Parity Rules Among County Teams in Postseason

For the second consecutive season there aren’t a slew of elite county teams throughout the brackets. This was, more or less, a very competitive, but not superb, season for boys’ basketball locally.

Oh, sure, tradition will tell you that Mater Dei (26-3) in Division I-A and defending state Division II champion Santa Margarita (24-2) in Division II-A are legitimate candidates for post-season success. But Mater Dei will have to go through defending section champion Glendora, which defeated the Monarchs earlier in the season. And Santa Margarita, which returned no starters when the season began, has “dropped” into one of the most competitive divisions.

Beyond those there are no proven champions and not much recent historical trends to look at.

Sure, Laguna Beach is top-seeded in Division IV-AA. But the Artists advanced as tri-champions of the Pacific Coast League, the first time in at least 30 years that anyone can remember a Laguna Beach team finishing the regular season in first place.

Defending Division III-AA champion Ocean View has stepped “down” into the division with Santa Margarita, a move Coach Jim Harris said he wished he could have avoided. Pacifica, which won a section title in 1993, is also there, as is Laguna Hills, among others, which shared that league title with Laguna Beach and Unversity.

Division I-AA, which includes Capistrano Valley and Sunset League champion Los Alamitos, among other county entrants, is expected to be dominated by defending champion Lakewood Artesia.

The same is expected of Division II-AA, where defending Division I-A champion Compton Dominguez has the potential to win another state title.

You can’t completely cut out Brea Olinda in this division, though. The Wildcats could be the county’s only other strong championship hope.

Calvary Chapel doesn’t figure to get to the finals again this season in Division IV-A.

Unseeded Heritage Christian in Division V-A has the potential to make some noise, but has no proven playoff experience.

Still, maybe the parity in the county this year will prove to be a good thing. In a couple of weeks we’ll know.

DIVISION I--AA

Defending champion: Lakewood Artesia.

Top teams: Artesia (23-2), Long Beach Poly (20-6), Fontana (18-7), Long Beach Jordan (21-6).

Dark horse: Upland (22-3). Outside of a bad loss to Artesia, the Highlanders have been solid all year.

Top players: Romel Beck (Etiwanda), Joseph Dawson (Fontana), Trenell Eddings (Rialto Eisenhower), Chris Ferguson (Irvine), Apolinar Fernandez (Artesia), Jason Kapono (Artesia); Jack Martinez (Artesia), Jack May (Chino Hills Ayala), Willie Milner (Santa Maria), Desmond Peniger (Upland), Andrew Pleick (Los Alamitos), Dwight Sattiewhite (Oxnard Channel Islands), J.J. Sola (Capistrano Valley), Jonathan Steven (Esperanza), Mike Stowell (Capistrano Valley) Brian Wethers (Murrieta Valley), Jamaal Williams (Corona Centennial).

Notes: Artesia goes for a second straight championship with one of the Southland’s best front lines in the 6-8 Kapono (24.3 points, 9.2 rebounds), 6-8 Martinez (15.9 points, 7.3 rebounds) and 6-9 Fernandez (16.2 points, 6.8 rebounds). Of the trio only Kapono is a senior; Martinez and Fernandez are sophomores. . . . Coach Wayne Merino, who also coached Ed and Charles O’Bannon at Artesia, said Kapono could be just as good. “All three had special qualities and all three were different,” Merino said. “Jason’s strength is his understanding of the game. He really is a coach on the floor.” . . . Besides finding some game film on first-round opponent Yucaipa, Capistrano Valley Coach Brian Mulligan’s biggest challenge will be rallying the Cougars from a pair of devastating late-season losses to Mater Dei and Artesia. . . . Seniors Sola (19 points, 10.6 rebounds) and Nathan Hair (16 points) have gotten most of the attention at Capistrano Valley. But senior Mike Stowell (15.9 points, 6.1 rebounds) could be the Cougars most consistent player. . . . Esperanza, one of four county teams in the bracket, has no qualms about facing second-seeded Long Beach Poly in the opening round. Not after having to beat Fountain Valley twice Thursday and Friday for third place in the Sunset League to make the playoffs. “We’re glad to be playing anywhere,” Coach John Cyrus said. . . . The Aztecs are a better team than their 15-12 record now that Steven (17 points, six rebounds), a 6-5 junior forward, is fully recovered from his broken hand.

DIVISION II-AA

Defending champion: Santa Margarita.

Top teams: Compton Dominguez (23-3); Redondo Beach Redondo Union (19-6); Brea Olinda (24-2); El Monte (13-13).

Dark horse: Moreno Valley Rancho Verde (23-4). Some unfortunate team--perhaps El Monte in the first round--will find out the Mustangs are not a typical third-place finisher.

Top players: Keith Brooks (Compton Dominguez), Solomon Brown (Savanna), DeAngelo Collins (Tustin), Clifton Cooper (Cathedral City), Neil Hammad (Canyon), Dustin Illingworth (Newport Harbor), Robbie Leark (Whittier La Serna), Josh Moss (Riverside Ramona), Joe Nichols (Whittier California), Alex Rasmussen (Foothill), Jerett Skrifvars (Brea Olinda), Andrew Zahn (Redondo Beach Redondo Union).

Notes: Bob Terry said replacing Brea Olinda legend Gene Lloyd as head coach was not as difficult as people might have thought. “The last couple of years Gene had given me a lot of responsibility for coaching the team,” Terry said. “So it felt like my team this year. We didn’t have to change systems and I had a great group of kids back.” One of those was the talented 6-4 senior forward Skrifvars (14 points, 12 rebounds). . . . The Wildcats are often criticized for an easy schedule and rarely venturing out of Brea Olinda. But Terry got them a tougher schedule this year, and their only losses are to Glendora and Rowland Heights Rowland. . . . Buena Park’s senior forward Matt Okoro is the county’s leading rebounder, averaging 14.3 boards. Buena Park travels to West Torrance on Friday . . . As if perennial title threat Dominguez didn’t have enough going for it with 7-foot sophomore center Tyson Chandler (15 points) and outstanding junior forward Brooks (15 points, 11 rebounds), Coach Russell Otis added “this is the first time in the last 10 years we’ve had everybody healthy going into the playoffs.” . . . Add Dominguez: Otis said one reason Chandler has had an up-and-down season offensively is too many people are trying to advise him on his game. “Everybody wants to say they had a part in his development,” Otis said. “At times he’s been very confused out there.” . . . Canyon Coach Rob Alexander said the Comanches had better not expect a walkover in Trabuco Hills, which was pummeled 101-47 by Mater Dei last Friday to complete a 1-9 South Coast League season. “Everyone is 0-0 in the playoffs, and everyone’s intensity picks up,” Alexander said. . . . Newport Harbor’s 22 victories was the second-highest win total in the school’s 69-year history. “It’s due to a good group of kids that have been playing together since about the fifth grade,” Coach Larry Hirst said. . . . La Serna has won 23 games, Coach Mike Lowe said, because of its balance. The five starters average between nine and 15 points, led by senior 5-10 guard Robbie Leark (15 points). . . . 6-5 senior forward Nichols (20 points, 9.6 rebounds) of Whittier California and 6-10 junior center Zahn (20.2 points, 14.5 rebounds) of Redondo Union are two of the division’s top post players.

DIVISION III-AA

Defending champion: Ocean View.

Top teams: Torrance Bishop Montgomery (21-4); San Dimas (23-3); Mission Hills Alemany (17-6); Covina Gladstone (17-5).

Dark horse: La Quinta. Even though the Aztecs are in the top half of the bracket, there appears to be no super team in the division.

Top players: Errick Craven (Torrance Bishop Montgomery), Chris La Count (Covina Gladstone), Jermaine Lofton (Brawley Union), Sean Maxey (San Gabriel Gabrielino), Devin Montgomery (Mission Hills Alemany), Kenny Porchia (Monrovia), Chris Smith (La Quinta), Josh Smith (San Dimas).

Notes: La Quinta Coach Craig Snider bristles at the notion the Garden Grove League schedule doesn’t toughen up its teams for the playoffs. “I would say without question the league is way up,” Snyder said. “We have legitimate all-county players--at least four types including our guy Chris Smith (22.5 points, 9.1 rebounds). This season our league was the best it’s been in my four years here.” . . . Although they are only sophomores, Duke and Kansas have made calls on Bishop Montgomery 6-2 twins Derrick and Errick Craven, Coach Doug Mitchell said. Errick averages 18.4 points, Derrick 12. . . . Add Bishop Montgomery: despite losing two projected starters before the season and starting three sophomores, Mitchell said this team “is probably as good as I’ve had here the past few years.” . . . After Bishop Montgomery, Snider said he was impressed with Alemany. “They have physical size and strength. And won that [Mission] league, which is very good. . . . La Quinta will find out quickly how good it is. First-round opponent Pomona (3-20) won the Miramonte League title on the court but had to forfeit the title for using an ineligible player. “We were kind of shocked to get them,” Snider said.

DIVISION IV-AA

Defending champion: Santa Maria St. Joseph.

Top teams: Laguna Beach (19-6); Duarte (15-10); Twentynine Palms (20-5); Pasadena Marshall (18-6).

Dark horse: Rosamond (17-5). The Roadrunners could not get past the first round last year, but this time the bracket doesn’t have St. Joseph and Calvary Chapel as roadblocks.

Top players: John Barbieri (Carpinteria), Kurt Beimfohr (Laguna Beach), Douglas Bell (L.A. Salesian), Pat Dzuba (Morro Bay), Ryan Gray (Morro Bay), Steven Green (Duarte), Marcin Jagoda (Encino Crespi), Glenn Jones (Lancaster Paraclete), Jason Kenoyer (Pasadena LaSalle).

Notes: Laguna Beach is the only county team in the bracket, and will play the winner of the Agoura Oak Park-L.A. Salesian wild-card game on Friday. . . . If Laguna Beach gets to the second round, it could face Gardena Serra, which Artist Coach Bret Fleming said “is probably the hottest team in the playoffs.” Serra has won five straight, with one of those victories coming against Torrance Bishop Montgomery, top seeded in Division III-AA. . . . The Artists’ chances will depend on steady play from Beimfohr (17.1 points, 6.7 rebounds), a 6-5 senior forward who’s getting looks from Ivy League universities Cornell and Brown. . . . If Salesian wins, Laguna Beach will have to contend with the Mustangs’ Douglas Bell, a 6-2 junior forward averaging 12.7 points and 10 rebounds.

DIVISION V-AA

Defending champion: Pacific Hills.

Top teams: Pasadena Poly (23-0); Oxnard Santa Clara (21-3); West Hollywood Pacific Hills (20-6); Downey Calvary Chapel (21-4).

Dark horse: Whitewater (19-0). There’s always a hint of danger in unbeaten teams few people have heard about.

Top players: Ryan Abrahams (West Hollywood Pacific Hills), Koko Archibong (Pasadena Poly), Matt Dababheh (Riverside La Sierra Academy), Jesse Foster (North Hollywood Campbell Hall), Alex Huff (St. Margaret’s) Nick Jones (Oxnard Santa Clara), Peter McCaslin (Palo Verde Chadwick), James McChesney (Capistrano Valley Christian), Keegan McInnis (Downey Calvary Chapel), Phil Parker (Lancaster Desert Christian), Richard Sheasley (Boron), Albert Tampi (Glendale Adventist), Granville Ward (Oxnard Santa Clara).

Notes: St. Margaret’s (12-9) will face North Hollywood Campbell Hall (17-9) in a wild-card game Wednesday. The winner will travel to Whitewater on Friday. The Tartans are led by Huff, a 6-2 junior guard/forward who averages 22 points and 13 rebounds. The Vikings have a solid big man in the 6-7 Foster, a junior guard/forward averaging 14 points and 10 rebounds. . . . Capistrano Valley Christian (15-10) visits Canoga Park Faith Baptist (16-8) in a Friday first-round game. McChesney, a 6-1 senior forward, averages 16.5 points for Capistrano Valley. . . . Oxnard Santa Clara figures to be tough with two Division I college players in its lineup. Jones, a 6-4 forward averaging 22 points and 10 rebounds, and Ward, a 6-1 guard averaging 21 points have each signed with UC Santa Barbara.