BOYS’ BASKETBALL / PLAYOFF PREVIEW : Mater Dei, Artesia Favored

Santa Ana Mater Dei and Artesia highs, two of the dominant boys’ basketball teams in the Southland in recent years, are favorites again to win Southern Section titles.

Most of the section’s 10 divisions begin first-round action tonight. The tournament concludes March 5-6, with winners advancing to the State tournament.

Mater Dei, top-ranked by The Times, is the defending Division I-A champion. The Monarchs (26-1) are top seeded this season in the same division. Fifth-ranked Artesia (21-3) lost to Glendora in the II-AA final last year but went on to win the State Division II crown. The Pioneers are seeded No. 1 in II-A.

Several of Mater Dei’s seniors signed with Division I colleges in the fall, including forward Marmet Williams with San Jose State, and guards David Drakeford with Oregon State and Kamran Sufi with St. Mary’s.

Artesia’s talented inside duo of forward Charles O’Bannon and center Avondre Jones have not signed and neither has indicated a favorite. Although they won’t meet because they play in different divisions, many think Artesia is the only area team with enough talent to beat Mater Dei, whose only loss was to Carmichael Jesuit near Sacramento in the semifinals of the Above the Rim tournament in Encinitas last December. Artesia lost two games to nationally ranked teams at the Beach Ball Classic in South Carolina in December, and was beaten by Inglewood Morningside in a non-league game last month.

Mater Dei’s toughest challenges should come from Thousand Oaks (23-1), the Marmonte League champion, and Huntington Beach (24-3), the Sunset League titlist. The Monarchs, who have won seven section titles since 1983, have beaten Huntington Beach twice this season.

“Beating the best means beating Mater Dei,” said Roy Miller, Huntington Beach’s coach. “Their record speaks for itself.”

Artesia’s quest for a championship will be tougher. Pasadena Muir (22-5) and Bellflower St. John Bosco (22-2), the division’s second- and third-seeded teams, have plenty of talent. Muir is led by All-American guard Jacque Vaughn and St. John Bosco by forward James Cotton, who signed with Cal State Long Beach.

Division I-AA, which includes the section’s largest schools, should be a battle between top-seeded Long Beach Jordan (17-6) and second-seeded Lynwood (19-7). Defending champion Capistrano Valley (17-9) of Mission Viejo qualified for the playoffs but is not expected to reach the final.

The only undefeated team in the playoffs is Riverside North at 25-0, top-seeded in II-AA. The Huskies lost to Mater Dei in the I-A championship game last year.

The girls’ playoffs, which have most first-round games Saturday night, shape up as a race of undefeated teams in Division I. Top-ranked Lynwood (23-0) is the favorite in I-AA. In I-A, a battle between No. 2 Thousand Oaks (26-0) and No. 5 Perris (25-0) is expected. Divisional winners could meet in the regional tournament March 13.

Third-ranked Brea-Olinda (24-2), the defending III-AA champion, moved up this season and is top seeded in II-AA.