball team is the No. 2 seed in the CIF L.A. City Section Open Division playoffs, which begin Thursday. Hamilton is the No. 1 seed.
The Patriots were the undefeated West Valley League champions for the second season in a row and also had key wins over CIF Southern Section teams like Serra, Mira Costa, Hart, Burroughs and Chaminade.
They also battled in a 62-56 loss to Westlake, the undefeated Marmonte League champs.
Freshman Kayla Tanijiri leads Birmingham in scoring with 13.2 points per game and is shooting 41% from beyond the arc. Zoee Mitchell is the leading rebounder with 6.9 boards per game and Kamora Coleman adds defensive grit with 3.6 steals per game.
Fourth-seeded El Camino Real, the West Valley League runner-up, will host No. 5 seed Palisades in the first round of Open Division play.
No. 8 seed Granada Hills Charter opens the playoffs at Hamilton. The Highlanders placed third in the West Valley League this season but are rebuilding after a trip to the CIF State Division III championship last season.
Open Division games will be at 7 p.m. starting on Thursday. All other divisions will begin Wednesday at 4 p.m.
CITY PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE
Open Division
First round, Thursday, 7 p.m.
No. 8 Granada Hills Charter at No. 1 Hamilton
No. 5 Palisades at No. 4 El Camino Real
No. 7 King/Drew at No. 2 Birmingham
Division I
First round, Wednesday, 4 p.m.
No. 16 Marshall at No. 1 Verdugo Hills
No. 13 University at No. 4 Kennedy
No. 12 Taft at No. 5 Arleta
No. 15 Los Angeles CES at No. 2 Chatsworth
No. 11 Venice at No. 6 Cleveland
Division II
First round, Wednesday, 4 p.m.
No. 13 Maywood CES at No. 4 Grant
No. 15 Huntington Park at No. 2 San Fernando
No. 14 South East at No. 3 Van Nuys
No. 11 North Hollywood at No. 6 Marquez
Division III
First round, Wednesday, 4 p.m.
No. 9 Monroe at No. 8 Sylmar
No. 15 Foshay at No. 2 Harbor Teacher
No. 10 Narbonne at No. 7 Reseda
No. 11 San Pedro at No. 6 Chavez
Division IV
Second round, Friday
Winner of Diego Rivera Learning Complex/Horace Mann UCLA at No. 4 Panorama
No. 12 Locke at No. 5 Canoga Park
Winner of West Adams/Larchmont Carter at No. 2 Northridge Academy
Winner of Angelou/Port of Los Angeles at No. 3 Sherman Oaks CES