Prep Basketball Playoffs : Manual Arts-Crenshaw Game Tops Final Night

Manual Arts (24-0), the defending State champion, and Crenshaw (20-2), the defending City champion, will meet at 9:15 p.m. tonight in the City 4-A boys’ basketball championship game. It will be the final game of four City titles scheduled to be decided at the Sports Arena.

Last season, Crenshaw defeated the Toilers, 83-67, in the City finals, while Manual Arts returned the favor, 89-82, in the semifinals of the State tournament.

Los Angeles (18-8) plays Fremont (26-3) for the 3-A boys’ title at 7:30 p.m. The teams met in the third place of the Eagle Rock Tournament, with Los Angeles winning, 73-70.

In the girls’ 4-A final, Crenshaw (23-2) will meet Washington (21-4) at 5:45. The two team split two games in the Southern League, Crenshaw winning the first time, 66-52, and Washington getting even, 69-63.

Marshall (17-2) plays Roosevelt (14-3) in the 3-A game at 4 p.m.

In a Southern Section Girls tripleheader at Cal Poly Pomona, Morningside (28-1), which as lost to only Southern of Louisville, Ky., in the final of the Santa Barbara Tournament, plays Fontana (27-1), which has lost to Brea-Olinda, in the 5-AA Division final at 8:30; Santa Barbara (21-7) plays Hart (24-2) in the 5-A final at 6:45; and Brea-Olinda (25-2) faces Atascadero (20-5) in the 3-A championship at 5 p.m.

One other Southern Section Girls finals is scheduled. Hemet Baptist Christian (22-3) plays Pilgrim (20-2) for the Small Schools title at Pasadena Poly High.

In the Southern Section girls championship games Thursday:

Placentia Valencia 56, Anaheim Canyon 45--Kristen McDonald scored 23 points and Nancy Amoroso added 21 to lead Valencia to its first girls’ basketball title in the 4-AA game at Chapman College.

Valencia (20-9) took the lead in the second quarter on a basket by Amoroso and never lost it.

Canyon (22-5) was led by Sheri Rhyne and Keri Erkenbrack, who each had 10 points.

Katella 54, Muir 48--Jonie Easterly scored nine of her 34 points in overtime as Katella rallied for the victory in the 4-A title game at Chapman College.

Easterly, who also had 12 rebounds, made three free throws in the final 28 seconds of overtime to clinch the victory for Katella (26-3). Easterly made 11 of 22 shots and was 12 of 16 from the free throw line.

Lisa Salsman had 23 points and 15 rebounds for Muir (23-4).

SLO Mission College Prep 60, Bishop Diego 43--Guard Christine Mott had 18 points and six rebounds and center Carrie Taylor added 12 points and 21 rebounds to lead San Luis Obispo Mission College Prep (21-3) to the 1-A division title at Cuesta College. Jenny Boeddecker had 14 points for Santa Barbara Bishop Diego (13-14).