Mater Dei, Glendora Seeded No. 1

For the second consecutive year, the biggest question surrounding the Southern Section boys’ basketball tournament is: Who didn’t make the playoffs?

A record 367 teams were paired last year, drawing heavy criticism from all sides because many of the schools had records far below .500.

Southern Section officials asked league representatives to crack down on entry requirements this season, but 327 teams were paired Sunday in 10 divisions. Although that is 40 fewer than last year, it is 42 more than made the field in 1990.

The top three teams in each league automatically make the playoffs, but leagues have the right to add additional participants at their discretion. Two years ago, a Southern Section basketball committee selected at-large entries based on a point system.

Although the numbers are still high, section officials are pleased with the 11% decrease.

“The purpose of playoff competition is to determine a champion, not to provide additional games for undeserving teams,” said Dean Crowley, Southern Section associate commissioner. “It is apparent our member schools and their leagues took heed of our request to use discretion in making their entries this year.”

There were few surprises in determining top-seeded teams in each division. The biggest debate might have been in Division I-AA, in which Lynwood (21-4) was seeded No. 1 over Capistrano Valley (23-3), even though the Cougars are ranked higher in the section media poll.

Santa Ana Mater Dei (26-1), No. 1 in the Times’ Southern Section poll, is top-seeded in I-A. Glendora (26-0), the only undefeated team in the tournament, is the No. 1-seeded team in II-AA.

Other top-seeded teams:

Trabuco Hills (22-5), II-A; Inglewood Morningside (17-6), III-AA; La Canada (22-2), III-A; Santa Clara (21-3), IV-AA; Verbum Dei (17-6), IV-A; Cypress Brethren Christian (23-2), V-AA; and La Canada Ribet Academy (16-6), V-A.

The opening round of the playoffs is Friday.