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Division I-A Boys’ Basketball Final

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Where--Arrowhead Pond, 8:30 tonight

Mater Dei (30-3)--Just who will be in Coach Gary McKnight’s starting lineup is anyone’s guess, but it will be vastly different from the one on Dec. 2, when Glendora beat Mater Dei, 54-42, in the Wooden Classic High School Invitational. Cedric Bozeman, who started at forward in the first meeting and scored nine points with seven rebounds, is most likely out for the remainder of the playoffs with an injured knee. Freshman guard Mike Strawberry now comes off the bench. And guard Steve Scoggin, who was recovering from the flu, is the Monarchs’ leading scorer. Center Erik Soderberg (6-9), who started in December, will likely do so again in place of sophomore Jamal Sampson (6-9), who re-injured his foot. Imran Sufi, who played a total of five minutes in the first meeting, is likely to start at point guard.

Glendora (30-1)--The defending section champions are making their third appearance in the final in the past four years. But the Tartans haven’t shot well in recent Pond appearances, including a 16-of-40 performance in their victory over Mater Dei. Guard Casey Jacobsen, the 1998 Southern Section Division I player of the year, played the entire game against the Monarchs but made only four of 12 field-goal attempts; however, he made 14 of 17 free throws to finish with 22 points. In Tuesday’s 81-77 overtime victory against San Bernardino Pacific, Jacobsen scored 27 points, but was only nine of 23 from the field.

Key to the game--This is a rematch of the 1996 Division I-A final, won by Mater Dei, 57-47. This time around, however, look to top-seeded Glendora to prevail. The Tartans have experience in four-year starter Jacobsen. The Monarchs figure to be without Bozeman and Sampson.

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Starting Lineups

MATER DEI

*--*

P Name Ht. Avg. F Derrick Mansell 6-2 8.7 F Mike Bayer 6-7 14.2 C Erik Soderberg 6-9 3.3 G Imran Sufi 5-10 3.0 G Steve Scoggin 6-0 15.0

*--*

Coach: Gary McKnight

GLENDORA

*--*

P Name Ht. Avg. F Chris Clark 6-6 17.0 F Chad Clark 6-6 5.0 C Michael Ahmad 6-9 6.0 G Casey Jacobsen 6-6 31.2 G Bruce Hatch 6-2 4.0

*--*

Coach: Michael LeDuc

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