THE PREPS : Girls’ Basketball Playoffs : Valencia Plays Mission Viejo for Title Shot

A month ago, the coach of a league rival predicted big things in the playoffs for the Valencia High School girls’ basketball team.

He figured Valencia would be a big factor in the Southern Section 4-AA division. The Tigers should be a favorite to win the title, he said. The Southern Section didn’t share his optimism, though, and did not reward the Tigers with a seeded spot in the playoffs.

Nevertheless, Valencia finds itself a victory away from a berth in the 4-AA championship game. The Tigers (18-9) meet Mission Viejo (23-4) in the semifinals at 7:30 tonight at El Toro High.

After defeating Downey, 66-50, in a quarterfinal game Thursday night, Valencia Coach Debi Woelke said it “was as good a game as we have played all year long.”

Valencia appears to be peaking at just the right time, just as Brea-Olinda Coach Mark Trakh thought the Tigers would.

Kristen McDonald, the Orange League co-MVP along with Brea’s Aimee McDaniel, leads the Tigers with a 19.3-point average. McDonald, a 5-foot-11 senior center, also grabs 9.1 rebounds a game.

Nancy Amoroso may not score as many points as McDonald, but she plays a key role as the Tigers’ point guard.

Valencia will face a hot-shooting Mission Viejo team tonight.

Guards Tina Ranker and Shannon Morgon are among the Diablos’ best long-range shooters.

It took a 17-foot jumper by Derrie Nauta with 5 seconds left to get Mission Viejo past North Torrance, 60-59, in its quarterfinal game Thursday night.

In another 4-AA games:

Camarillo (21-6) vs. Canyon (21-4) at Villa Park: Camarillo has made the most of only its second playoff appearance, reaching the semifinals. The Scorpions got here by beating University, 56-45, in the quarterfinals.

Forward Darhl Burrage had a career-high 13 rebounds to help Camarillo. Nichole Victoria, who had 25 points against University, averages 19.1 to lead Camarillo. Canyon relies heavily on Kari Erkenbrack, a forward who averages 20 points and 10 rebounds a game.

In the 5-AA:

Morningside (27-1) vs. Fountain Valley (21-8) at Edison: Fountain Valley faces the question: How do you stop Lisa Leslie? Morningside’s 6-6 center dominates play inside. She averages 24.3 points a game. Thursday, in a 68-15 thumping of Rubidoux, Leslie had 21 points.

The Barons will counter with speedy guards Stacey Hisaka and Kami Bigler. Bigler had 20 points to lead Fountain Valley past Long Beach Poly, 64-57, in the quarterfinals.

In the 4-A:

Palos Verdes (24-3) vs. Katella (24-3) at Foothill: Palos Verdes and Katella come into the game from different directions. Palos Verdes had an easy time dispatching La Habra, 66-26, in the semifinals. Katella had to hang on in the final seconds to escape with a 59-57 victory over Woodbridge.

The game showcases three of the best players in the Southern Section--sisters Heidi and Heather Burge of Palos Verdes and Joni Easterly of Katella. Heidi, a 6-5 forward, averages 23.9 points and 14.1 rebounds a game. Heather, a 6-5 center, adds 21 points and 12 rebounds a game. Easterly is Katella’s leading scorer with a 23-point average.

In the 3-A:

Lakewood St. Joseph (21-6) vs. Brea-Olinda (25-2) at El Dorado: Another game, another easy victory for Brea, which defeated St. Lucy’s, 86-40, in the quarterfinals Thursday. Point guard Aimee McDaniel led the Brea rout with 35 points, connecting on 15 of 16 from the field.