Southern Section Prep Teams Jockeying for Playoff Berths

With just one week of play remaining in the regular season, more than half of the boys’ Southern Section basketball playoff berths have been determined.

In the top five divisions, 5-A through 1-A, nearly 60% of the fields have been filled. The 5-A, with just 37.5%, is the only division where less than half of the playoff teams are not known. In the 3-A division, 70% of the playoff spots have been taken.

Three teams qualify from most leagues. The 4-A, 3-A, 2-A and Small Schools divisions will be made up of 33 or more teams. Wild-card games, to be played Feb. 19, will be used to reduce the fields to 32 teams for first-round playoff action, which begins Feb. 21. The 5-A and 1-A divisions also open play Feb. 21 and require no wild-card games.

There are several key games this week involving league leaders. In the 4-A, Culver City (8-0) is at Inglewood (7-1) Wednesday in an Ocean League game. Two Friday night games have Lynwood (9-1) traveling to Compton Dominguez (9-1) in the San Gabriel Valley League and Tustin Foothill (10-2) at Santa Ana (11-1) in the Century League.

In the 3-A, Burbank Burroughs (6-2) is at Montebello Schurr (7-1) tonight and at home against Burbank (7-1) Thursday night in key Foothill League contests. In two Wednesday night games, Garden Grove Rancho Alamitos (7-1) is at Garden Grove Bolsa Grande (6-2) in the Garden Grove League and Compton Centennial (8-1) is at Inglewood Morningside (9-0) in the Pioneer League.

Just two 2-A games involve league leaders. El Monte (6-2) is at El Monte Mountain View (7-1) tonight in the Mission Valley League and Santa Maria St. Joseph (8-2) is at Lompoc Cabrillo (9-1) Friday night in the Los Padres League.

In the 1-A, Palos Verdes Chadwick (5-0) is at Flintridge Prep (5-1) tonight in the Prep League and Yucca Valley (10-2) is at Twentynine Palms (11-1) in the De Anza League and Van Nuys Montclair Prep (10-2) is at Los Angeles Baptist (10-2) in the Alpha League, both Friday night.

Here’s a look, by division, at the situation in each league:

5-A DIVISION: ANGELUS--Santa Ana Mater Dei (8-0) has already won the league title. Games to determine second and third: Wednesday night, Downey Pius X (4-4) at Santa Fe Springs St. Paul (4-4) and La Puente Bishop Amat (2-6) at Anaheim Servite (4-4); Friday night, St. Paul at Bishop Amat and Torrance Bishop Montgomery (2-6) at Pius X; Saturday afternoon, Mater Dei vs. Servite at Chapman College. CAMINO REAL--Gardena Serra (13-0) has qualified. Playa del Rey St. Bernard (9-3) has a one-game lead in the battle for second but plays host to Long Beach St. Anthony (8-4) Wednesday night and then meets Verbum Dei (8-4) Friday night at Compton College. DEL REY--Encino Crespi (10-0) has clinched the league title, and Loyola (7-4) is assured of a playoff spot. La Canada St. Francis (6-4) needs just one win either at Downey St. John Bosco (5-6) tonight or at home against Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (2-8) Friday night to finish alone in third. MOORE--Long Beach Poly (8-0) and Millikan (6-2) will finish first and second. Long Beach Wilson (4-4) at Lakewood (3-5) Thursday night should deside third. SUNSET--Huntington Beach Ocean View (8-0) has won the title but is ineligible for the playoffs. With one game left, the five remaining teams are all still in playoff contention. Wednesday night’s schedule: Huntington Beach Marina (4-5) at Huntington Beach Edison (4-5); Fountain Valley (3-6) at Huntington Beach (4-5) and Ocean View at Westminster (3-6).

4-A DIVISION: BAY--Santa Monica (10-0) and Rolling Hills (8-2) will finish one-two. Redondo (5-5) finishes at home on Wednesday night against Miraleste (3-7) and Friday night against West Torrance (2-8). Palos Verdes (5-6) is at Rolling Hills Wednesday night in another key game. CENTURY--Tustin Foothill (10-2) plays at Santa Ana (11-1) Friday night for a share of the title. An Orange El Modena (8-4) win at home against Tustin (7-5) Friday night should gain El Modena sole possession of third. CHANNEL--Oxnard Rio Mesa (10-2) and Santa Barbara (9-3) have qualified for the playoffs. Santa Barbara San Marcos (8-4) needs just one win, either Wednesday night at home against Santa Barbara or Friday night at Oxnard (5-7), to clinch third. Ventura (6-6) also has a shot at a third-play tie. CITRUS BELT--San Bernardino San Gorgonio (10-2) has qualified. Rialto Eisenhower (9-3) needs just one win, either tonight at home against Fontana (7-5) or Thursday night at Riverside Rubidoux (5-7), to advance. Redlands (9-2) also needs just one win, either at Rubidoux tonight or at San Gorgonio Thursday night, to qualify. IVY--Riverside North (12-0) plays at Sunnymead Moreno Valley (10-2) tonight in battle of league’s top two teams. Norco (8-4) needs just one victory, either at home tonight against Riverside Arlington (3-9) or at Corona (6-6) Thursday night, to advance. MARMONTE--Simi Valley (9-1) has qualified but little else is settled. The schedule for the remaining playoff contenders: Wednesday night, Thousand Oaks (6-4) at Simi Valley, Camarillo (4-6) at Westlake Village Westlake (6-4) and Simi Royal (5-5) at Oxnard Channel Islands (3-7); Friday night, Thousand Oaks at Channel Islands and Royal at Westlake. OCEAN--Culver City (8-0) will try to win the title outright Wednesday night at Inglewood (7-1). Beverly Hills (5-3) can clinch third place with a win at Hawthorne (3-5) Wednesday afternoon. PACIFIC--Pasadena Muir (8-0) and winner of Wednesday night’s Glendale (5-3)-La Crescenta Crescenta Valley game (5-3) game at Crescenta Valley will qualify. Arcadia (4-4) plays at Crescenta Valley Friday night and could get a share of third place. SAN GABRIEL VALLEY--The Lynwood (9-1)-Compton Dominguez (9-1) game Friday night at Dominguez should be title-decider. Games involving contenders for third: Wednesday night, Dominguez at Downey (5-5) and Downey Warren (5-5) at Cerritos Gahr (2-8); Friday night, Downey at Warren and Cerritos at Cerritos Gahr (2-8). SEA VIEW--Newport Beach Corona del Mar (10-2) has clinched the title but five teams are still in contention for the remaining playoff spots. The schedule: Wednesday night, Irvine Woodbridge (8-4) at Irvine University (6-6), Newport Beach Newport Harbor (5-7) at Laguna Beach (7-5) and Santa Ana Saddleback at Costa Mesa Estancia (6-6); Friday night, Estancia at Woodbridge, University at Laguna Beach and Saddleback at Corona del Mar. SOUTH COAST--Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley (11-0) has clinched the title. Mission Viejo (8-2) needs just one win, either Wednesday night at home against El Toro (6-4) or Friday night at Irvine (7-4), to clinch playoff spot. El Toro is at San Clemente Friday night in remaining key game.

3-A DIVISION: BASELINE--Claremont (11-1), Upland Damien (9-3) and Pomona (9-3) are all playoff-bound. Damien is at Pomona Wednesday night. EMPIRE--Anaheim Katella (11-1) has qualified. Placentia El Dorado (10-2) has key games Wednesday night at Cypress (8-4) and Friday night at Los Alamitos (9-3). Los Alamitos is at Garden Grove Pacifica (2-10) and Cypress is at Katella Friday night in remaining games that should determine playoff teams. FOOTHILL--Burbank (7-1), Montebello Schurr (7-1) and Burbank Burroughs (6-2) are assured of playoff berths. Burroughs is at Schurr tonight and at home against Burbank Thursday night. FREEWAY--Fullerton Troy and Buena Park (6-2) have qualified. Fullerton needs just one win, either Wednesday night at Fullerton Sunny Hills (2-6) or Friday night at home against La Habra Sonora (2-6), to clinch third. GARDEN GROVE--Garden Grove Bolsa Grande (6-2) plays Wednesday night at home against Garden Grove Rancho Alamitos (7-1) for a share of the title. Garden Grove (4-4) and Westminster La Quinta (4-4) have a one-game lead over Fountain Valley Los Amigos (3-5) in battle for third. GOLDEN--Canyon Country Canyon (7-1), Ridgecrest Burroughs (7-1) and Quartz Hill (5-3) have all qualified. Quartz Hill is at Burroughs Friday night. HACIENDA--Pomona Ganesha (12-0) is league champion. La Verne Bonita (8-4) needs just one win, either Wednesday night at Montclair or at home Friday night against Ganesha, to qualify. Etiwanda (7-5)-Pomona Garey (6-6) game Wednesday night should determine third place. ORANGE--Brea-Olinda (8-0) is playoff-bound but remaining five teams are all within one game of each other. The schedule: Wednesday night, Anaheim Magnolia (3-5) at Placentia Valencia (4-4), Anaheim Western (3-5) at Anaheim (3-5) and Brea-Olinda at Anaheim Savanna (3-5); Friday night, Valencia at Western, Savanna at Anaheim and Brea-Olinda at Magnolia. PIONEER--Compton Centennial (8-1) plays at Inglewood Morningside (9-0) Wednesday night in title-decider. El Segundo (5-4) will finish third. SIERRA--Hacienda Heights Wilson (7-1) and La Puente Nogales (6-2) have qualified for playoffs. Hacienda Heights Los Altos (4-4), with the best chance to finish third, is at West Covina (2-6) Wednesday night and at HH Wilson Friday night. WHITMONT--Whittier La Serna (11-1), Bell Gardens (10-2) and Montebello (10-2) will all advance. Bell Gardens is at Montebello Friday night.

2-A DIVISION: DESERT VALLEYS--Indio (8-0) is playoff-bound. Calexico (6-2) is at Thermal Coachella Valley (4-4) tonight, and both schools should qualify for playoffs. FRONTIER--Oxnard Santa Clara (7-0) has won the title. The Ojai Nordhoff (3-3)-Calabasas (4-2) game Friday night at Calabasas should determine second place. Nordhoff needs a win at Santa Paula (1-5) tonight to be sure of third playoff spot. LOS PADRES--Santa Maria St. Joseph (8-2) plays at Lompoc Cabrillo (9-1) Friday night for the title. Paso Robles (6-4) has also qualified. MISSION VALLEY--El Monte (6-2) plays tonight at El Monte Mountain View (7-1) for a share of the title. Rosemead (4-4) is at Duarte (4-4) tonight in a key game to determine final qualifier. Alhambra Keppel (3-5), which plays at Duarte Thursday night, could also qualify. MONTVIEW--Covina Charter Oak (10-0) and San Dimas (8-2) will advance. Baldwin Park (7-3) needs just one win, either tonight at San Dimas or Friday night at home against Azusa (5-5), to make playoffs. NORTHERN--Santa Maria Righetti (9-1) and San Luis Obispo (7-3) have qualified. Santa Maria (4-6) can clinch third Wednesday night with a win at Lompoc (4-7). RIO HONDO--Pasadena Blair (7-1) and South Pasadena (7-1) should tie for the title. Temple City has the best chance to finish third. SAN ANDREAS--San Bernardino (12-0) play host to San Bernardino Cajon (10-2) tonight in a matchup of top two teams. Hesperia (7-5) should get the third spot with a win at Apple Valley (4-8) Friday night. Victor Valley (8-4) also could advance. SANTA FE--Murphy (9-1), Panorama City St. Genevieve (8-2) and Burbank Bell-Jeff (8-3) are all playoff-bound. Murphy is at Bell-Jeff Friday night. SUBURBAN--Lakewood Mayfair (6-2) is playoff bound. Artesia (5-3) needs just one win, either Wednesday night at Mayfair or Friday night at home against Bellflower (3-5), to qualify. Norwalk (5-3), also needs just one victory, either Wednesday night at home against Norwalk Glenn (2-6) or Friday night at home against Mayfair, to advance. SUNKIST--Banning (13-0) and Riverside Notre Dame (8-5) have qualified. Lake Arrowhead Rim of the World (7-6) needs a win Friday night at Yucaipa (1-12) to finish third. VALLE VISTA--Covina (7-1) and Covina Northview (6-2) have qualified. West Covina Edgewood (4-4), with a win at La Puente (3-5) tonight, should finish third.

1-A DIVISON: ALPHA--Canoga Park Montclair Prep (10-2) and Los Angeles Baptist (10-2) should decide title Friday night at LA Lutheran. Pasadena Marshall Fundamental (9-3) needs just one win, either tonight at home against La Verne Lutheran (0-12) or Friday night at Burbank Los Angeles Lutheran (5-7), to be the third qualifier. DE ANZA--Yucca Valley (10-2) is at Twentynine Palms (11-1) Friday night in battle of league leaders. Beaumont (8-4) should grab third. DELPHIC--Santa Monica Crossroads (8-0), Buckley (6-2) and Burbank Providence (6-3) are playoff-bound. DESERT-INYO LARGE--Tehachapi (8-0) has clinched title. Winner of Bishop (5-3)-Lancaster Paraclete (5-3) game Friday night will qualify. Lake Isabelle Kern Valley (4-4) could also make playoffs. OLYMPIC--Whittier Christian (12-0) has qualified Cerritos Valley Christian (9-3) and Ontario Christian (9-3) should also advance although Paramount Brethren (7-5) still has an outside chance. PREP--Palos Verdes Chadwick (5-0) plays at Flintridge Prep (5-1) tonight in the probable title-decider. Pasadena Poly (3-3) should finish third. TRI-VALLEY--Santa Barbara Bishop Diego (9-1) and Santa Ynez (9-2) are playoff-bound. Carpinteria (6-5) is a solid choice for the third qualifier.