SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PREP BASKETBALL REGIONAL PLAYOFFS : GIRLS : Division III

Rancho Alamitos vs. Morningside

SITE--Inglewood Morningside High School, 6 p.m.

RECORDS--Rancho Alamitos (25-5), Morningside (27-2).

RANCHO ALAMITOS--The Vaqueros are smaller and certainly no quicker than Morningside, so they’ll have to do a couple of things very well--shoot and block out. Junior Akilah Rodgers (20.6 points, 12.2 rebounds), Timerie James (16.6 points) and company did neither very well in the Southern Section III-A final, a 72-55 loss to Costa Mesa. If Rancho Alamitos again shoots 16% in the first half, the rebounding won’t matter.

MORNINGSIDE--The top-seeded Monarchs are led by Tina Thompson (17 points, nine rebounds), who is headed to USC, and Cha-Ron Walker (10 points, nine rebounds). Morningside, the Division III-AA champion, was stretched to the limit against Newport Harbor in the section playoffs before winning, 61-57. The Monarchs beat Mission Hills Alemany in the final, 71-60.

KEY TO THE GAME--Rancho Alamitos must maintain its composure against the press and not be intimidated by Morningside’s size advantage. The Vaqueros also must maintain their focus--Newport Harbor’s 2 1/2-minute letdown in the third quarter cost them a seven-point lead.

CONSENSUS--Rancho Alamitos matched up better against Costa Mesa and lost by 17, but Coach Bob Becker said he thinks his team will shoot better in a high school gym instead of an arena. They’ll have to.