San Dimas High Ready for Run at Title : Basketball: The top-seeded Saints want to atone for loss in 3-A Division championship game last season.

Gary Prestesater has not heard a word from any of his players regarding the subject, but after coaching basketball at San Dimas High for 13 seasons, he has learned to sense what they are thinking.

The Saints, who lost to La Canada in the 3-A Division championship game last season, finished the regular season 22-3 and won the Valle Vista League with a 10-0 record. They will open the boys’ Southern Section playoffs Friday against Blair as the top-seeded team in 3-A.

“I get the feeling that this is what they have been waiting for, to come back and try to win the whole thing,” Prestesater said. “They never say anything, but that’s the way they act.”

San Dimas is one of 30 boys’ teams from the San Gabriel Valley to qualify for the playoffs in eight divisions. Boys’ wild-card games were played Tuesday and first-round games begin Friday.

Twenty-six San Gabriel Valley girls’ teams qualified for the playoffs in 10 divisions, including Hacienda Heights Wilson (22-1), the top-seeded team in 2-A, and Pasadena Poly (22-3), the top-seeded team in 5-AA. Girls’ wild-card games and some first-round games were played Wednesday. Other first-round games are Saturday.

“There are a lot of teams in the (San Gabriel Valley) area that can do well,” Prestesater said. “But like any other sport, you have to get lucky, you have to get a good draw and get the home games. You never know just how everything is going to fall into place.”

Prestesater describes this year’s San Dimas team as the strongest he has coached. Junior guard Jeremy Veal averages 22.5 points a game and senior guard Brad Alley averages 16. Forward Olin Chamberlain averages 12 points, point guard Nate Alexander runs the offense and forward Sean Smith concentrates on rebounding.

San Dimas’ losses were to Pasadena, Tustin and Riverside Poly.

“The kids played together, passed the ball and did things together,” Prestesater said. “Nobody got greedy. They would rather win than score points.”

Here is a list of playoff matchups involving San Gabriel Valley boys’ and girls’ teams:

BOYS

Division 1-AA--Millikan (13-12) at San Gabriel (12-13); Alhambra (10-15) at Long Beach Poly (15-10); Arcadia (15-10) at Fontana (20-5).

Division 1-A--El Monte (11-11) at Claremont (19-6); Canyon of Country Canyon (12-13) at Pasadena (20-6); Palm Springs (13-9) at Diamond Bar (17-8); Paramount (14-10) at Arroyo (15-9); Chino (18-8) at West Covina (19-7).

Division 2-AA--Glendora (18-8) at Moreno Valley (15-8); Rosemead (13-11) at Cajon (22-4); Walnut (12-11) at Damien (16-9).

Division 2-A--Bishop Amat (12-13) at North Torrance (14-10); Charter Oak (14-10) at San Bernardino (18-6); Bosco Tech (12-11) at Kennedy (23-3); Garey (12-12) at California (16-8); San Marcos (10-14) at Muir (22-5); Elsinore (12-12) at Wilson (20-5).

Division 3-AA--Azusa (16-6) at Sonora (22-3); Fullerton (16-9) at Pomona (19-5); Bassett (13-12) at Paso Robles (17-6); Blair (10-14) at San Dimas (22-3); South Pasadena (13-11) at Santa Paula (11-12); Monrovia (11-13) at St. Francis (15-9); Covina (13-10) at Rancho Verde (14-8); Moorpark (11-11) at Workman (12-11).

Division 4-AA--Marshall Fundamental (10-13) at Palo Verde (13-10).

Division 5-AA--Arrowhead Christian (16-4) at Pasadena Poly (16-6).

Division 5-A--Rio Hondo Prep (13-9) at Bethel Christian (16-7).

GIRLS

Division 1-AA--Alhambra (20-4) at Peninsula (16-7); Nogales 12-8) at Long Beach Poly (20-3); Channel Islands (19-6) at San Gabriel (16-8).

Division 1-A--El Monte (8-11) at Palmdale (8-6); West Covina (14-11) at Santiago (17-6); Indio (11-12) at Diamond Bar (19-3); Downey (14-9) at Arroyo (23-3); Pasadena (13-8) at San Clemente (14-10).

Division 2-AA--Rosemead (8-10) at Ocean View (14-11).

Division 2-A--Trabuco Hills (10-14) at Wilson (22-1); Los Altos (16-9) at West Torrance (13-13); North Torrance (18-6) at Garey (16-6); Charter Oak (17-6) at Don Lugo (18-6); Muir (10-13) at Bishop Amat (16-7).

Division 3-AA--Pomona (8-12) at Rubidoux (11-14); Bishop Montgomery (12-8) at Bassett (17-6); St. Lucy’s (14-11) at Newport Harbor (18-6).

Division 3-A--Lompoc (16-8) at Blair (15-6); San Dimas (16-8) at La Canada (17-8).

Division 4-AA--San Jacinto (11-10) at Gladstone (12-6).

Division 4-A--La Salle (9-10) at Bishop (15-9); Whittier Christian (14-8) at Maranatha (16-7); Orange Lutheran (12-11) at Alverno (12-5).

Division 5-AA--Trona (6-13) or Oakwood (8-6) at Pasadena Poly (22-3).

Division 5-A--Rio Hondo Prep (11-10) at Owens Valley (8-0).