Old, New Powers to Mix It Up in Basketball Playoffs

Brea Olinda will try to win an unprecedented 11th consecutive Southern Section title and Palisades will try to gain its first major division City Section championship when the girls’ basketball playoffs begin today.

First-round games in the Southern Section are tonight and Saturday. First-round games in the City Section are Friday.

Southern Section championship games will be played March 5 and 6 at the Pyramid in Long Beach. The City championship game will be played March 5 at Pauley Pavilion, the Division championship March 6 at Loyola Marymount.

Here is a division-by-division look at the tournaments.

CITY SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP

Palisades (22-4) is favored to make its second consecutive trip to the City championship game. Last season, the Dolphins lost to Harbor City Narbonne, which went on to win the state Division I championship before both titles were stripped for rules violations. This year, Palisades is the team to beat. The Dolphins won the Huntington Beach Marina tournament in December and defeated perennial Division I power Berkeley last month. Second-seeded Crenshaw, third-seeded Washington and fourth-seeded North Hollywood pose the biggest threats.

CITY SECTION DIVISION

Los Angeles is the top-seeded team in a division for teams ranked No. 17-32 in the section. The Romans open against Huntington Park and probably will have to get past fourth-seeded Reseda Cleveland to reach the final against second-seeded Chatsworth or third-seeded Hamilton.

SOUTHERN SECTION

* DIVISION I-AA: Guard Lauryn Morita and center Natalie Kelly will try to lead top-seeded Palos Verdes Peninsula (21-4) to its second consecutive title. Second-seeded El Toro (19-4) features twins Giuliana and Gioconda Mendiola, who average 24 and 19 points, respectively. Junior guard Candice Allen keeps third-seeded Chino Hills Ayala (23-4) in every game and Janeka Webster is one of the top players for fourth-seeded Rialto Eisenhower (23-4).

* DIVISION I-A: Riverside J.W. North (24-2) earned the right to be the top-seeded team with a strong finish. Second-seeded Chino Don Lugo (25-3) stumbled in the final week against Chino, but the Conquistadores feature one of the best juniors in the nation in Diana Taurasi, who averages 28 points a game and has a knack for playing her best in the biggest games.

* DIVISION II-AA: Brea Olinda, with forward Chelsea Trotter and guard Lindsey Davidson, has too much depth for any of the teams in this division. The Ladycats knocked off Harbor City Narbonne in a classic intersectional game last month and are rolling again. Second-seeded Moorpark features Damaria Hinojosa, who averages 26 points. Jacky Williams leads third-seeded Santa Ana Foothill (23-3), and Heather Hansen is one of the top players for fourth-seeded Norco (22-4).

* DIVISION II-A: Seniors Allison Box and Shannon Wosman lead top-seeded La Puente Bishop Amat (22-2) in a division that includes second-seeded Bellflower (21-3), which is battle-tested from having played in the Suburban League against Cerritos. Trecha Kennedy and Shyrah Thomas are the top-players for third-seeded Culver City.

* DIVISION III-AA: Maggie Barnett and Romina Bollini are the top players for top-seeded Fullerton Rosary (19-8), which could get a serious challenge in this 16-team division from Verana James and second-seeded Pomona Ganesha (24-3). Defending-champion Mission Hills Alemany (18-7) is the third-seeded team, La Canada (17-7) fourth.

* DIVISION III-A: Top-seeded North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake (23-4) is the defending champion in this 16-team division. With Omelogo Udeze and Rolake Bamgbose leading the way, the Wolverines are expected to reach the final. Second-seeded Inglewood Morningside (18-9) features standout Kamesha Bell.

* DIVISION IV-AA: Morro Bay (17-7), champion of the Los Padres League, is the top-seeded team in a 16-team division that includes second-seeded Cerritos Valley Christian (14-10), third-seeded Lancaster Paraclete (16-8) and fourth-seeded Twentynine Palms (18-4).

* DIVISION IV-A: Sophomore Courtney Young is the top player for top-seeded Santa Monica Crossroads (24-2), but second-seeded Playa del Rey St. Bernard and guard Shannon Howell won the Division IV state title last season.

* DIVISION V-AA: Palos Verdes Chadwick (20-5) is the top-seeded team and Erin Gilliland will try to lead her team to its second consecutive title. Jennifer Dyche is the top player for second-seeded Covina Western Christian (19-4) and Andrea Opfer leads third-seeded Long Beach St. Anthony (15-6).

* DIVISION V-A: Amber Cunningham is the top player for top-seeded Pilgrim (20-2), which won section titles in 1996 and ’97. Hemet Baptist Christian (18-0) is the second-seeded team, Apple Valley Christian (18-1) is third, Rolling Hills Prep (16-1) fourth.

Staff writers Martin Henderson and Michael Itagaki contributed to this story.