CIF STATE BASKETBALL FINALS : Brea Can Cover All Bases : Division II girls: Ladycats usually have the offensive, defensive versatility to handle all situations.

It’s a sturdy 5-foot-6 frame that bears the weight of a program steeped in basketball tradition, and no one carries it off quite like Nicole Erickson.

With the absence of senior leadership on the Brea-Olinda girls’ basketball team, that responsibility has fallen squarely on the shoulders of Erickson, a junior who this year was called upon to play beyond her years on the court as well as in her head.

So far, she has pulled it off, and pulled her teammates up a level in the process.

“She carries a physical presence on the court that boosts the other players,” said USC’s Jody Anton, who filled the same role last season when Brea-Olinda defeated Healdsburg for its second consecutive State title. “I guess you can say she possesses all the leadership qualities. She’s been there before, she’s been to the championship game. She knows what it takes to win.”

And she has orchestrated much of what Brea has accomplishedthis season, including victories that have landed the Ladycats in their record fifth consecutive State title game appearance, Friday’s 6:15 p.m. meeting with Fair Oaks Bella Vista in Oakland.

As the point guard, Erickson gets things rolling for the Ladycats, but the ball often finds its way back into her hands. Erickson averaged 22.2 points and 5.6 rebounds in the regular season, numbers that have changed little since. Her perimeter shooting is lethal, as evidenced by her 94 three-pointers, including the section-record 11 she drilled in a league game against Savanna, in which she also scored a season-high 46 points.

When she misses her first shot, Erickson tends to be thrown off kilter, so it’s important she opens well. If not . . . Brea’s contingency plan can trip up the best of foes.

Most teams that have someone averaging in the 20s don’t have much else. But Erickson is joined by three starters who have scoring averages in double figures; each player has led the team in scoring at least once.

At 6-1, center Colleen Hudson (16.5 points) keys the Brea attack from the inside. Hudson shoots about 12 times a game, five less than Erickson, and scored a season-high 32 points early in the season against Costa Mesa. Against Carlsbad, she had two timely buckets from the key in the fourth quarter.

“When I look at Brea-Olinda, I see a lot of us,” said Carlsbad Coach John Dubreville, whose Lancers forced Brea into overtime in the regional semifinals. “They have a great inside-outside game.”

Sophomore forward Lee Moulin (10.6 points) is another outside threat, and has the wherewithal to drain shots that can drain an opponent. In Saturday’s Southern California Division II final at the Sports Arena, Moulin’s three-pointer from the baseline extended Brea’s lead to seven, in a 45-39 victory over San Diego University City.

Brea-Olinda Coach Mark Trakh would like to see Moulin rebound more, but he would also like to see Sarah Beckley (12.1 points) make up her mind. Beckley has roared like a lion, only to turn around and be as silent as a lamb.

“If she comes to play, we’re difficult to beat,” Trakh said.

Beckley didn’t just show up against University City, she shined, with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Depending on what Bella Vista does offensively, the Ladycats likely have the defensive answer. Brea used man-to-man almost exclusively during league, then switched to zone in playoffs. Especially effective in regional play was the Ladycats’ 2-3 sag--where the defenders gravitate toward the middle to stop the inside game.

Brea came out playing zone in the regional final, but Trakh quickly adjusted in the second quarter and sent forward Susan Rhodabarger to pester the Centurions’ star.

Over the past two months, Trakh has emphasized rebounding. His team, through Hudson’s size and Beckley’s strength, has responded.

With a loss in height, Brea is running more this year and giving its opponents a bit more scoring leeway. Brea has given up an average 39.6 points per game, slightly higher than past Ladycat teams allowed.

On offense, Brea averaged 71 points a game in 1991-92, which the Ladycats have improved to 73.5 this year. And they have covered the scoring spectrum, from the 113 points they scored against Anaheim in the first round of Orange League play, to a season-low 45 points in the regional final.

BREA-OLINDA IN THE STATE SPOTLIGHT

The Season Record: 31-2. Regular season: A Southern Section-tying 12th Orange League championship in a row. Southern Section: Sixth section championship in eight years. Finished first in Division II-AA, defeating Cerritos Gahr, 75-39, for championship. Southern California Regional: A section-record fifth regional in a row. Defeated Ventura, 77-41; Carlsbad, 64-55 (OT); San Diego University City, 45-39.

The Coaches Head Coach: Mark Trakh, 13th year, 355-42. Assistants: John Hattrup, Cathy Lewis.

The Starting Five

Name Yr. Hgt. PPG Nicole Erickson Jr. 5-6 21.9 Colleen Hudson Jr. 6-1 16.5 Lee Moulin So. 5-10 10.6 Sarah Beckley Jr. 6-0 12.1 Susan Rhodabarger Jr. 5-7 3.4

The Key Reserves

Name Yr. Hgt. PPG Kikoyo Miller Fr. 5-7 4.2 Tara Llanes So. 5-4 3.5 Lauri Jordan Jr. 5-10 3.2 Chespi Serna Sr. 5-6 2.8

The Starting Five Name: Coach’s Comment Nicole Erickson: Crunch-time player; the heart and soul of this team. Colleen Hudson: Great rebounder, won’t let anyone intimidate her, anywhere. Lee Moulin: Has two nicknames, but “shooter” describes what she does best. Sarah Beckley: Team’s strongest player is also its biggest question mark. Susan Rhodabarger: Defensive demon. Hustles, dives. Does the dirty work.

The Key Reserves Name: Coach’s Comment Kikoyo Miller: Great defensive player, among top freshmen in the county. Tara Llanes: Very quick, good leaper. Could start on most other area teams. Lauri Jordan: Can come through in a pinch, provided quality minutes all season. Chespi Serna: Good defensive player. Hustles all the time.