CITY BASKETBALL : Girls 4-A : Locke, Kennedy Are at It Again in Final

Teams that have played for the championship three times in the last four seasons will hook up again tonight at the Sports Arena for the City Section 4-A girls’ basketball title.

Top-ranked Locke, the two-time defending champion, and second-seeded Kennedy will play at 5:45 to determine which team will go to next week’s Southern California regional tournament.

In 1980, Locke won the championship by defeating Kennedy, 63-47. Kennedy got revenge the next season with a 51-49 victory in the title game.

Locke was the 4-A champion again in 1982-83 by virtue of its 46-44 win over Kennedy.

The teams would have met again last season if not for Kennedy’s one-point loss in overtime to Dorsey in the semifinals. The Saints then stopped Dorsey for their second straight title.

Despite the loss of Doreatha Conwell, the two-time City Player of the Year, Locke Coach Art Webb isn’t surprised that his team has a chance for a third straight title.

“We felt we had the versatility to do it,” Webb said. “Last year we went to Doreatha a lot, but this team is more well rounded.”

Nancy Clayton, a 6-foot senior center who didn’t play last year after transferring from Washington, has filled in admirably for Conwell. Clayton, who Webb calls a Division I prospect, is averaging 21 points and 17.1 rebounds a game.

Senior forward Denise Beck is a two-time All-City player. “She is our Miss Consistency,” Webb said of Beck, who is averaging 18.1 points and 15.4 rebounds a game.

Locke has won 14 straight games and is 21-2 for the season. The Saints beat Kennedy in a regular-season game, 69-57. Kennedy, 21-4 overall, has won its last 13 games.

Kennedy Coach Craig Raub starts three juniors, a sophomore and a senior. The sophomore is Diane DeCree, a 6-0 forward who is averaging 20 points and 15.5 rebounds a game.

Stacy Parson, a 5-7 junior guard, leads the team with a 22.1-point average. Her 18-foot jump shot with four seconds left defeated Dorsey in the quarterfinals, 61-59.

Kennedy opened the playoffs by beating Gardena, 89-32. The Golden Cougars made it to the championship game by defeating Washington in the semifinals, 71-52.

Locke had a bye in the opening round, then crushed Banning, 64-43. The Saints reached the title game by beating Fremont last Friday, 55-35.