SOUTHERN SECTION BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : O’Bannon Leads Artesia’s Quest for the 4-A Title

All-American Ed O’Bannon will lead top-seeded Artesia High against second-seeded Santa Barbara San Marcos in the Southern Section 4-A boys’ basketball title game at 6:45 tonight in the first game of a doubleheader in the Bren Center at UC Irvine.

The 6-foot-9 O’Bannon scored 28 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked three shots in the Pioneers’ 75-45 semifinal victory over Burbank Burroughs on Friday. Artesia, the Suburban League champion, is 25-2.

San Marcos (24-6), the Channel League champion, defeated La Mirada, 52-39, in the semifinals, with sophomore center Rob Ramaker scoring 21 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

Artesia was defeated by Compton Dominguez, 78-49, in last season’s final. San Marcos has not been in a 4-A final since 1981, when it lost to Long Beach Poly.

In the 4-AA title game, Glendora (25-5), the Baseline League champion, will play second-seeded Compton (22-6) at 8:30 p.m.

Glendora, which lost to San Bernardino in the finals last season, upset top-seeded Dominguez in the semifinals, 50-46, on Friday night. Senior forward J. J. O’Laughlin scored 14 points to lead the Tartans.

Compton, which finished second in the Moore League, defeated Huntington Beach Edison, 86-73, in overtime.

In the girls’ 2-A final, Santa Maria St. Joseph will meet Cerritos Valley Christian at Hancock College in Santa Maria at 7:30 p.m.

In the semifinals, top-seeded St. Joseph (24-3), the Los Padres League champion, defeated Ventura St. Bonaventure, 83-52, and No. 2-seeded Valley Christian (21-4), the Olympic League champion, defeated Santa Monica Crossroads, 65-51.