In Camino Real, Verbum Dei Has Toughest Road to the Playoffs

When league play opened this season in Southern Section boys basketball, it was generally assumed that thetoughest league would be the Camino Real.

With just one week remaining in the regular season there appears to be no reason to challenge that assumption. St. Anthony and Serra are tied for first at 10-2 and St. Bernard and Verbum Dei are one game back at 9-3. St. Anthony, Serra and St. Bernard have all been ranked in the Times’ Top Ten at one time or another this season and Verbum Dei has always had a strong basketball tradition.

Only the first three teams in each league are guaranteed berths in the six Southern Section playoff divisions. However, the Camino Real League is in the newly created five-league 5-A Division, which is the only division that selects one at-large team. This is in order to fill out the 16-team bracket. All other divisions have 32-team brackets. First-round playoff action begins Feb. 22.

Verbum Dei appears to have the toughest road to make the playoffs. The Eagles travel to St. Bernard Wednesday and then meet Serra Friday at Compton College. Mary Star (5-7), which plays host to Serra Wednesday and is at St. Bernard Friday, could well be a spoiler. Also working against Verbum Dei, if the Eagles do finish fourth, is its overall record which could wind up just 12-11.

Here is a look, by division, at the situation in each league with one week remaining in the regular season. League records are given and all games are at night unless indicated.

5-A DIVISION: ANGELUS--Mater Dei (8-0) has clinched at least a tie for the league title and Pius X (6-2) needs just one more win to be assured of gaining the playoffs. St. Paul (4-4), which is at Pius X Wednesday, and Servite (4-4) should tie for third. CAMINO REAL--Four teams, St. Anthony (10-2), Serra (10-2), St. Bernard (9-3) and Verbum Dei (9-3), are battling for three playoff spots. DEL REY--Crespi has won the title and Alemany (6-4) needs a win at Notre Dame (3-7) or at home against St. Francis (5-5) Friday to be sure of a playoff spot. In key games tonight involving the remaining contenders, St. John Bosco (4-6) is at Crespi and Bosco Tech (4-6) is at St. Francis. MOORE--Long Beach Poly (7-1) and Compton (6-2) will advance to the playoffs. Long Beach Jordan needs a win at LB Poly Wednesday or at home against Compton Friday to be sure of finishing third. SUNSET--Ocean View (8-0) is the league champion. Fountain Valley (5-3) plays at Edison (5-3) Wednesday for second place. Loser should finish third.

4-A DIVISION: BAY--Santa Monica (8-0) and West Torrance (8-2) have already qualified and play Wednesday at West Torrance. The winner of Redondo (5-5) at Mira Costa (5-5) should finish third. CENTURY--Orange (10-2) and Santa Ana (10-2) are tied for first place and both will qualify. El Modena, Foothill and Santa Ana Valley, all 7-5, fight it out for third. Foothill appears to have the best chance, playing at Canyon (5-7) Wednesday and at Tustin (2-10) Friday. Santa Ana Valley is at El Modena Wednesday. CHANNEL--Buena (11-1) is in. Dos Pueblos, Oxnard and Ventura are all 7-5 and Santa Barbara is just one game back at 6-6. Oxnard and Ventura, which plays host to Dos Pueblos Wednesday, appear to have the best chance to advance. CITRUS BELT--Eisenhower and Redlands, both 10-2, should tie for title. San Gorgonio (8-4) is a solid choice for third. IVY--North of Riverside (10-2) and Norco (9-3) have qualified. Moreno Valley (6-6) has a one-game lead over Hemet, Perris and Ramona, all 5-7. Hemet plays host to Perris tonight and is at Moreno Valley Friday in key games. A four-way tie for third is very possible. MARMONTE--Camarillo (9-2) is in and Westlake (8-3) needs a win at Royal (4-6) to be sure of a playoff spot. Simi Valley and Channel Islands, both 6-4, are tied for third but Channel Islands must play at Camarillo Friday. OCEAN--Inglewood (9-0) plays host to Culver City (8-1) Friday in league title-decider. Hawthorne (4-5) must beat visiting Torrance (1-8) to be sure of final playoff spot. PACIFIC--Glendale (8-0) and Muir (6-2) have qualified. Crescenta Valley needs a win at Hoover (3-5) Wednesday to clinch third. SAN GABRIEL VALLEY--Lynwood (10-1) and Dominguez (9-1) should tie for the league title. A win by Paramount (5-6) at Cerritos (4-6) Friday should guarantee the Pirates the final playoff spot. SEA VIEW--Newport Harbor (11-1) and Estancia (10-2) have qualified and should finish one-two. Corona del Mar (9-3) needs a win at home against Saddleback (7-5) to be sure of third place. SOUTH COAST--Mission Viejo (9-1) and Dana Hills (8-3) have qualified. Capistrano Valley (7-4) needs a win against visiting El Toro (5-5) to avoid a probable tie with El Toro for third.

3-A DIVISION: BASELINE--Pomona (12-0) and Damien (10-2) have qualified for playoffs. Claremont (8-4) must win against visiting Damien tonight to avoid a possible tie for third with Glendora (7-5). EMPIRE--Kennedy (11-1) plays visiting El Dorado (10-2) for the league title Friday. Katella (9-3) can clinch third with a win against visiting Los Alamitos (7-5) Wednesday. FOOTHILL--Burbank (8-0), Hart (6-2) and Schurr (6-2) have already qualified. Hart plays host to Burbank tonight and is at Schurr Friday. FREEWAY--Sonora (5-3) could tie for the league title with a wins at Buena Park (6-2) Wednesday and at home against Fullerton (6-2) Friday. Sonora could also tie for third with Troy (3-5). GARDEN GROVE--Rancho Alamitos (7-1) has clinched at least a tie for the league title. Santiago (4-4) is at La Quinta (5-3) Friday in a key game to determine playoff teams. Garden Grove (5-3) could easily get a tie for third. GOLDEN--Burroughs (8-0) has clinched the league title. Antelope Valley (5-3) plays at Canyon (5-3) Friday for second place. The loser should finish third. HACIENDA--Bonita (11-1) is assured of at least a tie for the title. Ganesha (9-3) should get at least a tie for second. The winner of Diamond Bar (8-4) at Montclair (8-4) Wednesday is the probable third qualifier. ORANGE--Brea-Olinda (8-0) has clinched at least a tie for the title. Western (4-4) is home against Valencia (5-3) Wednesday and Savanna (6-2) Friday in key games involving remaining contenders. Brea-Olinda is at Valencia Friday. PIONEER--Morningside (8-1) plays at Centennial (8-1) Wednesday for title. Leuzinger (5-4) needs a win at home against Harvard Wednesday to clinch third. SIERRA--Hacienda Heights Wilson (8-0) and Nogales (6-2) have qualified. Los Altos (5-3) needs at least one win on the road against the two league leaders to avoid a probable tie with Rowland for third. WHITMONT--La Serna (10-2) plays host to Whittier (9-3) Wednesday in title-decider. Bell Gardens (8-4) must win at least one of its last two games to be sure of a playoff spot.

2-A DIVISION: DESERT VALLEYS--Indio (7-1) travels to Palo Verde (6-2) tonight in title-decider. Calexico (6-2) will also advance. FRONTIER--Santa Clara (6-0) has clinched title. Nordhoff (3-3) is home against Calabasas tonight and is at Agoura (4-3) Friday, and Calabasas is at Santa Clara Friday in key games to determine the remaining qualifiers. LOS PADRES--Cabrillo (10-0) plays host to St. Joseph (7-3) in a game involving the leagues top two teams. MISSION VALLEY--El Monte (7-1) and Duarte (6-2) have qualified. Arroyo (4-4), which finishes at home against El Monte Wednesday and Rosemead (0-8) Friday, has a slight edge over Keppel (4-4), which plays at home Wednesday against Duarte and at El Monte Friday. MONTVIEW--San Dimas (10-2), Charter Oak (9-3) and Baldwin Park (9-3) will advance. NORTHERN--Santa Maria (9-1), Righetti (6-4) and San Luis Obispo (6-4) have qualified. Righetti is at San Luis Obispo Wednesday and plays host to Santa Maria Friday. RIO HONDO--South Pasadena (7-1) is at home against Blair (5-3) today, Monrovia (6-2) is at Temple City (5-3) tonight and South Pasadena is at Monrovia (6-2) Thursday in games that should determine playoff qualifiers. SAN ANDREAS--Nothing is clear. San Bernardino (10-2) plays hosts to Victor Valley (8-4) Wednesday and Cajon (9-3) is at Apple Valley (8-4) in critical games. Barstow (7-5) also has an outside chance to make the playoffs. SANTA FE--Murphy (11-0) and Bell-Jeff (8-2) will finish one-two. Chaminade (5-5), La Salle (5-5) and Cathedral (4-6) could easily tie for third. La Salle plays host to Bell-Jeff tonight and travels to Cathedral Friday, and Chaminade is at Murphy Friday in games involving playoff-contenders. SUBURBAN--All six teams are still in playoff contention. The schedule for Wednesday: Artesia (6-2) plays host to La Mirada (4-4), Glenn (5-3) is at home against Bellflower (4-4) and Norwalk (3-5) is at Mayfair (2-6). Friday, Artesia is at Bellflower, Glenn travels to Mayfair and Norwalk is at La Mirada. SUNKIST--Banning (13-0) and Elsinore (11-2) have qualified and play Friday at Banning. Notre Dame (5-8) is at Yucaipa (6-7) in a key game to determine the third qualifier. VALLE VISTA--Edgewood (8-0) has clinched the title. A Northview (5-3) win against visiting Covina (3-5) should give the Vikings second place. Workman (4-4) has a slight edge over South Hills (4-4) in the battle for third.

1-A DIVISION: ALPHA--Montclair Prep (11-1) has already qualified, leaving three teams to battle for the remaining two playoff berths. Los Angeles Lutheran (10-2) is at Montclair Prep tonight and plays Marshall Fundamental (8-4) Friday at Pasadena High in two key games. Los Angeles Baptist (10-2) is at Montclair Prep Friday in another crucial game. DE ANZA--Serrano (12-0) and Aquinas (10-2) have already qualified and play Wednesday at Aquinas. Twentynine Palms (9-3) is a probable third qualifier. DESERT-INYO LARGE--Bishop (8-0), Desert (7-2) and Paraclete (6-3) will advance. Bishop is at Desert Friday. OLYMPIC--Whittier Christian (12-0) is assured of the title, but six teams--Capistrano Valley Christian (6-6), Melodyland (6-6), Ontario Christian (6-6), Brethren (5-7), Orange Lutheran (5-7) and Valley Christian (5-7)--are within one game of each other. Tonight, Capistrano Valley Christian is at Melodyland, Maranatha (3-9) is at Orange Lutheran, Ontario Christian is at Whittier Christian and Valley Christian is at Brethren. Friday, Melodyland is at Ontario Christian, Orange Lutheran is at Brethren, Whittier Christian is at Capistrano Valley Christian and Valley Christian is at Maranatha. PREP--Chadwick (6-0) and Flintridge Prep (4-3) have qualified. Pasadena Poly (3-3) needs a win at Flintridge Prep today to avoid a possible tie for third with Rio Hondo Prep (2-5). TRI-VALLEY--Santa Ynez (8-1) and Moorpark (8-3) are assured of playoff spots. Oak Park (5-4), Bishop Diego (4-6) and Fillmore (4-6) are still in the playoff picture. Fillmore plays host to Bishop Diego Wednesday and is at Oak Park Friday, Moorpark is at Oak Park Friday and Oak Park is at Santa Ynez Saturday in key games.