SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : Madison Uses Balance to Trip Woodbridge : Division II Boys

A collection of five very good basketball players almost always will beat one incredible one.

The Madison High School boys’ team proved that--though just barely--Tuesday night in a Southern California Regional Division II semifinal at Torrey Pines High.

Overcoming the usual superb effort by Irvine Woodbridge center Adam Keefe, the Warhawks posted a 67-64 victory and advanced to the regional final at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at the Los Angeles Sports Arena against Bakersfield Foothill.

While Keefe scored 34 points and grabbed 21 rebounds, Madison’s players shared the load.

Andre Mitchell led with 18 points and 12 rebounds but received plenty of support from Robby Robinson (17 points), Jeff Harper (14) and Jeff Alexander (8 points, 12 rebounds).

That kind of teamwork--and the emphasis at Madison is clearly on team --has been successful all season.

“Business as usual,” said Jim Thompson, Madison’s second-year coach. “All year long one guy or another picks us up. I never can predict who it will be.”

That Mitchell would rise to the occasion was fitting. He struggled Tuesday night in Madison’s victory over Tustin, scoring just four points.

“I wanted to make up for that bad game,” Mitchell, a junior forward, said.

“He came to play tonight,” Thompson said. “He’s kind of our secret weapon. He has a lot of athletic ability. When he gets a good start, he can go on a tear.”

Mitchell scored eight points in a pulsating first quarter that ended in a 21-21 tie.

Madison, playing a sagging man-to-man defense, held Woodbridge to 11 points in the second quarter and assumed a seven-point halftime lead. Harper scored seven in leading the Warhawks to their 39-32 advantage.

They raised the edge to 11 after three quarters, 56-45, and appeared to have the game in control.

But Woodbridge, now the dethroned state champion, staged a comeback in the final period.

A key play came just 40 seconds into the fourth when Keefe grabbed a rebound under the Madison basket. The 6-foot 9-inch center threw a couple of elbows, but it was Harper who was charged with a foul. That prompted an angry Thompson to jump off the bench, which led to a technical foul.

“That should have been a personal foul (on Keefe),” Thompson said. “Instead, they’re shooting, plus there’s the technical I got for reacting.”

Keefe missed the front end of the one-and-one but sunk both technical foul shots. On the ensuing possession, P.A. Emerson rebounded a missed shot and scored to bring Woodbridge to within seven points, 56-49.

Madison responded with two quick baskets by Harper and Alexander, but Woodbridge refused to go quietly.

Derrick Odum sunk a pair of three-pointers to make it 60-58, with 2:48 to go.

Robinson scored two consecutive baskets and made a steal that led to a follow shot by Alexander to put Madison up by seven again, 65-58.

Keefe came right back with a three-pointer with 25 seconds to go, and Rob Lee banked in a another three-pointer with 10 seconds left to make it a one-point game, 65-64.

Harper clinched the victory for Madison by hitting a pair of free throws with three seconds on the clock.

Madison is 28-2 and with a victory Saturday would advance to the state final next week in Oakland.