Playoff Theme: Teams, Teams, Teams

Since the California high school basketball tournament was revived in 1981, after a 53-year hiatus, it has been roundly criticized.

One of the major gripes? Too many teams. Between the boys’ and girls’ tournaments, 160 schools will by vying for 10 titles. They are spread over five divisions in the Northern and Southern regions.

The tournament, which begins today and concludes March 15-16 in Sacramento, also includes many teams that are coming off losses in their sectional finals.

Whatever critics may say, however, coaches seem to think that the format is fine.

Glendora, for example, was defeated by Santa Ana Mater Dei in the boys’ Southern Section Division I-A championship last Saturday at the Pond of Anaheim, 57-47. The Tartans were rewarded with an at-large berth in Division I of the Southern Regional and will play Crenshaw, the City Section Division 4-A champion, in a first-round game tonight at Cal State Dominguez Hills.

“A lot of people didn’t expect us to get to the sectional final this year,” Glendora Coach Mike LeDuc said. “So to get that far was an accomplishment, and I wouldn’t have been upset if that’s where the season ended.”

On the other hand, LeDuc remembers 1989, when his team lost to San Bernardino in the sectional final but ended up beating Compton Dominguez in the regional final.

“Obviously, the circumstances are going to vary from year to year,” LeDuc said. “You want to be included when you think you have a fair chance to win it all.”

That is the case this season for Doug Mitchell, the boys’ basketball coach at Torrance Bishop Montgomery. His team was upset by Pasadena Muir in the Southern Section Division III-AA final Saturday but still qualified for the state tournament. Muir plays tonight at Fresno Central.

“I would’ve hated for the season to end on that note,” Mitchell said. “We knew we didn’t play as well as we’re capable, and this give us another chance to redeem ourselves.”

Fremont boys’ Coach Sam Sullivan echoed those sentiments to his team moments after its 82-81 loss to Crenshaw in the City Section 4-A final Saturday.

“The first thing I said to the kids is that this is not the end of our season,” said Sullivan, whose team plays at Encinitas Torrey Pines in a Division I game tonight. “If everything works out the way it should, we’ll play Crenshaw again in the regional final.”

The Southern Regional finals will be played Saturday. Divisions I, II and III will be at the Pond and IV and V at Cal State Fullerton.