SOUTHERN SECTION BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS : I-AA Boys : Capistrano Valley vs. Lynwood, 8:30 p.m.

SITE--L.A. Sports Arena

RECORDS--Capistrano Valley (27-3), Lynwood (26-4)

CAPISTRANO VALLEY--The second-seeded Cougars take a 15-game winning streak into the final. Their only losses this season are twice to I-A finalist Mater Dei and to Lynwood, 57-52, in overtime, in a Trabuco Hills tournament semifinal game. Lynwood rallied from a nine-point first-quarter deficit as Capistrano Valley made only six of 23 free-throw attempts. The Cougars are led by guard Tom Airey, Orange County’s single-season three-point record-holder. Airey, a 6-foot-1 senior who has signed with Loyola Marymount, made eight three-pointers and scored 25 points in a 67-55 semifinal victory over third-seeded and defending champion Long Beach Jordan. His eight three-pointers gave him 127 this season, one more than the record he set last season. He now has 258 career three-pointers and has an outside shot at breaking the Southern Section record of 266 set by Rolling Hills’ Steve Clover. “Airey is a bad , bad boy,” Lynwood Coach Bill Lee said. “He certainly has the respect of our players, and that’s not easy to do.”

LYNWOOD--The top-seeded Knights struggled to a 72-62 victory over Long Beach Poly in the semifinals without leading scorer Nathan Ware (sprained ankle) and with limited playing time from starter Rodney Malloy (foul trouble). But 5-9 sophomore Joe Austin came off the bench for 20 points and senior Jamal Lawrence, who is headed for Pepperdine, added 15. Ware, who injured his ankle in a quarterfinal game against Redlands, is listed as probable for tonight’s game. “He’s coming around,” Lee said. “He can walk on it now, and he had been on crutches last weekend.” The Knights are tall and deep. Ware and Deon Amos stand 6-7, and freshman reserve D’Can Bryant is 6-5.

KEYS TO THE GAME--Can Ware be effective despite his injury? Can Lynwood stop Airey, who hit four three-pointers against the Knights in the first meeting? And, can Capistrano Valley hit free throws this time?

CONSENSUS--Lynwood in a close one--again.

Starting Lineups

CAPISTRANO VALLEY

P Name Ht. Avg. G Tom Airey 6-1 15.4 G David Sedgwick 6-2 6.3 C Jeremy Garrett 6-8 8.6 F Steve Ransom 6-6 9.3 F Aaron Rhoades 6-3 6.4

Coach: Mark Thornton

LYNWOOD

P Name Ht. Avg. G Derrick Barnes 6-0 8.4 G Jamal Lawrence 6-1 20.1 C Nathan Ware 6-7 10.6 F Deon Amos 6-7 6.3 F Rodney Malloy 6-3 16.9

Coach: Bill Lee