DIVISION III : Pacifica Players Make Reaching Goals a Habit

Coach Bob Becker’s run-and-stun Pacifica Mariners attained their first goal--the playoffs--nearly a month ago. Their second goal--a Garden Grove League title--has been clinched for a couple of weeks.

But their third goal, a Southern Section Division III-A championship, might not come quiet so easily.

Although the Mariners finished the season 23-1 and 14-0 in league, they were seeded behind North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake (22-2) and La Canada (19-2) in the III-A tournament draw.

But Becker didn’t seem concerned about his seeding.

“I’m not going to (complain) about any playoff brackets; you have to play everybody anyway,” he said. “There are seven teams that can win the III-A.”

And Becker said his team is ready for anybody, including Estancia (15-10), the No. 3 team from the Pacific Coast League, whom they play in Friday night’s opening round.

“Our whole season is based on getting prepared for playoffs,” he said. “We aren’t going to be affected by fouls. Before the first quarter is over, we’ve already played 12 people.

“We’ve seen a lot of different looks and we’ve been able to adjust to every situation.”

But La Quinta Coach Jim Perry, whose team was beaten twice by Pacifica, said there is simply no way to prepare for some of the more hostile environments encountered on the road.

“If you have to travel to Yucca Valley or Temescal Canyon, you can get cooked in a hurry,” Perry said. “You put yourself in a bus for four hours, you better be strapped up and ready to go. I don’t know if they’re ready to go to Lompoc, where the whole town shuts down and they just dare you to win.”

Then again, Perry said there won’t be many teams that are able to deal with Pacifica’s depth.

“They have 10 guys that could start for us,” he said. “I mean, how much more does the deck have to get stacked?”

Perry said he sees a team like top-seeded Harvard-Westlake, which has 6-foot-8 twins Jason Collins and Jarron Collins giving Pacifica the most problems.

“If anything hurts Pacifica, it’s their inside game,” he said. “We felt we could compete with Pacifica as long as (Jon) Surface and (Chris) Vlasic play outside. We were tied with them until Surface decided he wanted to go down low the last three minutes. Against the kind of people they’re going to play, they’re going to have to be more imaginative offensively.”

Becker agreed that solid post play will be a key for his team.

“In the playoffs, the best defensive teams run off the floor,” Becker said. “We’re going to have to do a good job of defending the post. There’s more good players in the post than out of the post in the playoffs.”

La Quinta (15-10, 9-5 in the Garden Grove League) isn’t blessed with the size or depth of Pacifica, but Perry said he’s not ready to concede anything to any team in the III-AA playoffs. The Aztecs play Friday at Santa Margarita (20-6), the Sea View League’s No. 1 team.

“We sat down with these kids before the season and set some goals,” he said. “The kids have hit them right on the head. They’ve come from just getting hammered night in and night out to be a very respectable team. Anybody that takes us for granted is taking a chance. We’re not the most talented team, but we have kids with great heart. Collectively, they believe they have a lot to prove to themselves.”

Becker also gives Bolsa Grande (14-10, 10-4), which finished second in the Garden Grove, a shot at pulling an upset or two in the III-AA playoffs. The Matadors open Friday by playing host to Servite (17-8), the No. 3 team from the Sunset League.

“I really believe that Tom Cardoza and (Ron) Inman should be coach of the year,” Becker said. “If I were a league champion, I sure wouldn’t want to play Bolsa.”

Division III-AA at a Glance

Defending champion: Inglewood Morningside.

Top-seeded teams: Sonora (22-5), Lake Arrowhead Rim of the World (21-3), Santa Margarita (20-6), Magnolia (18-7).

Dark horse: Bolsa Grande (14-10). A team with no one over 6 feet 2 that nobody wants to play.

Top players: Travis Bates (Moreno Valley Rancho Verde), Brian Baughman (Bolsa Grande), Ken Cauley (La Habra), Craig Clark (Sonora), Chris Dee (Foothill), David Downs (Servite), Davon Dural (Compton Centennial), Brad Finneran (Santa Margarita), Chad Fister (Sonora), Frank Henderson (Magnolia), Sergio Hernandez (Sonora), Greg Greenfield (La Quinta), Brandon Hearvey (Magnolia), Andrija Kristich (La Habra), Sean Morris (Foothill), Dante Marks (Pomona), Kareem Mutrie (Torrance Bishop Montgomery), Tuan Pham (Bolsa Grande), Jayson Sanders (Bishop Montgomery), Keith Sanders (Murrieta Valley), Mark Seaton (Servite), Todd Snyder (La Quinta), Paul Tayyar (Newport Harbor), Todd Wilson (Savanna), Kevin Ward (Murrieta Valley).

Best draw: Rim of the World (21-3). The second-place team in the Sunkist Leagueis second-seeded and has a fairly easy route to semifinals.

Worst draw: After beating Fullerton to reach the playoffs, La Habra (17-10) must travel to Pomona (17-10). If it wins, it could get third-seeded Santa Margarita in the second round.

Notes: The key to Santa Margarita’s hopes might depend on whether forward Brian Finneran can come back from his broken foot. Without Brian Finneran, opponents can key on his twin, Brad Finneran.

Division III-A at a Glance

Defending champion: Sherman Oaks Notre Dame.

Top-seeded teams: North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake (22-2), La Canada (19-2), Pacifica (23-1), San Dimas (21-4).

Dark horse: La Canada Flintridge St. Francis (19-6). Led by 6-11 center Chris Ott and 6-8 forward Braden Weber, the Golden Knights finished second in the Del Rey League to Bellflower St. John Bosco, the fifth-ranked team in Division II.

Top players: Ramon Alliman (Pacifica), Chris Beerman (Cathedral City), Jamar Bailey (San Dimas), Jamal Childs (Covina), Jason Collins (Harvard-Westlake), Jarron Collins (Harvard-Westlake), Manuel Escamilla (Santa Paula), Billy Fields (Bellflower), Clay Franz (Estancia), Scott Garson (Harvard-Westlake), Mark Gozun (Covina), Michah Hanson (Moorpark), Chris Moreland (Duarte), Chris Ott (La Canada St. Francis), Pete Paciorek (San Marino), Cliff Parker (Lompoc), Charlie Petit (La Canada), Jecarl Riggins (Pasadena Blair), Eric Sanchez (La Canada), Jon Surface (Pacifica), Jeremy Veal (San Dimas), Chris Vlasic (Pacifica), Brandon Weber (St. Francis), Yaphet Wiltz (Bellflower).

Best draw: La Canada (19-2). The Spartans lost one more game than Pacifica, but they were seeded higher and a much easier first-round matchup than the Mariners, who must play Estancia (15-10).

Worst draw: San Dimas (21-4). The Saints lost only four games, one to second-seeded La Canada and another to Glendora, the fourth-seeded team in II-AA, but could meet talented St. Francis in the second round.

Notes: Veal, a 6-3 senior guard, has already signed a letter of intent with Arizona State. He is averaging 30 points, eight rebounds, four assists and is shooting 55% from three-point range. “He’s legitimate,” Pacifica Coach Bob Becker said. “I saw him on film and he made this flying dunk on the baseline over a couple people. Our guys can dunk but they can’t dunk with people in their face.”