SOUTHERN SECTION GIRLS’ BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES : Division II-AA Girls

Gahr vs. Brea-Olinda, 3:15 p.m.

SITE--Loyola Marymount, Gersten Pavilion

RECORDS--Gahr (20-8), Brea-Olinda (27-2)

GAHR--The Gladiators score off their defensive pressure but will also try to work the ball inside to Shannon Gale (15 points, seven rebounds), Valencia Suggs (10 points, eight rebounds) and Amy Brockman (eight points) when they can’t run. Gahr’s losses this season were to Inglewood Morningside, St. Bernard (twice), Lynwood (twice), Capistrano Valley and Cerritos, and all but Cerritos, the No. 4 seeded team in Division II-AA, are playing in the Section finals.

BREA-OLINDA--The Ladycats like to run, press and play pressure defense, and their style has been very successful over the years with three State titles in the last four years. Junior Nicole Erickson (22.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 45% from the three-point stripe) is the focal point on this young squad, which starts four juniors and a sophomore, including post players Colleen Hudson (15.9 points, 8.9 rebounds) and Sarah Beckley (12.6 points, 8.4 rebounds).

KEY TO THE GAME--Brea-Olinda must keep Gahr off the offensive boards. If the Gladiators are allowed second and third shots every time down the floor, they’ll win. But Gahr must somehow cut down the outside shooting of the Ladycats.

CONSENSUS--Both teams know each other’s tendencies so well, it should be low-scoring and could get sloppy. Brea-Olinda also has won the previous two meetings, in the 1991 and 1992 finals of the Brea-Olinda Ladycat Holiday Classic, so maybe the law of averages could come into play. But not likely.

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Starting Lineups

GAHR

P Name Ht. Avg. G Michelle Wineke 5-9 9.0 G Rhonda Anderson 5-7 9.0 C Valencia Suggs 6-0 10.0 C Amy Brockman 6-0 8.0 F Shannon Gale 5-9 15.0

Coach: Tom Pryor

BREA-OLINDA

P Name Ht. Avg. G Nicole Erickson 5-6 22.7 G Susan Rhodabarger 5-6 4.7 C Colleen Hudson 6-1 15.9 F Sarah Beckley 5-11 12.6 F Lee Moulin 5-10 11.0

Coach: Mark Trakh