San Diego High School Basketball Playoff Outlook : Morse Is Favored in 3-A Field

The San Diego Section boys’ basketball playoffs begin today with some new faces and without some old ones. The reason for the new faces is the section’s 12-team playoff format, which is being used in basketball for the first time.

The format did not help Poway High School, the three-time defending 3-A champion, which won only three league games this season and becomes one of the old faces.

So a new 3-A champion is assured for the first time since 1983, when Morse won the title. Morse is the top-seeded team.

In the 2-A playoffs, Oceanside and El Camino appear headed on a collision course for a rematch of last year’s 2-A championship game, won by El Camino.

TODAY’S GAMES (3-A):

Mount Miguel (15-8) at Torrey Pines (19-6)--Both teams had playoff games Friday night to determine their seedings. Mount Miguel, which had won 10 straight, lost a Grossmont League playoff to Monte Vista to finish second. Torrey Pines beat San Dieguito to finish second in the Palomar League. Both teams have big front lines. Mount Miguel is led by 6-foot 10-inch center Mike Flores. Torrey Pines has 6-8 Kevin Flanagan and 6-7 Scot Thompson. The winner plays at Sweetwater (15-9) Friday night.

Valhalla (15-7) at Mira Mesa (18-6)--Both teams had strong third-place finishes, Valhalla in the Grossmont and Mira Mesa in the City Eastern. Valhalla is led by Troy Toolson (16.4-point average). Mira Mesa is led by David Lee (14.2). The winner will play at Mount Carmel (20-3) Friday.

(2-A):

San Marcos (16-10) at St. Augustine (15-7)--St. Augustine is coming off a 66-62 victory over Christian in a City Central League playoff game Friday. Charley Applegate, third in the county with a 21.5 scoring average, had 40 points in the Saints’ victory over Christian. San Marcos finished third behind El Camino and Oceanside in the Avocado League. The winner plays at Kearny (18-6) Friday night.

University City (9-10) at Oceanside (17-7)--Oceanside lost a coin flip against El Camino Friday and became the Avocado League’s second-place team. The Pirates have to play a first-round game while El Camino gets a bye. The Pirates are led by 6-5 forward Junior Seau, who averages 22.4 points. University City, which tied for third in the City Western League, is led by Durrell Sims (13.7). The winner plays at Lincoln (16-8) Friday.

WEDNESDAY’S GAMES (3-A):

Patrick Henry (11-11) at San Dieguito (15-8)--Patrick Henry lost twice to No. 1-ranked Morse this season, but both games were decided by only three points. Charles Russell leads Patrick Henry averaging 14.2 points. San Dieguito lost a playoff to Torrey Pines Friday, 41-40, to finish third in the Palomar League. The winner plays at Morse (19-2) Saturday.

Hilltop (15-13) at Madison (17-7)--Hilltop beat Bonita Vista in a Metro-Mesa League playoff game Saturday night to qualify for the playoffs. The Lancers are led by 6-6 center Jud Rachow and 6-4 forward Bryan Brooker. Madison, which finished second behind Morse in the City Eastern League, has been among the county’s top 10 teams throughout the season. The winner plays at Monte Vista (17-5) Saturday.

(2-A):

Southwest (6-16) at La Jolla (13-8)--Southwest didn’t win a nonleague game but was 6-7 in the Metro-South Bay League to qualify for the playoffs. Johnny Walker averaged 20.4 points, fifth in the county. La Jolla was inconsistent throughout the season, finishing 5-5 in the City Western League. The winner plays at top-seeded El Camino (21-3) Saturday.

Christian (16-9) at Clairemont (16-7)--Christian lost to Hoover last Wednesday to force a playoff with St. Augustine for second place in the City Central League. The Patriots lost that game but still qualified for the playoffs. Clairemont is led by Jason Deal (13.4) and Vic Baer (13.3). The winner plays at Castle Park (20-4) Saturday.

GIRLS PLAYOFFS Point Loma, the three-time defending state champion, won the City Eastern League and will have a first-round bye. The Pointers (23-0) will meet the winner of tonight’s Grossmont-Fallbrook 3-A game at Fallbrook. The other first-round 3-A game tonight features Monte Vista at Madison. In the 2-A playoffs tonight, Castle Park plays at Ramona and Oceanside plays at San Diego.

Wednesday’s first-round games in the 3-A are Mount Miguel at Mount Carmel and Chula Vista at Helix. First-round 2-A games Wednesday are Mission Bay at San Marcos and Coronado at Crawford.

Bonita Vista, Santana and Vista drew first-round byes in the 3-A playoffs. The 2-A teams drawing first-round byes are La Jolla, Lincoln, Southwest and San Pasqual.