Perennial Powers Get Last Word

There were plenty of worthy challengers this season, but like so many before them, none could stop the Crenshaw and Santa Ana Mater Dei High boys’ basketball teams.

As a result, the Southland’s traditional top two teams once again will meet in the State Southern Regional Division I final tonight at 8 at the Pond of Anaheim. It is Mater Dei’s fifth consecutive appearance in the game and Crenshaw’s third in the last four years.

“This is a classic matchup of a perennial City power and us out here in Orange County,” Mater Dei Coach Gary McKnight said.

Tonight’s winner will advance to the state final next Saturday at Arco Arena in Sacramento. Since the tournament was resurrected in 1981, Mater Dei and Crenshaw have appeared in 10 of 15 championship games and six of the last seven.

There were indications earlier this season that the stronghold might be loosened. Mater Dei’s top player, junior Schea Cotton, transferred to Bellflower St. John Bosco, and McKnight looked to be in a rebuilding stage. Crenshaw struggled in several early tournaments, losing four games before beginning its conference schedule.

In addition, neither team had any heralded players.

But Mater Dei, which has won 34 games in a row since dropping its opener, won its fifth Southern Section divisional title in a row by defeating Glendora, 57-47, last week. Crenshaw’s 82-81 victory over Fremont was its fourth City Section title in a row.

Mater Dei and Crenshaw began the regional tournament as the division’s No. 1- and No. 2-seeded teams, respectively, but Fremont and Long Beach Jordan figured to be in the title hunt.

In Thursday’s regional semifinals, Mater Dei needed an overtime period to defeat Fremont, 63-57, and Crenshaw came from behind in the fourth quarter against Jordan for a 78-69 victory.

Junior guards Kevin Augustine of Mater Dei and Alastair Faux of Crenshaw lead their teams in scoring with 20-point averages. Crenshaw has a size and depth advantage, but the Monarchs are more used to playing at the Pond.

“I don’t look forward to playing them,” Crenshaw Coach Willie West said of Mater Dei, “but I’m certainly not afraid to play them.”

Mater Dei has not defeated Crenshaw since 1984, when it beat the Cougars in the Tournament of Champions. And the Monarchs have never defeated Crenshaw in a state tournament playoff game.

Regional titles for boys and girls in Divisions I, II and III will be held today at the Pond, beginning at 9 a.m. Finals in Division’s IV and V will be at Cal State Fullerton, beginning at 4 p.m.

Of the 20 teams competing today, 11 appeared in the regional finals last year. Three of the games are rematches: Van Nuys Montclair Prep and San Diego Horizon Christian in boys’ Division V; Irvine Woodbridge and Brea Olinda in girls’ Division II and Santa Ynez and Cerritos Valley Christian in girls’ Division IV.

The boys’ Division II game between Compton Dominguez and Inglewood is the fourth meeting between the schools this season. Dominguez, the top-rated team in the Southland by The Times, has won all three games, including last week’s 84-76 victory in a Southern Section divisional final.

Times staff writer Paul McLeod contributed to this story.

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Regional Finals

AT THE POND OF ANAHEIM

* Boys’ Division I--Mater Dei (34-1) vs. Crenshaw (27-5), 8 p.m.

* Boys’ Division II--Dominguez (32-2) vs. Inglewood (29-4), 3 p.m.

* Boys’ Division III--Harvard-Westlake (28-2) vs. San Diego University (27-2), 11 a.m.

* Girls’ Division I--Buena (30-1) vs. Mater Dei (27-3), 6 p.m.

* Girls’ Division II--Woodbridge (30-2) vs. Brea-Olinda (29-3), 1 p.m.

* Girls’ Division III--Morningside (27-3) vs. Bishop Montgomery (16-17 *), 9 a.m.

* 11 losses by forfeit

*

AT CAL STATE FULLERTON

* Boys’ Division IV--Fresno Washington Union (27-1) vs. Santa Monica Crossroads (27-8), 8 p.m.

* Boys’ Division V--Montclair Prep (28-3) vs. San Diego Horizon Christian (26-5), 4 p.m.

* Girls’ Division IV--Santa Ynez (30-0) vs. Cerritos Valley Christian (30-0), 6 p.m.

* Girls’ Division V--Mission Prep (24-2) vs. Julian (29-3), 2 p.m.