COMMUNITY COLLEGE BASKETBALL REGIONALS : Rancho Santiago, Seeking Third Title, Will Face El Camino

Rancho Santiago’s quest for a third consecutive State championship moves into the second round of the regional playoffs at 7 tonight when the Dons play host to El Camino.

Rancho Santiago (22-9) is coming off a 77-64 first-round victory over Glendale Saturday. The game proved a point that Coach Dana Pagett has been making about his team all season: the Dons haven’t been a very consistent offensive team, but they have remained strong on defense.

“We play well (offensively) in spurts,” Pagett said, “but the defense has been there all season and that has proven to be a good thing. We really haven’t played badly, even in our losses.”

El Camino (12-13) upset Mt. San Jacinto, 81-72, in the first round Wednesday. Warrior guard Mark Johnson averages 18 points. Tyrone Paul, a 6-foot-5 forward who transferred from Clemson, averages 16 points and 10 rebounds.

The winner advances to Saturday’s regional final against the winner of Cerritos-L.A. Trade Tech game.

In other second-round games:

Saddleback (17-12) at MiraCosta (16-11), 7 p.m.--Saddleback went 5-1 in the second half of Orange Empire Conference play, and the Gauchos played well for the most part during a 70-62 victory over Rio Hondo Saturday. Freshman Josh Borella has scored 25 points in each of his last two games.

The winner advances against the Ventura-Riverside winner Saturday.

Cypress (21-10) at College of the Canyons (25-6), 7 p.m.--Cypress is coming off one of its better games, a 91-86 victory over L.A. Harbor. Bill Banks had a career-high 29 points for the Chargers.