SOUTHERN SECTION GIRLS’ BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES : 3-A : Mission Viejo vs. Katella

It took three months, about 1,600 regular-season games and 31 playoff games, but the Southern Section has finally arrived on its 3-A finalists. Katella and Mission Viejo will play for the Southern Section 3-A championship tonight at 7 in Cal Poly Pomona’s Kellogg Gymnasium.

Is this the best they could do?

Oh, nothing against Mission Viejo or Katella. Both deserve to be in the final. Each team is 27-2. In the semifinals, Katella defeated defending champion Brea-Olinda and Mission Viejo beat top-seeded Louisville.

It’s just that, after all this time and effort, you’d think they would come up with something a little more tantalizing. You know, big, slow team against short, fast team. Offensive machine against a tough defensive squad.

But what we have here is a tendency to duplicate. These teams are mirror images.

Katella was seeded No. 3, Mission Viejo No. 4. They have a similar offensive style, almost exact defensive philosophy, and the school colors are the same--red. Oh sure, Katella calls its scarlet , but who’s kidding whom?

“It’s almost funny that we would come this far, and end up with teams that look almost exactly the same,” said John Hattrup, Mission Viejo coach.