PREP BASKETBALL STATE REGIONAL PLAYOFFS : Morningside and Estancia Meet Again

A week ago, Inglewood Morningside High defeated Costa Mesa Estancia, 95-85, in overtime in the Southern Section III-AA Division boys’ title game at the Sports Arena.

It was an evenly played game that turned in Morningside’s favor after Estancia’s Matt Fuebringer fouled out late in regulation. Since then, both teams have been on course for a rematch today at 10:45 a.m. in the State Southern Regional Division III championship game at the Sports Arena.

With the winners gaining berths in next weekend’s State finals in Sacramento, the Morningside-Estancia rematch is one of seven Southern Regional championship games today with teams who have played each other this season. Of the five title games that will be played today at the Sports Arena, four will be rematches.

Morningside (23-6) had to come back from 11 points during the fourth quarter to send its game against Estancia into overtime, but the Monarchs have played well in the state playoffs. Estancia (25-7), which won the Southern Regional Division III title last season after being a Southern Section runner-up, defeated La Canada, 55-51, in its second-round game Thursday.

In the Division I title game, Capistrano Valley (30-3) will play Santa Ana Mater Dei (33-1) for the third time this season at 9 p.m. Mater Dei, winner of 19 consecutive games, defeated Capistrano Valley twice during the season and is going for its second state title appearance in three years.

Undefeated Glendora will play Artesia (27-4) for the second time in a week in the Division II championship game at 5 p.m. The Tartans (33-0) defeated Artesia, 66-48, last Saturday in the Southern Section II-AA Division final.

In the girls’ Division I final, top-seeded Palos Verdes Peninsula (31-0) will take on Lynwood (27-2) at 7 p.m. Peninsula defeated Lynwood, 54-44, for the Southern Section I-AA Division title last Saturday.

Brea-Olinda (30-2), which has defeated its two Southern Regional playoff opponents by an average score of 85-20, will go for its fourth consecutive girls’ Division III title when it meets Garden Grove Rancho Alamitos (23-2) at 9 a.m.

Five championship games will be played at Cal State Dominguez Hills, with Oxnard Santa Clara (27-3) facing San Diego Lincoln Prep (23-8) at 8:30 p.m. in the boys’ Division IV final.

In the boys’ Division V title game, Canoga Park Faith Baptist (26-6) will meet North Hollywood Campbell Hall (20-10) at 4:30 p.m. After losing two early season matchups to Faith Baptist, Campbell Hall defeated the Contenders, 60-40, in the V-AA Division Southern Section final last week.

In the girls’ Division II title game, Mission Hills Alemany (28-4) will play Torrance Bishop Montgomery (26-7) for the fourth time this season at 12:30 p.m. Alemany defeated Bishop Montgomery for the second time this season, 56-51, in the Southern Section II-A Division final last week.

The girls’ Division IV title game, which will start at 6:30 p.m., will be the sixth matchup between Morro Bay (25-3) and Santa Ynez (25-3). Morro Bay defeated Santa Ynez in the Southern Section IV-AA Division final to cut Santa Ynez’s season edge to 3-2.

El Cajon Christian (22-4) will play Arcadia Rio Hondo Prep (25-1) at 2:30 p.m. in the girls’ Division V title game.