SOUTHERN SECTION BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS : III-AA Boys : Estancia vs. Inglewood Morningside, 11:15 a.m.

SITE--L.A. Sports Arena

RECORDS--Estancia (23-6), Inglewood Morningside (20-6)

ESTANCIA--The defending State Division III champions go for the title that eluded them last season. Estancia lost to Pomona, 48-45, in a forgettable Southern Section III-AA title game in 1991 but came back to beat Pomona in the Southern California regionals and then won the State championship. Forward Matt Fuerbringer is the only returning starter from last year’s team and has often carried Estancia through this season. Fuerbringer, who has signed to play volleyball at Stanford University, averages 19.2 points, 9.1 rebounds and is shooting 61% from the field. Teammate Jim Faulkner is the only other starter averaging in double figures. Coach Tim O’Brien’s biggest concern is Morningside’s quickness and athletic ability. “It could be an adventure just getting the ball past half court,” he said. “If we can get into a half-court game, we can play with anybody around.” O’Brien rates Morningside guard Stais Boseman along with Edison’s Brandon Jessie as “the two premier athletes in Southern California.”

MORNINGSIDE--County schools have eliminated Morningside in two of the past four years. Servite beat the Monarchs in the III-A championship game, 49-46, last season, and Corona del Mar upset them in the semifinals, 57-56, in 1989 when Morningside was the top-seeded team. Morningside has one of the most balanced scoring teams in the section with four starters averaging 10.2 points or better. Center Pauliasi Taulava, a 240-pounder, isn’t a threat offensively but makes his presence felt in the middle defensively. He is the only senior in the starting lineup. Boseman, who is also a gifted option quarterback, has been a starter since his freshman season. If Morningside has a weakness, it’s a lack of discipline. The Monarchs were firing three-point shots with a minute remaining against Servite while clinging to a three-point lead.

KEYS TO THE GAME--Defensive pressure. Estancia will have to deal with Morningside’s full-court press. Morningside must play better post defense against Fuerbringer and Faulkner than it did against Servite’s Adam Anderson and Ryan Dodd.

CONSENSUS--Too close to call.

Starting Lineups

ESTANCIA

P Name Ht. Avg. F Matt Fuerbringer 6-7 19.2 F Ty Schisler 6-4 5.5 C Jeff Byrne 6-6 6.5 G Joe Edson 5-11 6.2 G Jim Faulkner 6-4 12.0

Coach: Tim O’Brien.

MORNINGSIDE

P Name Ht. Avg. F Dwight Curry 6-4 11.4 F Corey Safford 6-7 10.2 C Pauliasi Taulava 6-9 4.5 G Stais Boseman 6-4 17.7 G Dominic Ellison 6-0 17.3

Coach: Carl Franklin.