Four get CIF state invitation

“It’s an honor for us to be in the state playoffs and we have absolutely nothing to lose,” Burbank Coach Bruce Breeden said. “We’ll go out and play hard and learn from the experience. We sort of knew that we were probably going to have to play the No. 1 team, so that’s not a real big surprise to us.”

The Providence boys will also be on the road, as the No. 13 Pioneers (26-5) will take on No. 4 Mission Prep (23-6) of San Luis Obispo in a 7 p.m. Division V matchup.

The Pioneers might still be feeling the sting of losing Saturday’s CIF Southern Section Division IV-A final to Liberty League foe, Holy Martyrs, 65-62, in overtime. It was the program’s first trip to the championship game after not getter further than the quarterfinals prior to this season.

Providence has talented players in freshman Marcus LoVett Jr. and senior Patrick Gonzalez.

Mission Prep fell to St. Bernard, 60-57, in the V-AA semifinals.

“It’s been a historical season for Providence basketball,” said Pioneers girls’ Coach Andrew Bencze, who is also the school’s athletic director. “It was the first time for the boys to make it to the CIF championship and first time in the state playoffs, and it was the first time the girls made the semifinals and first time in the state playoffs.”