The CIF-SS boys and girls basketball playoff pairings were released Saturday and the first postseason games will be played this week.

So Monday morning seemed like a good time to check in with reporters Steve Fryer and Dan Albano to get their reactions, insights and a few early predictions.

Here is what Fryer had to say about boys basketball and Albano about girls basketball:

What is your initial reaction to the first basketball playoff pairings done using computer rankings?

Steve Fryer (boys basketball): The rankings are fine. They are not perfect. Some teams are ranked too high, some are ranked too low. ... Among the oddities of the computer-based playoff selections of this high school sports year ... the Cypress football team went 1-9 overall and 0-5 in the Empire League during the regular season yet qualified for the playoffs; the Cypress boys basketball team went 18-10 overall and 4-4 in league and missed the playoffs.

Dan Albano (girls basketball): I have mixed feelings. Six teams ranked in the Orange County Top 10 appeared well-placed in Division 1. The Open Division looked pretty good overall, but I spotted some areas of concern. Sage Hill doesn’t feel like an Open Division team based on a late-season loss to Rialto and a 17-point defeat against Fairmont Prep. I understand someone has to take that eighth and final spot in the Open but I rank Sage Hill fourth in Orange County. In another change I would have liked in the Open Division, Mater Dei probably should have been seeded No. 2 based on its strength of schedule and 26-2 record. The Monarchs’ only losses are to Ontario Christian and Archbishop Mitty. I believe the Sage Hill and Mater Dei issues spotlight the need for more of a human touch.

Do you expect the schools to insist on any changes to the system next season?

Fryer: Member schools voted overwhelmingly to approve the proposal that brought the system in CIF Southern Section basketball. So, they are the ones who can change it.

Boys basketball coaches have uniformly said that strength of schedule carries too much weight, which pushed the top leagues like the Trinity and the Mission leagues into the higher levels of CIF-SS boys basketball. That is the most-criticized element of the system.

Albano: Yes, based on the number of complaints from coaches and athletic directors this winter, I expect some changes. I believe the system should weigh head-to-head results more. Let’s go back to Rialto. The Knights beat Sage Hill (Open) and Crean Lutheran (Division 1) each by double digits but were ranked well below those county teams. I also feel coaches need more insight on the system in terms of setting their nonleague schedules. Take the case of Canyon. The Comanches played in the tough Crestview League with three Division 1 automatic qualifiers but couldn’t land an at-large bid as a reigning section champion.

Is there an “at-large” team that you were happy to see get into the playoffs?

Fryer: Yes, Newport Harbor. That’s a good team from a good league, the third-best league in Orange County boys basketball after 1. Trinity League and 2. Crestview League.

Albano: Huntington Beach in Division 3AA. Coach Russ McClurg’s squad finished fifth in the competitive Sunset League and showed progress toward the end of the regular season. In the second round of league, the Oilers defeated tri-champion Corona del Mar by 16 points.

Give us the name of a player you look forward to watching in the playoffs.

Fryer: Brandon Benjamin, Canyon senior forward. He might be Orange County’s best boys basketball player; there are sound arguments that the title belongs to junior guards Kaiden Bailey at Santa Margarita and Luke Barnett at Mater Dei.

Albano: Buena Park’s Gloria Barrera. The uncommitted senior leads Orange County in scoring with a 29.8 average and faces a major test in the first round against St. Joseph in Division 2AA.

Is there a potential “surprise team” out there that our readers should pay attention to?

Fryer: Capistrano Valley Christian. The Eagles are 24-4 and rolled to an 8-0 record in a league that is not one of the more prominent ones around, the Academy League, and they played only four Orange County opponents so they are a mystery.

Albano: Watch out for San Juan Hills and Beckman in Division 2AA. The Stallions and Patriots each played strong schedules and could make a run.

Your top two picks to win a CIF-SS title?

Fryer: Fairmont Prep in Division 2AA. The talent is there, and the talent is healthy after not being healthy for most of the season.

Tustin in Division 3AA. Having an experienced senior point guard is a huge plus in playoff basketball, and the Tillers have that with four-year letterman Ethan Contreras at the position. Yuri Klines and Moe Hernandez have been consistent contributors, too.

Albano: San Clemente and Savanna. The Tritons win Division 1 while the top-seeded Rebels take Division 4AA.

Give us a “long shot” pick to win a CIF-SS title.

Fryer: Mater Dei in Division 1. This is among the least-talented rosters in Gary McKnight’s 43 seasons as coach. They lost two of last season’s All-Orange starting forwards in the offseason when senior Brandon Benjamin returned to Canyon and junior Brannon Martinsen transferred to JSerra, and All-County senior guard Owen Verna is injured and has been unable to play, leaving All-County junior guard Luke Barnett to try to do too much, i.e. forcing shots.

Still, they have wins over Trinity League co-champions Santa Margarita and St. John Bosco. This already has been one of the stronger coaching jobs by McKnight and assistants. Those guys know how to prepare for and coach in big games.

Albano: Mater Dei in the Open Division. Yes, the Monarchs lost Kaeli Wynn to a season-ending knee injury but they’re well-coached, deep and play hard. Also watch out for senior Addison Deal in the Open. The Iowa signee missed the playoffs last season with an ankle injury and could carry the Monarchs further that expected.