Lynwood Has Look of Winner

The last word in Southland girls’ basketball is Lynwood High. The defending state and mythical national champion has been stellar all season.

Long Beach Wilson will try to have a say in Lynwood’s fortunes, though. Wilson nearly defeated Lynwood last season in the Southern Section semifinals, but lost, 80-76. The Bruins’ chance this year also will come in the semifinals, one round too early for Coach Paula Clear.

Wilson, which finished second to Long Beach Poly in the Moore League, was originally seeded third in Division I-AA.

However, the Bruins were placed fourth in the draw -- switching with Rialto Eisenhower -- because, by rule, the first- and second-place schools from the same league can’t be on the same side of the bracket.

A division-by-division breakdown:

DIVISION I-AA

Defending champion: Lynwood.

Seeded teams: 1. Lynwood (23-1), 2. Long Beach Poly (24-2), 3. Rialto Eisenhower (22-4), 4. Long Beach Wilson (22-6).

Dark horse: Chino Hills Ayala (21-6). Its four freshmen starters may be young enough to play with the abandon necessary to win a big game.

Outlook: The anticipated Lynwood-Poly matchup would give Lynwood senior Kameca Simmons a chance to play against the team she played for last season. Temecula Valley, a quarterfinalist last year, is intact with the return of Jessie Thompson after knee surgery.

DIVISION I-A

Defending champion: San Clemente.

Seeded teams: 1. San Clemente (22-3), 2. Newhall Hart (20-5), 3. Capistrano Valley (19-7), 4. San Bernardino Cajon (24-1).

Dark horse: Moreno Valley Canyon Springs (18-7). The athletic Cougars shared the Ivy League title with Riverside North.

Outlook: San Clemente has won section titles the last two seasons and should be seasoned enough to reach the finals again. Hart’s Ashlee Trebilcock is no longer feeling the effects of a bad ankle.

DIVISION II-AA

Defending champion: Ventura.

Seeded teams: 1. Fullerton Troy (23-2), 2. Alhambra Keppel (25-3), 3. Perris (22-5), 4. Riverside North (21-4).

Dark horse: Edison (20-5). The Chargers won the tough Sunset League, play tough strong defense and have at least three 20-point scorers.

Outlook: There are 10 first-place teams in the 29-team field. Unlike the Southern Section, The Times ranked Keppel ahead of Troy, and a championship between the two is as inviting as Lynwood-Long Beach Poly.

DIVISION II-A

Defending champion: Redondo Beach Redondo Union.

Seeded teams: 1. Redondo (22-4), 2. Brea Olinda (23-3), 3. Santa Ana Mater Dei (16-6), 4. Whittier La Serna (21-5).

Dark horse: Lakewood Mayfair (20-6). The Monsoons are from a tough league and two weeks ago took Artesia to overtime.

Outlook: Since senior Allison Bretana returned from a knee injury last month, she has provided Redondo with stability that could carry Sea Hawks to a return trip to the state finals. Jennifer Katsuyama has provided similar relief for Brea.

DIVISION III-AA

Defending champion: Artesia.

Seeded teams: 1. Santa Margarita (22-4), 2. Lakewood Artesia (17-9), 3. San Luis Obispo (22-2), 4. Pasadena Muir (15-7 ).

Dark horse: Garden Grove Pacifica (19-7). Mariners raised eyebrows two weeks ago with victory over Fullerton Rosary.

Outlook: Santa Margarita isn’t flashy but has the key elements: a solid point guard in Julia Pederson, shooting forward in Garland Cooper and capable center in 6-3 Whitney Hollison. Artesia could face a tough battle in the quarterfinals against Newbury Park and Brynn Cameron.

DIVISION III-A

Defending champion: Torrance Bishop Montgomery.

Seeded teams: 1. Bishop Montgomery (19-7), 2. La Puente Bishop Amat (24-4), 3. West Hills Chaminade (23-3), 4. Fullerton Rosary (18-8).

Dark horse: Inglewood Morningside (19-8). Natasha Thomas, a 6-3 junior, is the most talented post player in the division.

Outlook: Since Bishop Montgomery has won three state titles in Noelle Quinn’s three years, it’s hard to imagine anyone getting past the Knights. Bishop Amat, which Bishop Montgomery defeated twice to win the Del Rey League title, took the Knights to overtime in their last meeting.

DIVISION IV-AA

Defending champion: Playa del Rey St. Bernard.

Seeded teams: 1. Santa Fe Springs St. Paul (17-9), 2. Orange Lutheran (20-6), 3. Los Angeles Marlborough (20-5), 4. Cerritos Valley Christian (17-10).

Dark horse: Twentynine Palms (19-1). The Wildcats’ only loss this season was to Banning, by one point, 47-46.

Outlook: St. Paul’s Notre Dame-bound Crystal Erwin is the best player in the division but will need to keep her emotions in check. Cantwell Sacred Heart should get past Cerritos Valley Christian in the quarterfinals.

DIVISION IV-A

Defending champion: Cantwell Sacred Heart (now in Division IV-AA).

Seeded teams: 1. Brentwood (17-5), 2. Burbank Bell-Jeff (19-4), 3. Los Angeles Windward (19-2), 4. Westlake Village Oaks Christian (18-6).

Dark horse: Riverside Sherman Indian (13-5). Braves lost last year to finalist Van Nuys Montclair prep in quarterfinals, 55-50.

Outlook: Van Nuys Montclair Prep would have been the top-seeded team, but was ineligible because of sanctions imposed against the school. Brentwood was also the top-seeded team last year but lost to Cantwell Sacred Heart in the quarterfinals, 71-57.

DIVISION V-AA

Defending champion: Palos Verdes Estates Rolling Hills Prep.

Seeded teams: 1. Rolling Hills Prep (7-1), 2. Santa Monica New Roads (10-8), 3. Santa Clarita Christian (14-7), 4. Riverside La Sierra Academy (14-8).

Dark horse: Saugus Scott Academy (12-12). Sophomore Teeya Kemp is a capable scorer for a scrappy team.

Outlook: Rolling Hills Prep needed to recruit players on campus to field a team, so it didn’t play any nonleague games. . Third-seeded Santa Clarita Christian has beaten second-seeded New Roads Academy two out of three times.

DIVISION V-A

Defending champion: Los Angeles Pilgrim.

Seeded teams: 1. Hesperia Christian (19-5), 2. Atascadero North County Christian (17-5), 3. Pilgrim (12-8), 4. Santa Maria Valley Christian (15-8).

Dark horse: Palm Springs Desert Chapel (11-8). Eagles have four players taller than 5-10 and five losses against larger public schools.

Outlook: Hesperia Christian has scored 70 points or more seven times, and if it is to be challenged on their side of the bracket, it could come from Huntington Beach Liberty Christian, which has an overtime victory over Pilgrim.