Southern Section Basketball : More Than Half of 144 Berths Remain Unfilled

With just one week and, in most cases, two games remaining in the basketball season, more than one-half of the 144 playoff berths, spread over five playoff divisions, have yet to be determined. Nearly one-fourth of the Southern Secton boys’ leagues also have title games pending.

The playoffs will start Feb. 20, and the finals will be March 7 at the Sports Arena.

The first three teams from all leagues make the playoffs. A few wild-card games, involving mostly third-place teams, will be played Feb. 18 to reduce the fields to 32 teams in the 4-A, 3-A and 2-A divisions, and 16 in the 1-A. One at-large team will be added to the 5-A to fill out the 16-team bracket.

The playoff picture (all games are at night unless indicated):

5-A DIVISION: ANGELUS--Santa Ana Mater Dei (8-0) has clinched the title and plays runner-up Anaheim Servite (5-3) Friday at Chapman College. La Puente Bishop Amat (4-4) probably will need a win at home against Santa Fe Springs St. Paul (4-4) Friday to tie St. Paul for third. CAMINO REAL--There is a very good chance that Verbum Dei will miss the playoffs for the first time since 1968. The Eagles (3-5) must beat Gardena Serra (4-4), Friday at Compton College just for a chance to advance. In the battle for the title, Downey Pius X (6-2) is at Serra and Long Beach St. Anthony (5-3) is at St. Monica (5-3) Wednesday; and St. Monica is at Pius X Friday. DEL REY--Rosemead Bosco Tech (9-1) and Mission Hills Alemany (9-2) have qualified and will play for the title Friday at Bosco Tech. Loyola (6-4) has a one-game lead over Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (5-5) and plays at Notre Dame Friday in a probable third-place decider. MOORE--Long Beach Poly (3-5), a team with a strong playoff tradition, is in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 1974. Long Beach Millikan (7-1) has qualified and will play host to LB Poly Thursday. Lakewood and Long Beach Wilson, both 5-3, play at LB Wilson Thursday with the winner assured a playoff spot. SUNSET--Huntington Beach Marina (7-1) is assured of at least a share of the league title but little else is settled. The schedule: Wednesday, Huntington Beach Edison (4-4) is at Huntington Beach Ocean View (5-3) and Fountain Valley (4-4) is at Westminster (4-4). Friday, Westminster is at Ocean View, Marina at Fountain Valley and Huntington Beach at Edison.

4-A DIVISION: BASELINE--Glendora (10-2) is in. La Verne Damien should win its last two games and finish 11-3. Pomona, with Tank Collins playing again, is also likely to win its last two and finish at 9-5 in a probable tie for third with Claremont (8-4), which is at Glendora Thursday. CENTURY--Santa Ana (7-1) has qualified and Santa Ana Foothill (6-2) should also advance. Anaheim Canyon (4-4) is almost assured of winning its last two games and finishing third. Orange El Modena (4-4) plays at home, against Foothill Wednesday and against Santa Ana Friday. CHANNEL--Santa Barbara (12-0), Ventura (9-3) and Ventura Buena (8-4) have already qualified for the playoffs. CITRUS BELT--Fontana (11-1) and Sunnymead Moreno Valley (10-2) have qualified and will play for the title tonight at Fontana. Redlands (8-4) needs just one win, either at home against Riverside Poly (6-6) today or at Rialto Eisenhower (5-7) Friday to clinch at least third place. IVY--Riverside North (11-1) and Ramona (10-2) are both playoff-bound. The winner of the Palm Springs (7-5) at Perris (8-4) game Thursday should finish third. MARMONTE--Simi Valley (10-0) is in. Thousand Oaks (8-3) and Westlake (6-4) should finish tied for second at 8-4. Oxnard Channel Islands (6-4) needs a win against visiting Simi Valley Wednesday in order to get a share of second. OCEAN--Santa Monica (7-1) has qualified and plays host to Hawthorne (6-2) for the title Wednesday. If Inglewood (4-4) can win at Beverly Hills (4-4) Friday, Inglewood should finish third. PACIFIC--Pasadena Muir (7-1) is in, and Glendale (6-2) should qualify. Crescenta Valley (5-3) can clinch a playoff berth with a win at Pasadena (4-4) today. SAN GABRIEL VALLEY--Lynwood (10-0) and Compton Dominguez (9-1) will play for the title Friday at Lynwood. Cerritos Gahr (6-4) needs just one win, either at Lynwood Wednesday or at home against Cerritos (1-9) Friday to advance. SIERRA--Diamond Bar (8-0) and the winner of the Hacienda Heights Wilson (5-3) at La Puente Nogales (5-3) game tonight will qualify. Los Altos (3-5) could finish at 5-5 and get a share of third place probably with HH Wilson. SOUTH COAST--Capistrano Valley (7-1) has qualified and El Toro (6-2) should advance. In key games for the third spot, Mission Viejo (4-4) is at Irvine (4-4), Wednesday and plays host to Capistrano Valley Friday; and El Toro is at Dana Hills (3-5) Wednesday and at Irvine Friday.

3-A DIVISION: BAY--Rolling Hills (8-0) plays Palos Verdes (7-1) for the title Friday at Rolling Hills. Torrance (3-5) is at North Torrance (2-6) Wednesday and plays host to West Torrance (3-5) Friday in games to determine the third qualifier. EMPIRE--Los Alamitos (11-1) is at Anaheim Katella (12-0) Friday in the title game. La Palma Kennedy (9-3) is the third qualifier. FOOTHILL--Only Burbank Burroughs (0-8) is out of playoff contention. The schedule: Tonight, Alhambra (3-5) is at Burroughs, Burbank (5-3) is at Newhall Hart (6-2) and Montebello Schurr (6-2) is at San Gabriel (4-4). Thursday, Burroughs is at Burbank, Hart is at Schurr and San Gabriel is at Alhambra. FREEWAY--A league tournament begins tonight. At the end of the regular season, Fullerton (9-1) and Fullerton Troy (7-3) finished 1-2 followed by Fullerton Sunny Hills, La Habra Sonora and Buena Park, all at 4-6. GARDEN GROVE--Bolsa Grande (8-0) and Westminster La Quinta (6-2) have qualified. Fountain Valley Los Amigos (5-3) needs a win, either at La Quinta tonight or at Bolsa Grande Thursday to ensure a playoff spot. Rancho Alamitos (3-5) needs a win at La Quinta Thursday to remain in playoff contention. GOLDEN--In games involving the leaders, Saugus (7-1) is at Quartz Hill (4-4) tonight, Canyon Country Canyon (6-2) is at Saugus and Ridgecrest Burroughs (6-2) is at Quartz Hill Friday. HACIENDA--Pomona Ganesha (9-1) and Etiwanda (8-2) are both playoff-bound. In the scramble for third, Pomona Garey (5-5) must win at Ontario (4-6), Wednesday, and at home against Etiwanda Friday to have a chance of tying La Verne Bonita (7-4), which plays just one, Friday, at Ganesha. ORANGE--Brea-Olinda and Anaheim Magnolia, both 7-1, play at Magnolia Friday for the title. Placentia Valencia (6-2) could get a share of the title with wins against visiting Brea-Olinda Wednesday and at Anaheim Savanna (3-5) Friday. PIONEER--Compton Centennial (7-1), Inglewood Morningside (6-2) and El Segundo (6-2) have qualified. Morningside plays host to El Segundo Wednesday and is at Centennial Friday. SEA VIEW--In games involving the leaders, Irvine University (5-3) is at Corona del Mar (6-2) Wednesday; and Costa Mesa Estancia (5-3) is at Tustin (5-3) Friday. WHITMONT--Whittier California (10-2) is at Whittier La Serna (10-2) Wednesday in the title game. Montebello (8-4) needs wins at Pico Rivera El Rancho (6-6) Wednesday and at home against Santa Fe (5-7) Friday to avoid a possible tie for third with El Rancho and Bell Gardens (7-5). Friday, Bell Gardens is at Whittier (2-10) and La Serna is at El Rancho.

2-A DIVISION: DESERT VALLEYS: Indio (7-1) is at Central (5-3), Coachella Valley (6-2) is at Calexico (5-3) tonight and Indio plays host to Calexico (5-3) Friday in games to sort out the leaders. FRONTIER--Oxnard Santa Clara (7-0) has qualified and plays at Agoura (4-2) tonight. Calabasas (4-2) is the third qualifier and plays at Agoura Friday. LOS PADRES LEAGUE--Atascadero and Santa Maria St. Joseph, both 8-2, play for the title Wednesday at Atascadero. Paso Robles (7-4) is the third qualifier. MISSION VALLEY--Rosemead and Duarte, both 6-2, are playoff-bound. Alhambra Keppel (5-3) needs a win at El Monte Mountain View (1-7) tonight to clinch a playoff spot. MONTVIEW--San Dimas (13-0) and Azusa (11-2) have qualified and play at Azusa Thursday. Covina Gladstone (6-7) needs a win at La Puente Bassett (3-10) Thursday to avoid a probable tie with Baldwin Park (5-8). NORTHERN--Only Lompoc (3-9) is out of the playoff picture. Wednesday, Santa Maria Righetti (7-3) is at San Luis Obispo (6-4). Friday San Luis Obispo is at Arroyo Grande (5-6) and Santa Maria (5-5) is at Righetti. PACIFIC COAST--Woodbridge (8-0) and Trabuco Hills (6-2) have qualified and play at Woodbridge Friday. Laguna Hills (5-3) needs only a win at Costa Mesa (0-8) Wednesday to be the third qualifier. RIO HONDO--Pasadena Blair (8-0) and Monrovia (6-2) are in and play today at Blair. La Canada (5-3) should have no trouble qualifying. SAN ANDREAS--San Bernardino (11-1), Victor Valley (10-2) and San Bernardino Cajon (10-2) have qualified. San Bernardino is at Cajon tonight. SUBURBAN--Artesia (8-0) is in, and Norwalk (6-2) needs a win, either at home against Artesia on Wednesday or at Bellflower (4-4) Friday to avoid a tie for second. La Mirada (4-4), which is at home against Bellflower Wednesday and at Mayfair on Friday, is still in playoff contention. SUNKIST--Banning (11-0) and Bloomington (7-3) have qualified. Riverside La Sierra (4-6) must win at Elsinore (6-4) Wednesday if it hopes to tie Elsinore for third. VALLE VISTA--West Covina Edgewood and Walnut, both 11-1, play for the title tonight at Edgewood. Covina (5-7) is at Covina Northview (6-6) tonight and at Walnut Thursday in key games to determine the final qualifier.

1-A DIVISION: ALPHA--Montclair Prep (10-0) has already qualified, and L.A. Baptist (8-3) will qualify with a win tonight at Western Christian (2-8). Marshall Fundamental (7-3), which is at Western Christian (2-8) tonight and at home against Village Christian (6-4) Thursday, is the probable third qualifier. Village Christian must travel to Montclair Prep tonight. DE ANZA--Twentynine Palms (11-1) will advance as should the winner of Wednesday’s Aquinas (9-3) at Beaumont (9-3) game. Yucca Valley (7-4) probably has to win at Twentynine Palms Friday to stay in the playoff picture. DELPHIC--Crossroads (9-1) and Bel-Air Prep (9-2) are both playoff-bound. Brentwood (5-4) must win at home against Buckley (2-7) Thursday and at Campbell Hall (4-6) Friday to be sure of qualifying. DESERT INYO LARGE--Tehachapi (6-2) is at Bishop (6-2) tonight and at Paraclete (6-2) Friday. Each of the three teams needs to win just one of its last two games to advance. Kern Valley (4-4) has a chance to advance if it beats visiting Bishop Friday. OLYMPIC--Whittier Christian (10-0) is at Cerritos Valley Christian (9-1) tonight in the title game. The winner of tonight’s Brethren (6-4) at Ontario Christian (6-4) game should finish third. PREP--Chadwick (8-0) and Flintridge Prep (6-2) have qualified. Pasadena Poly (5-3) will be the third qualifier with a win tonight against visiting Rio Hondo Prep (3-5). SANTA FE--Chaminade (11-1) and Harvard (10-2) should play for the title Friday at Chaminade. Cathedral (9-3) needs just just one win, either tonight at home against Pater Noster (4-8) or at St. Genevieve (5-7) Friday. TRI-VALLEY--Santa Ynez (10-0) has qualified, and Moorpark (0-11) is out of playoff contention. The five remaining teams are fighting for the last two playoff spots. The schedule: Wednesday, St. Bonaventure (6-4) is at Santa Ynez, Moorpark is at Oak Park (5-5) and Bishop Diego (5-5) is at Fillmore (4-6). Friday, St. Bonaventure is at Carpinteria (6-5), Fillmore is at Oak Park and Santa Ynez is at Bishop Diego.