GIRLS’ BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : Brea-Olinda Among 6 Seeded County Teams

Rick Falk, coach of the Tustin High School girls’ basketball team, breathed a sigh of relief Monday after the Southern Section playoff pairings were announced in Cerritos.

“I’m pleased. Talent-wise, we should have no problems getting into the quarterfinals,” Falk said. “Ours (Division II-AA) is the deepest division as far as quality is concerned.”

The quality issue--whether there will be a lack of it in the playoffs this season--has been a topic of debate since the section announced a few months ago it would allow any team to participate regardless of record.

That invitation did not go unanswered. A record 332 teams in 10 divisions--75 more teams than last year--will participate this season.

Of those, six Orange County teams--Brea-Olinda, Costa Mesa, Estancia, La Habra, Marina and Rancho Alamitos--are seeded in their respective divisions. Another 49 county teams also are in the field.

The qualifying games get under way Wednesday night, with the winners moving to the first round of the playoffs Saturday.

As expected, Brea (24-1) drew the top-seeded position in Division II-AA. The Lady Cats, who have won nine consecutive Orange League titles and are the county’s top-ranked team, plays host to Orange (3-17) on Saturday. The Panthers should not present much of a challenge for Brea, a state runner-up last season, so Lady Cat Coach Mark Trakh is setting his sights on potential opponents down the road.

“We are in a tough bracket,” Trakh said. “Ventura beat Buena at Buena and Gahr is very strong.”

Third-seeded Ventura (19-3) won the Channel League title. Second-seeded Gahr (24-2), the San Gabriel Valley League champion, lost to Brea by only a basket, 53-51, in the final of the Brea-Olinda Tournament in December.

Tustin, the county’s third-ranked team, open the playoffs against Mission Viejo at home on Thursday instead Saturday, as originally scheduled. The Tillers won the Sea View League title with a 10-0 record and are 23-3 overall.

Marina is the No. 3-seeded team in Division I-A. The Vikings (21-4), who had a rough going in their own tournament in December, rebounded with 12 consecutive league victories to win the Sunset League championship without a loss. Marina plays host Saturday to the winner of Wednesday’s Hemet-Corona game.

Freeway League champion La Habra (19-5) is the top-seeded team in Division II-A and Saturday will play the winner of Wednesday’s Palm Desert-Yucaipa game. The Highlanders made it to the Division 4-A (now Division II-A) quarterfinals last season before losing to Bishop Montgomery, 51-44.

Estancia (23-1) received the second-seeded position in Division III-AA. The Eagles, ranked No. 2 in the county and winners of the Pacific Coast League, will face the winner of the La Quinta-Santa Fe qualifying game.

In Division 3-A, Garden Grove League champion Rancho Alamitos (24-0), the county’s only undefeated team, is the top-seeded team, and Pacific Coast League runner-up Costa Mesa (17-8) is in the No. 3 spot.

PAIRINGS: C13