The Pairings

Pairings for Southern Section playoff games involving Orange County teams (sites and times TBA); semifinal-round games will be played Tuesday, March 2, and final-round games will be played Friday and Saturday, March 5-6.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Division IV-AA

Corona del Mar (16-12) vs. Playa del Rey St. Bernard (13-14).

SEMIFINALS

Division I-AA

Capistrano Valley (20-9) vs. Long Beach Jordan (19-6).

Division I-A

Mater Dei (29-1) vs. Pasadena (23-6).

Huntington Beach (26-3) vs. Thousand Oaks (25-1) or Irvine (21-7).

Division II-A

Kennedy (26-3) vs. Lakewood Artesia (23-3).

Division III-AA

Santa Margarita (23-4) vs. Inglewood Morningside (25-4).

Division V-AA

Brethren Christian (21-7) vs. Los Angeles Brentwood (22-5).

Odds and Ends

Nervous time: Before the game, Corona del Mar Coach Paul Orris neglected to put Ramin Bastani’s name in the Sea King score book, which resulted in a technical foul when Bastani checked in at the start of the second quarter. Fortunately for Corona del Mar, Banning missed the two free throws, and Bastani hit five clutch free throws in the second half of a 71-61 victory.

Huntington Beach had the hot hand against Los Angeles Loyola, shooting 62 per cent from the field for the game and 78% in the second half en route to a 76-58 Division I-A victory. Tommy Walden led the way with nine-for-13 shooting for 19 points including seven for seven in the second half. Matt Ambrose had 17 points on seven-for-nine shooting and 10 rebounds. Tony Gonzales was eight for 14 for 17 points and 11 rebounds.

Coaching Corner

Overheard from a Banning fan after Corona del Mar’s 71-61 victory over second-seeded Banning in the Division IV-AA semifinals Friday: “If our team had their coach, we would have gone undefeated.”

Perhaps not, but with the victory, Orris has led the Sea Kings into a Southern Section championship game for the third time in his seven years as coach.

Musical Chairs

Referees wanted Sonora Coach Mike Murphy to take his seat during Friday’s Division III-AA quarterfinal game between the Raiders and Santa Margarita. The order caused some confusion.

Apparently there weren’t enough chairs on the Sonora bench.

Murphy: “How can I sit down, I don’t have a seat?”

Ref: “I think you better find one.”

And miraculously, a spot opened on the bench. Five seconds later, Murphy was on his feet again.

ON THE RECORD

‘He’s a big-time player. He’s ranked as one of the top five juniors in the country, and I don’t doubt that for a minute.’

--Rainer Wulf, Trabuco Hills Coach, after watching Bellflower St. John Bosco guard Jelani Gardner control the tempo and score 21 points in the Braves’ 69-64 quarterfinal victory in Division II-A.

‘This division is as tough as any in the CIF (Southern Section). We’re capable of winning the championship, but so are three or four other teams.’

--Brian Breslin, St. John Bosco coach, on Division II-A, after his team advanced to the semifinals with a victory over Trabuco Hills.