Amritraj Advances in USTAs

No. 2-seeded Prakash Amritraj of Encino will play fifth-seeded Brian Baker of Nashville, Tenn., today in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Tennis Assn. Boys’ 16 National Hardcourt Championships in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Amritraj advanced with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Lester Cook of Sherman Oaks on Wednesday. Matt Cloer of Linville, N.C., defeated Robert Yim of Glendale, 1-6, 6-2, 6-2.

Amritraj and his cousin, Stephen Amritraj of Calabasas, seeded No. 2 in doubles, were beaten by seventh-seeded James Pade of Redwood City and Aaron Spencer of Eugene, Ore., 6-4, 6-2, in a quarterfinal match Thursday.

The No. 5-seeded team of Baker and Sukhwa Young of Wesley Chapel, Fla., beat third-seeded Cook and Derrick Bauer of Marina del Rey, 6-4, 6-2, in another quarterfinal match.

No. 15-seeded Amber Liu of La Mesa defeated Bernadette Bayani of Simi Valley, 6-2, 6-3, on Thursday in the round of 16 in the USTA Girls’ 18 tournament in San Jose.

Eighth-seeded Jennifer Smith of Charlotte, N.C., beat No. 9 Brooke Borisoff of Agoura Hills, 7-5, 6-3, Thursday in the USTA Girls’ 16 tournament in San Diego.

Borisoff and Lauren Perl of San Diego beat Sara Anundsen of Littleton, Colo., and Jamie Peisel of Savannah, Ga., 6-4, 6-4, to advance to the quarterfinals today.

SWIMMING

* Peter McVey of Quartz Hill High and William Chae of Granada Hills, who swim for Canyons Aquatics, have been selected to Southern California Swimming’s All-Western Zone Team.

Mathew Jensen, Michele Kumaus, Lauren Kristensen, Renee Viveros and Tabitha Hand of Canyons Aquatics also made the team.

Jeff Conwell, a Canyons assistant, was selected coach of the 11- and 12-year-old boys’ zone team.

BASKETBALL

* The American Roundball Corp. Bearcats of North Hollywood reached the 32-team championship bracket of the AAU 10-and-under national tournament in Orlando, Fla., by going 3-1 in pool play.

Dayne Crist, Larry Drew and Ryan Merkle averaged nearly 12 points for the Bearcats in the victories.