Boys’ Basketball Pairings Drawn to Keep Teams Close to Home

Regionalizing the playoffs took center stage Sunday when the Southern Section released postseason brackets in the 10 boys’ basketball divisions.

Bowing to pressure from principals and superintendents to cut down on travel time and costs, the Southern Section put together first-round playoff matchups sensitive to local concerns about travel. Southern Section Commissioner Dean Crowley estimated that at least 75% of the first-round matchups were based more on distance than competitiveness.

Mater Dei (25-2), the county’s top-ranked team, is seeded No. 1 in Division I-A and will open against El Toro (18-8) Friday, most likely at the Bren Center. Three other South Coast League teams are also in the Monarchs’ bracket. Dana Hills (15-12) will be at Marina (17-9) and San Clemente (17-8) will host Aliso Niguel (17-9). Mission Viejo (16-10) will host University (16-9). Mater Dei swept to the South Coast League title with a 10-0 mark.

Coaches seemed to object to regionalism.

“The fun of the playoffs before was always playing someone you didn’t know anything about,” Mater Dei Coach Gary McKnight said. “This is just like playing the South Coast League race all over again.”

Coach Mike Murphy of third-seeded Sonora liked his Division II-A draw, but warned that the brackets are drawn so tightly that “if you don’t show up to play, you will be in trouble.” The Raiders (23-3) host Garden Grove (11-15) in the all-county bracket.

Three Golden West League entrants are also there, including Ocean View (19-6), which hosts Newport Harbor (15-11). Tustin (16-10) will visit Valencia (18-8) and Golden West League champion Servite (20-6) will host Pacifica (15-10), the Garden Grove League champion.

In another bend to travel costs, Los Alamitos (23-3) was seeded second in the Division I-AA and will host Long Beach Wilson (14-12). The two are in different counties, but the schools are just a couple of miles apart.

Villa Park (20-4) was seeded third in Division II-AA and will open at home game against North Torrance (13-13) in a division that includes competitors from the South Bay, as well as Southeast Los Angeles County. And Brea Olinda (23-3), seeded fourth in Division II-A, opens at home against Palm Desert (11-13). The bracket includes five other Inland Empire teams.

Brethren Christian (13-12) has a wild-card game at 7:30 Wednesday night against Burbank Providence (13-9) in the Division IV-A. All other matchups begin Friday night.