Southern Section Basketball Playoffs : Tonight’s Boys’ Games : Corona del Mar Looking to Continue Its Banner Year Against No. 4 Morningside

Paul Orris, Corona del Mar High School basketball coach, apologized to his team after Wednesday night’s 69-63 victory over top-seeded Rolling Hills in the quarterfinals of the Southern Section 3-A division playoffs.

“I didn’t think we could win that game,” Orris said. “I thought they had much better players. I underestimated my own team. They’re winners. We’ve been successful in athletics all year long.”

While some schools drape league championship banners on their gymnasium walls, Corona del Mar displays only Southern Section or state banners. The school has amassed 37 titles since 1965. In the 1987-88 and 1988-89 school years, championships were won in girls’ track, boys’ swim relays, football, water polo, girls’ tennis and cross-country.

Corona del Mar is a step away from reaching another Southern Section title game. The Sea Kings (18-9) will meet fourth-seeded Morningside (23-4) in the semifinals at 7:30 tonight at Hawthorne High. The winner advances to the championship game March 4 at the Los Angeles Sports Arena.

Corona del Mar, the third-place team in the Sea View League, has scored two upsets en route to the semifinals, stunning El Dorado, 61-43, in the opening round and then knocking off favored Rolling Hills.

“This is such a mental game,” Orris said. “If you believe you can win, there’s always a shot. If you start to doubt yourself, like El Dorado did, you’ve created a mountain to climb.

“This is a group of overachievers. We don’t have awesome basketball players, just good athletes who are peaking at the right time.”

Center Brian Spratt and guard Matt Cwiertnia have blossomed in the playoffs. Spratt averaged seven points in regular-season play but has scored 60 points in three playoff games. Cwiertnia has scored 45 points in the playoffs, averaging almost five more points than his 10.5 season average.

“During league play, everyone was very familiar with those two, but now that we’re in the playoffs, it’s a one-shot deal and you don’t have the necessary time to scout and prepare for them,” Orris said.

Corona del Mar spent Thursday afternoon preparing for Morningside’s 2-2-1 press. Morningside, a team that creates scoring opportunities off its press, enjoys a running game and should have a decided height advantage.

Forward Eddie Scott, cousin of Laker guard Byron Scott, is the team’s top scorer with a 16-point average followed by center Chris Vance (12 points, 9 rebounds) and forward Art Savage (10 points).

“We might have a matchup problem with them, so we’re going to have to do a job on the boards,” Orris said. “We’ve got to break their press and play a half-court game to stay in the game.”

In other 3-A division games:

San Luis Obispo (18-6) vs. Trabuco Hills (20-6) at El Toro High: It has been 37 years since San Luis Obispo advanced this far in the playoffs, while Trabuco Hills is bidding for a title in only the school’s fourth year. San Luis Obispo will attempt to contain 6-10 center Rick Swanwick with 6-3 Tim Kubinski, a rugged forward who scored 37 points in a 62-60 victory over La Canada Wednesday night.

Kubinski averages 16.6 points and 7.5 rebounds, and 6-3 center Kevin Tucker averages 8.2 points and 5.6 rebounds. Swanwick has scored 74 points and grabbed 53 rebounds in the playoffs, where the Mustangs are averaging 78 points per game.

In the 5-AA division:

Lakewood (23-6) vs. Saddleback (26-1) at Rancho Santiago College: Lakewood’s three-year starter, Brian Camper, is the leading candidate for the division’s player of the year award. He averages 21.3 points and has signed with Arizona State. His cousin, Victor, is the team’s center and averages 10.5 points and 8.5 rebounds. The Lancers’ forte is a matchup zone defense.

Saddleback looked unbeatable in an 81-59 romp over Long Beach Jordan in the quarterfinals, controlling the boards and playing sound defense. The Roadrunners have allowed an average of 50.1 points in 10 league and two playoff games. Center Malru Dottin averages 16.8 points and 9.4 rebounds.

In the 5-A division:

Capistrano Valley (22-4) vs. Buena (21-4) at Moorpark College: What has happened to Capistrano Valley’s three-point shooters in the playoffs? The Cougars have made only 4 of 21 three-point shots after averaging 40% in league play. But Capistrano Valley, which has advanced to the semifinals for the sixth time in eight seasons, will reach the finals for the second consecutive year with a victory.

Buena is coming off an 83-77 double-overtime victory against Ocean View. Junior guard Jeff Oliver is the team’s top player with a 16.8-point average, and center Adan Valencia averages 16 points and 11.5 rebounds. Valencia had 20 points against Ocean View.

In the 2-AA division:

El Segundo (15-10) vs. Whittier Christian (20-6) at Sonora High: El Segundo opened the season with seven defeats in its first 11 games but the losses were to such powers as Rolling Hills, Inglewood and Loyola. Center Ken Talanoa and forward Shawn Foster are the team’s top players. El Segundo upset top-seeded Cabrillo, 73-70, in the quarterfinals.

Whittier Christian, seeded fourth, relies on forward Paul McKinley and center Scott Ferguson. McKinley averages 17 points and 5.1 rebounds, and Ferguson averages 13.7 points and 9.1 rebounds.

In the 2-A division:

Paraclete (22-2) vs. Orange Lutheran (22-3) at Troy High: Paraclete has set 11 individual or team school records en route to the semifinals. Guard Jeff Zelenski averages 19.1 points, followed by forward Ulysses Chatman (13.2 points) and guard Bryan Lovelace (10.6 points).

Orange Lutheran center Pat Bagatourian averages 20.3 points and 10.6 rebounds. Bagatourian, a 6-3 center, shoots 63% from the field. Teammate Daryl Cole averages 21.6 points and is an excellent outside shooter.

In the 1-A division:

Flintridge Prep (14-10) vs. Southern California Christian (20-5) at St. Francis High: Flintridge Prep finished second to top-seeded and undefeated Pasadena Poly in the Prep League. Guard David Swayne leads Flintridge Prep with a 12.5-point average and shoots 47% from the field.

Second-seeded Southern California Christian is led by 6-6 center Shawn Wiltshire and 6-3 guard Kenny Cross. Wiltshire averages 20.3 points and 12.8 rebounds, and Cross averages 20.1 points.