Girls’ basketball: Division I Regional final preview

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Long Beach Poly (29-2) vs. Narbonne (31-4), L.A. Sports Arena, 6 p.m., Saturday

This is the way it should be, a classic Southern Section vs. City Section matchup with the sections’ respective dominant teams. Poly has been spectacular. Its last five victories -- against Lynwood, Millikan, San Diego Section runner-up Bonita Vista, San Clemente and Miller -- have been by 25, 33, 47, 16 and 29 points. Those were good teams.

The Jackrabbits are the most athletic and deep team around. They are not the tallest, but are so physical they move bodies out of the way and are poised enough to wear down opponents for a fourth-quarter knockout. Jasmine Dixon (13.7 points, 10.1 rebounds) is playing as if she is on a mission as she tries to lead her team to a third consecutive state championship.

Coupled with Monique Oliver (9.4 points, 9.0 rebounds), Poly dominates in the post. April Cook (6.1 points) has proven herself as one of the Southland’s outstanding defenders.

Narbonne has its own weapons in Reiko Thomas (16.1 points), Gabrielle Clark (11.4 points) and largely overlooked Tipesa Moorer (10.3 points). The Gauchos have won 23 of their last 24. Their one loss in that span was when Thomas got hurt in the fourth quarter with a lead against L.A. Washington.

Having been excluded from last year’s playoffs as a sanction by the City, Narbonne has motivation, but no more than Poly, which is trying to become only the second team to win three state titles in a row. Point Loma won from 1985-87 with Terri Mann.

-- Martin Henderson