SOUTHERN SECTION BOYS’ BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES : 3-A : Rolling Hills vs. Saugus

It took 20 years, but Rolling Hills Coach Cliff Warren is back in a Southern Section championship game.

The last time was 1967, and the team was No. 1 ranked El Segundo, which brought a huge front line and a 34-game winning streak into the 3-A final. El Segundo was a heavy favorite, but the Eagles were upset in overtime, 62-56, by unranked Monrovia.

This time he brings a different kind of team, a small, scrappy team that is only a slight favorite. The only thing the latest Warren team has in common with the 1967 team is its No. 1 ranking.

“The ’67 team had a lot of size and strength,” said Warren, who was out of coaching for 17 years until he took over at Rolling Hills last season. “This team is real scrappy.

“The ’67 team didn’t have many close games, where this team has to fight and struggle for every game.”

It is likely that the Titans will find themselves in another struggle Saturday at the Sports Arena, as Rolling Hills will play Saugus High in the 3-A final at 2 p.m.

Saugus, a wild-card team, has followed an improbable road to the final, including upset wins over Anaheim Katella, Whittier California and Tustin. The Centurions have won their five playoff games by a total of 12 points.

Prior to each playoff upset, Coach John Clark has shown his team a Rocky film for inspiration. He showed them “Rocky III” before the Katella win, “Rocky IV” before the California win, and “Rocky II” before the Tustin win. He won’t show them “Rocky I” because the hero loses in the end.

“I’m sure there will be (a film before the 3-A final),” Clark said. “But I haven’t had time to think of it yet.”

Rolling Hills (26-3), despite its No. 1 ranking, has struggled in every playoff game, as the Titans have done in almost all of their games this season. But they almost always find a way to win.

They have won games in almost every conceivable fashion. They came from 20 points down to beat Torrance in a Bay League game, and they came from 22 points ahead to hang on and beat Corona del Mar in the 3-A semifinals. They had to rally to beat Brea-Olinda and Compton Centennial in the playoffs.

“We don’t really do anything differently (in the playoffs),” Warren said. “We’re not really much into the strategy. We just have fun, because its so hard to get there.”

The teams match up very well, as neither has much height, each team is fundamentally sound. In other words, neither has any discernible advantage.

“I think we’re very similar--size-wise, speed-wise, style of play,” Warren said.

Doug Gehr, Rolling Hills’ 6-4 forward out of necessity, leads the Titans in scoring (21) and rebounding (8), while guard Cameron Terry is averaging 15 points.

Saugus (21-9) has only one player averaging in double figures, Rusty Morse, who is scoring 17 points a game. Morse, a 6-4 forward, will be guarded by Rolling Hills’ defensive specialist, 6-2 Mike Peretti.