GIRLS’ BASKETBALL : The Worst Part Might Be Over for 23-0 Mission Hills Alemany

Melissa Hearlihy feels good about her team’s chances in the Southern Section girls’ basketball playoffs, which begin this week. She figures the toughest part is past.

Hearlihy is the coach at Mission Hills Alemany (23-0), the top-seeded team in Division II-A. The Indians will play host to Anaheim Katella in a first-round game Saturday night.

It has been a difficult road to the playoffs for Alemany. Hearlihy skipped four games in December because of the birth of her first child. Then the school was condemned after last month’s earthquake. Classes are being held at a nearby seminary, while the team practices in Burbank and plays all of its games on the road.

School officials must now try to come up with a site for Saturday’s game.

Pairings were released Monday in 10 divisions. This year’s field has 231 teams.

All wild-card games and first-round games in three divisions will be played Wednesday. Everything else will start Saturday. The tournament concludes with finals on March 4-5.

This year’s pairings look similar to last season’s. Defending State Division I champion Lynwood is seeded No. 1 in Division I-AA. Brea-Olinda, which has won three consecutive state titles, is No. 1 in III-AA. Ventura Buena, which won the I-A championship last season, is that division’s top-seeded team.

Pairings were set mainly along geographical lines this year because officials wanted to lessen anticipated travel hassles and increased costs caused by the Jan. 17 earthquake.