DIVISION I : Beating Mater Dei Is Goal of 31 Teams

Huntington Beach Coach Roy Miller didn’t hesitate when asked to analyze the Southern Section Division I-A basketball playoffs.

“It’s 31 teams playing for a shot at Mater Dei,” Miller said. “Everybody’s shooting for them. We’d certainly like a third chance to play them.”

Mater Dei (26-1) enters the playoffs as the top-seeded team for the ninth time in 10 years. The Monarchs have won seven section titles under Coach Gary McKnight since 1983 and are a good bet to win again this season.

“In all honesty, there’s no team in the division that can come close to them,” Century Coach Greg Coombs said. “Their depth is what will separate them from all the others.

“You spend all your energy trying to keep up with them in the first half, and here comes five fresh players. And there’s very little dropoff when Gary goes to his bench.”

Mater Dei defeated Huntington Beach (23-3) in the championship game of the Daily Pilot Tipoff Tournament and the Tournament of Champions.

Huntington Beach’s only other loss was to nationally ranked Oak Hill Academy from Mouth of Wilson, Va., in the semifinals of the Las Vegas Invitational. Miller acknowledges the road to the divisional championship travels through Mater Dei.

“If we were fortunate to win the title, I’d like to think we beat the best to get the championship,” Miller said. “And beating the best means beating Mater Dei. Their record speaks for itself.”

Speaking of records, there are 13 teams among the 32-team field with 17 or more victories. Only Buena Ventura and Orange qualified with losing records.

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The big question in Division I-AA: Why didn’t some of the county’s top teams in Division II petition the Southern Section to move up to this division by the Dec. 16 deadline?

“The division is as weak as I’ve ever seen it,” Ocean View Coach Jim Harris said. “Unfortunately, I didn’t realize this until it was too late. I called the CIF (Southern Section) three days after the deadline.”

The tell-tale signs were there in early December. Top-seeded Long Beach Jordan (17-6) wasn’t a factor in the Tournament of Champions at Ocean View High.

Second-seeded Lynwood (19-7) was upset by Santa Margarita in the second round of Converse/Coca-cola Classic at Capistrano Valley High and then was thumped by Pasadena Muir in the next round.

Certainly, Kennedy (23-3) and Trabuco Hills (20-6) in Division II-A would have been among the seeded teams in this division if someone had the foresight to move up two months ago. As it stands, Capistrano Valley (17-9), which was soundly beaten by Mater Dei (twice) and Trabuco Hills, has a good shot at the title.

“Capistrano Valley can definitely win the division,” Harris said.

Division I-A at a Glance

Defending champion: Mater Dei.

Top teams: Mater Dei, Thousand Oaks, Huntington Beach and Esperanza.

Dark horse: Loyola has averaged more than 70 points and finished third in a strong Mission League behind Bishop Montgomery and St. John Bosco. Bishop Montgomery is seeded second in Division III-AA; St. John Bosco is seeded second in Division II-A.

Top players: Matt Ambrose (Huntington Beach), Toby Bailey (Los Angeles Loyola), Chris Boyd (Paramount), Steve Carbone (Los Alamitos), David Drakeford (Mater Dei), Nick Foster (Thousand Oaks), Paul Foster (Thousand Oaks), Ty Gaines (Palmdale), Tony Gonzalez (Huntington Beach), Donald Guyton (Pasadena), Damon Hendrick (Diamond Bar), Deven Rey (Moreno Valley Valley View), Miles Simon (Mater Dei), Keith Van Horn (Diamond Bar), Marmet Williams (Mater Dei).

Best draw: Thousand Oaks. The second-seeded team should breeze to the semifinals.

Worst draw: Esperanza. Fourth-seeded team could have difficulty with Paramount’s quickness in the second round.

Notes: There are 10 league champions and the best at-large entry, Century, in this division. Section officials are counting on a Huntington Beach-Mater Dei matchup in the championship game and would feature this game as the second half of a doubleheader March 6 at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. Ventura Buena and Orange are the only teams among the 32 entries with losing records. Quality from top to bottom.

Division I-AA at a Glance

Defending champion: Capistrano Valley.

Top teams: Long Beach Jordan, Lynwood, Simi Valley and Capistrano Valley.

Dark horse: Peninsula. Team has an impressive front line led by 6-foot-7 forward Matt Acres, the younger brother of former Palos Verdes stars Mark and John Acres, and a veteran coach, John Mihaljevich, who traditionally does well in the playoffs.

Top players: Matt Acres (Peninsula), Dion Amos (Lynwood), Ryan Briggs (Simi Valley), Matt Campbell (Arcadia), Travon Carmichael (Fontana), Ed Jones (Victor Valley), Corey Kost (Capistrano Valley), Eddie Lucas (Redlands), Rodney Malloy (Lynwood), Everett Ratleff (Jordan) and David Sedgwick (Capistrano Valley).

Best draw: Capistrano Valley. The division’s defending champion, which is seeded fourth, won’t face a league champion until the quarterfinals.

Worst draw: Long Beach Poly. The perennial powerhouse will likely face Peninsula in the second round.

Notes: Capistrano Valley Coach Mark Thornton was all smiles when the pairings were announced Sunday--with good reason. Capistrano Valley could win it all. Top-seeded Jordan and second-seeded Lynwood can be beaten. Lynwood has been without its second-best player, Nathan Ware, since the end of the first round of league play when he was declared academically ineligible. Jordan’s best player, Ratleff, has been hot and cold all season.