HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS : Morningside Has Little Trouble Beating Estancia in Division III

After needing an overtime period to defeat Costa Mesa Estancia a week ago, the Inglewood Morningside High boys’ basketball team turned up the pressure in its rematch with the Eagles on Saturday at the Sports Arena.

Morningside scored 84-67 victory in the Southern Regional Division III finals and earned a berth in next week’s State championship in Sacramento.

In their first meeting, Morningside had to rally from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat Estancia. The Monarchs didn’t need any heroics in the rematch.

Behind Stais Boseman’s 25 points and Pauliasi Taulava’s 14 points and 12 rebounds, Morningside took control early and never looked back.

After an evenly played first quarter, the Monarchs outscored Estancia, 21-9, during the second, with Boseman getting 14 first-half points.

Estancia (25-8), which finished with 26 turnovers, had problems with the Monarchs’ full-court pressure defense. Only 6-foot-7 Matt Fuebringer had a good game offensively for the Eagles, scoring 26 points.

“We felt that we could press them the whole game, especially their guards,” said Boseman, who also had six steals and four assists. “We wanted to make their entry passes a little harder to (Fuebringer).”

Morningside (24-6) will play Seaside, winner of the Northern Regional final, in the Division III State championship game next Saturday.