Division III Boys’ Basketball Regional : Fast Starts Keep Mustangs Ahead of Field at Finish

Trabuco Hills High School will be looking for another quick start at 1 p.m. today when it plays Morningside in the Southern California Regional Division III boys’ basketball final at the Los Angeles Sports Arena.

Trabuco Hills (24-6) has won 20 of its past 21 games, including seven consecutive victories in postseason play. The Mustangs have outscored their playoff opponents by an average margin of nine points in the first quarter and have scored 173 points in victories over Clairemont and Lemoore in the regionals.

Trabuco Hills made 10 of 14 field goal attempts in the first quarter against Lemoore in the semifinals on Thursday night to gain a 28-16 lead and cruised into the final with a 86-79 victory.

“A quick start has been important for us in every game in the playoffs,” said Rainer Wulf, Trabuco Hills coach. “We’ve gotten the lead in the first quarter in all seven games, and I think we’ve trailed only three times in our seven games.”

The three-point shot has been one of Trabuco Hills’ biggest weapons. Wulf estimated his team is making 60% of its three-point attempts when center Rick Swanwick passes to one of four designated shooters--Chad Poulos, Luis Arenado, Randy Kriech and Tim Manning.

“Teams have been sagging in on Rick, leaving the other guys open outside,” Wulf said. “They’re getting a couple of seconds to set and shoot. When they’re lined up and focused, the ball usually goes in.”

Trabuco Hills’ shooters were focused the last time the Mustangs played in the vast Sports Arena, where high school shooters who play most of their games in small gymnasiums have been known to misfire aiming at baskets with varying backgrounds.

Trabuco Hills made six of eight three-point shots against Corona del Mar in the Southern Section 3-A title game a week ago at the arena.

“Sure, I think there’s an advantage having already played at the Sports Arena,” Wulf said. “We didn’t have problems shooting there, but I saw where a lot of other teams did. It’s a big adjustment going in there for a high school team.”

Morningside (25-5) missed the Southern Section final last week after being eliminated by Corona del Mar, 57-56, in the semifinals. But the Monarchs were given a second chance when they were awarded an at-large berth into the regionals.

Morningside upset top-seeded San Diego Lincoln, 81-67, in the opening round of the regionals and defeated Corona del Mar, 53-46. Both games were played in the loser’s home gymnasium.

“They’re going to present some problems with their size,” Wulf said. “We’re going to have to block out and not allow them second and third shots. I think we can get the ball inside and get them into foul trouble.”

Eddie Scott, a cousin of Laker guard Byron Scott, is the team’s best player. Scott, a 6-foot-6 forward, averages 15 points and six rebounds per game. Chris Vance, a 6-7 center, averages nine points and nine rebounds per game.

Trabuco Hills counters with Swanwick, an imposing 6-10, 220-pound center. Swanwick has averaged 27 points and 17 rebounds in two regional games. He has yet to get into foul trouble in seven playoff games, drawing no more than three personal fouls in any game.

“The kids are focused, prepared and know what they have to do,” Wulf said. “They want to go to Oakland.”

The winner will advance to the state championship game on March 18, meeting the Northern California Regional champion at the Oakland Coliseum Arena.

OUT OF THE GATE Trabuco Hills has started quickly in each of its seven postseason wins. Here’s a list of first-quarter and final scores from each game.

SOUTHERN SECTION

Opponent 1st Qtr. Final Rancho Alamitos 28-15 84-58 Savanna 18-9 75-68 Estancia 20-8 75-71 San Luis Obispo 23-12 65-52 Corona del Mar 13-10 59-55

REGIONALS

Opponent 1st Qtr. Final Clairemont 18-15 87-60 Lemoore 28-16 86-79