SOUTHERN SECTION GIRLS’ BASKETBALL PLAYOFF PREVIEW : It’s More of the Same in V-AA, V-A

It may be television’s sweeps month, but it’s rerun time in Southern Section Division V-AA and V-A girls’ basketball.

Defending champions Pasadena Poly (V-AA) and San Bernardino Christian (V-A) are back as the top-seeded teams in their respective divisions and both are expected to duplicate their 1992 successes.

“I think Pasadena Poly is unbeatable,” St. Margaret’s Coach Brady Lock said. “The only pressure on them is not to blow it.”

The Panthers feature a 5-11, 5-10, 5-10 front line that averages more than 35 points and 35 rebounds. They’re led by forward Lisl Cochran-Bond, who averages 16.1 points and 8.8 rebounds.

While Pasadena Poly (22-3) is the consensus favorite in V-AA, the Panthers aren’t taking the division lightly. During the season, Pasadena Poly was a frequent caller to Capistrano Valley Christian to check on scores that didn’t make the local papers.

On paper, it seems unusual for Pasadena Poly to be overly concerned with Capistrano Valley Christian (16-6), which must win a wild-card game tonight at home against Claremont Vivian Webb to make Saturday’s first round against fourth-seeded Encino Holy Martyrs. But the Eagles finished second in the Olympic League, which consists mostly of Division IV teams, and are a genuine threat to meet Pasadena Poly in the semifinals.

“It surprised us that we have to play a wild-card game and that if we win we’d play a seeded team, but we’re comfortable with the dark-horse role,” Capistrano Valley Christian Coach Tim Shelton said. “We do a lot better when we come in as the unknown, and we’re capable of playing with and beating any team in the division.”

Division V is sparsely populated with Orange County teams--three (Capistrano Valley Christian, St. Margaret’s and Connelly) in V-AA and one (California Lutheran) in V-A--which means any county team advancing in the playoffs can expect to do a lot of traveling.

St. Margaret’s, which won its first league title in the school’s 13-year history, meets the La Sierra Academy-Hesperia Christian wild-card winner in Saturday’s first round. Connelly (7-7) travels to Templeton tonight for a wild-card game.

In Division V-A, San Bernardino Christian (20-0), led by Kelly McMurry’s 25-point average, is another top-seeded team that’s not expected to lose. California Lutheran, the county’s only entry in the division, plays host to Avalon tonight in the first round.

Division V-AA, V-A at a Glance

Defending champions: Pasadena Poly (V-AA), San Bernardino Christian (V-A).

Top teams: V-AA--Pasadena Poly (22-3), San Luis Obispo Mission Prep (14-6), San Bernardino Aquinas (20-2). V-A--San Bernardino Christian (20-0), Lone Pine (19-3), Long Beach Gethesmane Baptist (17-1), Los Angeles Lutheran (17-3).

Dark horses: V-AA--Capistrano Valley Christian (16-6). V-A--Rio Hondo Prep (11-10).

Top players: V-AA--Aline Altibarmakian (Encino Holy Martyrs), Lisa Bevill (St. Margaret’s), Renee Blodgett (Aquinas), Lisl Cochran-Bond (Pasadena Poly), Shawn Dennis (Canoga Park Faith Baptist), Heidi Elliott (Capistrano Valley Christian), Amanda Favorite (Aquinas), Marcy Giosa (Capistrano Valley Christian), Susan Heydenrych (St. Margaret’s), Nicole Jenkins (Arrowhead Christian), Courtney Kanegae (Pasadena Poly), Ivana Kovacic (Capistrano Valley Christian), Gina Manalo (Aquinas), Bridgett Smith (Covina Western Christian). V-A--Erika Andrade (La Verne Calvary Baptist), Chrys Andrews (Lone Pine), Chhaya Bhakta (Corona Christian), Dawn Fields (Los Angeles Pilgrim), Deanna Fulton (Lancaster Desert Christian), Marina Hampton (Rio Hondo Prep), Susan Hinton (Lone Pine), Angie Kisena (Harbor City Gateway Christian), Carrie Lucas (La Verne Lutheran), Kelly McMurry (San Bernardino Christian), Jaime Robison (San Bernardino Christian), Holly Roepke (Los Angeles Lutheran), Scherry Seaman (Salton City West Shores), Majianne Yonge (Lone Pine).

Best draw: V-AA--Pasadena Poly. No matter whom the defending champion Panthers face, it’s a good draw. V-A--Lone Pine. After a first-round bye, Lone Pine wouldn’t meet a league champion until the semifinals.

Worst draw: V-AA--Capistrano Valley Christian. Despite finishing second in the strong Olympic League, composed mainly of Division IV schools, the Eagles must play a wild-card game tonight and, if they win, then face fourth-seeded Holy Martyrs (15-6) in the first round. V-A--La Verne Calvary Baptist or Sylmar First Lutheran. The winner of their first-round game meets unbeaten, top-seeded and defending champion San Bernardino Christian in the second round.

Notes: Playoff opportunities were wide open in Division V, as only one team--Victor Valley Christian of Division V-AA--applied for an at-large berth and didn’t get in. . . . Both Pasadena Poly and San Bernardino Christian are defending champions and this year’s top-seeded teams in their respective divisions. . . . California Lutheran is the only Orange County school in the Division V-A draw.