Greenwood Has Verbum Dei in State Final

Former UCLA star and Chicago Bull David Greenwood will try to lead his high school alma mater Verbum Dei to another state basketball championship as the tournament starts its two-day run today at Sacramento’s Arco Arena.

Verbum Dei (22-5), which won a title in 1995, takes a 17-game winning streak into the 4:15 p.m. final behind the play of Marlon Parmer and Dalron Johnson. The Eagles crushed La Jolla Bishop’s 67-46 to advance while Pacific Grove (27-2) squeaked by Modesto Christian, 55-54.

One of the Southland’s top girls’ basketball programs, Playa del Rey St. Bernard (29-4), will play Colfax (28-7) in the Division IV game at 2:30

St. Bernard won consecutive titles in 1993 and ’94 but lost in the final last year to Moraga Campolindo.

Sophomore guard Shannon Howell scored 26 points and senior guard Tracee Lewis had 22 in the Vikings’ 72-52 regional final victory over Corcoran.