State Basketball Tournament / Southern Regional Finals : Powers Mater Dei and Crenshaw Finally Will Meet in Rubber Match

Mater Dei and Crenshaw high schools, the two most successful prep basketball programs in Southern California the past four years, will meet in the Division I Southern California Regional title game at 8 tonight in the Los Angeles Sports Arena.

The winner will advance to the State championship on March 22 in the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum Arena. Crenshaw is the defending State champion; Mater Dei had to settle for a Southern Section title and a 29-0 record after the Southern Section voted not to participate in the tournament last year.

The teams have met twice in the past four years. Crenshaw eliminated Mater Dei in the 1983 regionals at Long Beach Arena, and the Monarchs came back the following year to defeat the Cougars and All-American John Williams in the title game of the Tournament of Champions.

“The victory over Crenshaw in the Tournament of Champions was one of the most exciting games I’ve ever been involved in,” said Gary McKnight, Mater Dei coach. “They had beaten us the year before, and we were leaving that night for Washington, D.C. to play DeMatha.

“John Williams went one-on-five against us in the second half and nearly beat us single-handedly. Mike Fielder made a steal to save the game for us. I can remember that game like it was yesterday.”

But that was two years ago, and Crenshaw has not played in the same tournament as Mater Dei since then.

After winning an international tournament in Denmark last summer, Crenshaw has proclaimed itself the “1985 world champions” of prep basketball. The Cougar players wear jackets emblazoned with that title.

The Cougars scored 100 or more points in 12 games last year to set a State record, and the fast pace has continued this season as Crenshaw (23-2) has scored more than 100 points 10 times.

Left-handed guard Stephen Thompson, a 6-foot 3-inch senior who has signed with Syracuse, averages 34 points per game.

Ronald Caldwell, a 6-7 forward, is the tallest player on the team. He averages 20 points and has signed with the University of Washington.

Willie West is in his 16th season as Crenshaw coach. The Cougars have competed in the City 4-A title game 13 times, winning nine.

“They’re very similar to the great Crenshaw teams of the past,” McKnight said. “They try to psych you out with their press, and they run at every opportunity. I feel the winner of this game will be the State champion.

“It’s a game we’ve been looking forward to all year. This is the State championship. The one in Oakland is a token.”

Mater Dei (30-0) will have an added incentive against Crenshaw. The Monarchs will be seeking their first mythical national title. Simeon High of Chicago, ranked No. 1 in the nation last week by USA Today, was upset in the Illinois State tournament. Mater Dei is No. 2.

Stuart Thomas, the Monarchs’ 6-7 forward, has scored 61 points in his last two games. LeRon Ellis, a 6-10 junior center, had an off-night in an 81-74 win over Fresno Edison on Thursday night, scoring only 13 points and getting just 4 rebounds.

“We didn’t practice Friday to give everyone a rest,” McKnight said. “(Guard) John Mounce is hobbling with a sore ankle, and LeRon has been sick. I thought a day off would be best for everybody.”

The rest of the Sports Arena lineup:

Division I girls--Lynwood (28-4) vs. Point Loma (29-1), 6:15 p.m. Lynwood beat No. 3 Ventura Buena and Pasadena Muir, the nation’s No.-1 ranked team, en route to winning the Southern Section 4-A playoffs. Point Loma is ranked No. 6 in the nation by USA Today, Lynwood No. 22.

Can Lynwood continue its string of upsets? Stopping Point Loma forward Terri Mann, who averages 27 points, will be the key, but Lynwood will also have to contain Trise Jackson, who averages 18.7 points, and Shurreel Johnson, who averages 15.

Division II boys--El Camino (25-3) vs. Hacienda Heights Wilson (29-3), 3:15 p.m. El Camino is led by forwards Ken Crawford, who averages 17.5 points, and Steve Heard, who averages 15.

Wilson, the Southern Section 3-A champion, is led by 6-10 center Scott Williams, considered to be one of the best players in the nation.

Division II girls--Chino (30-1) vs. Santa Clara (25-4), 1:30 p.m. This game matches the Southern Section 2-A champion and the Southern Section 1-A champion, respectively.

Chino had little trouble beating San Joaquin Memorial of Fresno in a semifinal game Wednesday night, 79-56. Candida Echevaria scored 25 points and Stephanie Dykstra added 18 to lead Chino. Santa Clara advanced to the final by defeating San Marcos, 53-42.

Division III boys--Santa Monica Crossroads (22-7) vs. Cerritos Whitney (23-5), 11:45 a.m.

Crossroads, the Southern Section 1-A champion, is favored to beat Cerritos Whitney, the Southern Section Small Schools champion. The Roadrunners defeated Carlsbad Army and Navy Academy in a semifinal game, 85-71.

Whitney defeated Laton of the Central Section, 63-61, Wednesday.

Division III girls--Yucca Valley (26-2) vs. Woodlake (22-3), 10 a.m. Yucca Valley advanced to the final by defeating Holtville, 39-29, Wednesday. The Trojans, winners of the Southern Section Small Schools Division, are led by forwards Hilary Brown and Becky Geeson and guard Trina Anderson.