Saddleback, Millikan Meet in 5-AA Title Game Tonight

Santa Ana Saddleback and Long Beach Millikan, two well-balanced teams that like to fast break, will meet tonight at 8:15 for the high school boys’ Southern Section 5-AA Division basketball title as part of a five-game package at the Sports Arena. Saddleback is 27-1, Millikan 24-6.

In the late morning-early afternoon session, Oxnard Santa Clara (22-3) plays Orange Lutheran (23-3) at 10:30 a.m. in the 2-A Division final; Whittier Christian (21-6) meets Banning (21-4) at 12:30 p.m. in the 2-AA championship game, and Mission Viejo Trabuco Hills (21-6) plays Corona del Mar (19-9) at 2:30 p.m. in the 3-A final.

In the evening session, Irvine (25-5) and Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley (23-4) play for the 5-A title at 6:30, before the Saddleback-Millikan game.

Millikan is the third Moore League team that Saddleback will meet in the playoffs, having previously beaten league champion Lakewood, 65-61, and third-place finisher Long Beach Jordan, 81-59. Millikan also knocked off second-seeded Santa Monica St. Monica, 83-80, and third-seeded Loyola, 85-84, in getting to the final.

Malru Dottin, a 6-foot-7 center averaging 16.8 points and 9.3 rebounds, leads Saddleback in both categories. Guards Terry Hilliard, averaging 14.6 points a game, and Jeep Jensen, averaging 13.5, are the offensive leaders for Millikan.

Before meeting in the 5-A final, Irvine and Capistrano Valley played twice in the South Coast League, Capistrano Valley winning first at home, 57-56, and then at Irvine, 66-43. This will be Irvine Coach Steve Keith’s third title game in nine years. He won titles with Glendale in 1981 and 1985.

Capistrano Valley’s offense revolves around guards Scott McCorkle, who is averaging 25 points a game, and Chris Kostoff, who is averaging 21. Irvine is also led in scoring by a guard, Bryan Allred, who is averaging 16 points, but the play of the Molle brothers, 6-5 senior Raphael and 6-6 sophomore John, could be the deciding factor.