SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : Brea’s Next Opponent Keeps Its Chin Up : Girls: However, Ladycats’ 80-point victory gives South Hills coach something to think about.

You are the girls’ basketball coach at West Covina South Hills High and you have just read that Brea-Olinda, your next opponent in the Southern California Regional playoffs, demolished Santee West Hills by 80 points in the first round.

Do you ask the governor to send disaster relief to San Diego and, as long as he’s at it, get a little for yourself, or do you dig deep into your Dale Carnegie positive thinking and motivational routine to inspire the troops?

Paul Reed, South Hills coach, chose the inspirational approach.

“I think I would be unfair to my athletes if I don’t look at it (coming game) positively,” Reed said. “Personally, I’m a little intimidated because if the game is close, he (Brea Coach Mark Trakh) is going to out-coach me. But we are going to use the game as a positive experience, no matter what happens.”

The Huskies (25-3) made it to the regionals after losing to Rancho Alamitos on a last-second shot, 68-66, in the Southern Section Division III-A championship game Saturday. They defeated San Diego Our Lady of Peace, 70-54, in the opening round of the regionals Tuesday and travel to Brea for a 7:30 game tonight against the top-seeded Ladycats (29-2).

Forward Stephanie Ring, a 5-foot-7 senior who averages 15.7 points and 11.7 rebounds, and 6-2 1/2 senior center Stephanie Cude, who contributes 14.3 points and 10.6 rebounds, lead South Hills. Ring scored 24 points against Rancho Alamitos and almost single-handedly kept the Huskies in the game.

Trakh, though blessed with another powerhouse team, knows the Huskies will be a much more formidable opponent than West Hills. The Ladycats routed the San Diego Section representatives, 96-16, in the first round Tuesday.

“We studied the tape of the South Hills game against Rancho,” said Trakh, who last year guided the Ladycats to the State Division II title. “You watch that tape and you see that they lost by only two points even though they turned the ball over 35 times. If they can play Rancho that tight, I think they can play us tough also.”

The Ladycats won their fourth consecutive section championship Saturday with a 49-35 victory over Inglewood Morningside. Guards Jody Anton (15.7 points) and Nicole Erickson (13.0 points) lead Brea. Anton had 24 points and 14 rebounds against Morningside.

In the other Division III semifinal, Rancho Alamitos (22-2) plays host to Morningside (18-11) in another role reversal from the Southern Section Division III-AA and III-A finals.

The Vaqueros beat Wasco, 75-68, in the first round Tuesday. In a game they had in control until the final quarter, the Vaqueros’ defense could not keep Wasco, the Central Section Division III runner-up, from rallying to close the gap.

Most of the Wasco offense in the final minutes was provided by point guard Casey Graham, who scored 16 of her game-high 22 points in the fourth quarter.

Rancho Alamitos Coach Bob Becker says the Vaqueros will have to do a better job of containing Morningside point guard Kameisha Prewitt if they want to reach the finals Saturday at the L.A. Sports Arena.

“She’s (Prewitt) very quick,” Becker said. “We can’t afford to let her penetrate.”

Besides Prewitt, Morningside also offers another major challenge for the Vaqueros with 6-2 junior forward Tina Thompson (23.3 points, 12.4 rebounds), who had 15 points and 22 rebounds Saturday against Brea.

“Is there anyone better in our division?” Becker said. “She’s as good as they come. They bank a lot on Tina. But we feel that if we play well as a team, no matter what they do, it’ll be a good game.”

Senior point guard Shannon James, who had a team-high 19 points for Rancho Alamitos against Wasco, directs the Vaquero attack and is a three-point threat. Center Anita Stecker (15.3 points) and forward Akilah Rodgers provide scoring inside.