Prep Wednesday : SOUTHERN SECTION BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS PREVIEWS : 3-A : Competition Should Be Fierce From the Start

With no byes, no at-large entries and no easy games, the 3-A division of the Southern Section boys’ basketball playoffs is, in a word, tough.

Compared with the other eight divisions, the 3-A has the best depth, basically making this year’s championship wide open.

“The 3-A? I like it,” said Estancia Coach Tim O’Brien, whose Eagles are one of 11 Orange County schools in the competition.

“It’s solid top to bottom--there’s no dominating teams. And because there aren’t any byes, whoever wins the championship is going to have to play five tough games.”

Starting with the first round. Most coaches agree that even the top-seeded teams--No. 1 Rolling Hills, No. 2 La Canada, No. 3 Savanna and No. 4 Morningside--might not see the light of second-round action. Competition is that fierce.

Consider this first-round matchup: Corona del Mar (15-9, third in the Sea View League) at El Dorado (20-4, first in Empire League).

Though Corona del Mar’s record isn’t too impressive, the Sea Kings waged a hearty nonleague campaign against larger schools--many more than twice their size. Corona del Mar defeated such playoff teams as Irvine, Los Alamitos, Dana Hills and Mission Viejo.

And, El Dorado, which was 10-0 in league play, is riding a 14-game winning streak.

“I wouldn’t want to be either one of those teams,” Brea-Olinda Coach Rick Jones said. “That (matchup) is scary.”

Most coaches, while saying the division is wide open, sided with the top-seeded teams as their favorites.

A look at the top four:

--Rolling Hills (22-4). Led by 6-foot-4, 230-pound senior John Hardy, who averages 28 points a game, the Titans shoot well from inside and out, like to run and press, and do both well.

They also have great playoff experience under Cliff Warren, who, in three years as coach, led Rolling Hills to the 1986 quarterfinals, the 1987 final (which it lost to Saugus) and the 1988 semifinals (which it lost to eventual champion Kennedy).

--La Canada (23-2). The Spartans have a returning all-Southern Section player in 6-7 center Chad Givens, and a starting lineup that averages 6-6. La Canada plays a control-oriented offense, but is effective on the run as well.

--Savanna (23-2). The Rebels, ranked fourth in Orange County, feature talented sophomore Mustapha Abdi and senior Tim Tillman.

“I have guarded optimism,” Savanna Coach Tom Gregory said. “But since all playoff games are sudden death, every game is a war.”

If the Rebels get through their first-round game against Azusa, they could find themselves in an interesting matchup with Trabuco Hills, one of many teams considered to be a dark horse.

--Morningside (20-4). A team with maybe the best quickness and the best athletes in the division, Morningside features well-balanced scoring, height and depth. Jeff Crowe, a 6-7 junior center, 6-7 forward Chris Vance and 6-6 forward Eddie Scott (cousin of Laker guard Byron Scott) lead the Monarchs, which swept the Ocean League at 14-0.

A closer look at the Orange County teams involved:

--Trabuco Hills (17-6) has one of the division’s best players in 6-10, 225-pound center Rick Swanwick, who is averaging 20.3 points and 13.5 rebounds and is shooting 62% from the field.

--Estancia (19-5), led by Mike Curtis, Augustin Heredia and Tim Kjar, is a feisty team able to outduel stronger, taller teams by intensity alone. The Eagles, who came within three points (58-55) of upsetting Saddleback, are especially dangerous from three-point range. A three-game losing streak might signal distress.

--La Quinta (18-5) has the county’s scoring leader in senior Scott Campbell (28.9 points a game). Campbell also leads the county in making 62.7% of his three-point shots. Although Campbell was flat last Friday--held to a season-low five points by Pacifica--La Quinta proved with a 25-point performance from James Johnson it’s more than a one-player team.

--Brea-Olinda (19-7) is led by Keith Walker (26 points per game). A bigger plus? The Wildcats are, for the first time this season, completely healthy and injury-free.

--Western (16-6), probably the best third-place team along with Corona del Mar, is a dark horse choice by many. Joe Romero leads the team with 17.6 points per game.

--Foothill (15-10), a team that had no returning letterman from last year, has been a surprise. The Knights are led by 6-4 forward Mark Wilkinson (16.8 points) and guard Ward Van Pelt (7.7 assists).

--Rancho Alamitos (12-9) is led by Gary Lira (15.7 points) and Richard Pearce (9.7 rebounds). Rancho Alamitos has won its past six games, including a 61-51 upset over Kennedy Friday night.

--Laguna Hills (15-9) has four-year starting guard Chris Sheff, who is averaging 18.7 points a game. The Hawks’ first-round game against La Quinta will be a real test.

3-A IN A BOX Teams to beat: Rolling Hills (22-4), La Canada (23-2), Savanna (23-2) and Morningside (20-4).

Dark horses: Western (16-6), Trabuco Hills (17-6).

Players to watch: Scott Campbell (La Quinta), Chad Givens (La Canada), John Hardy (Rolling Hills), Rick Swanwick (Trabuco Hills), Keith Walker (Brea-Olinda).

Best first-round game: Corona del Mar (15-9) at El Dorado (20-4).

Final Four prediction: Rolling Hills vs. Morningside, Trabuco Hills vs. La Canada.