Dominguez Top-Seeded

The Compton Dominguez boys’ basketball team got the nod over defending state Division II champion Santa Ana Mater Dei for the No. 1 seeding in the Southern Section Division II-A playoffs when pairings were released Sunday.

First-round games in Divisions III-AA, III-A, IV-AA, IV-A and V-AA and wild-card games in the remaining divisions are scheduled for Wednesday.

The Dons (21-5), who play host to the winner of the wild-card game between Buena Park and Placentia Valencia in a first-round game Friday, lost to Mater Dei, 91-88, in December. They have won 11 straight since losing to Long Beach Poly on Jan. 10.

The Monarchs (21-4) have dropped two of their last three, including a 56-53 loss to Santa Margarita last week. Mater Dei will play the winner of the wild-card game between Burbank Burroughs and Rancho Cucamonga Los Osos.

Two losses in the final week of the regular season not only cost Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley sole possession of first place in the South Coast League, but dropped the Cougars into the second-seeded slot behind Riverside King in Division II-AA.

Etiwanda and Long Beach Poly are seeded 1-2 in Division I-AA. Other top-seeded teams include Oxnard in Division I-AA, Santa Margarita in Division III-AA, Compton Centennial in Division III-A, Santa Maria St. Joseph in Division IV-AA, Los Angeles Verbum Dei in Division IV-A, Palos Verdes Estates Rolling Hills Prep in Division V-AA and L.A. Price in Division V-A.

The finals are March 4 and 6.

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The Southern Section broke with tradition when it seeded some second-place girls’ basketball teams ahead of league champions.

Along more traditional lines, Long Beach Poly and Lynwood were seeded first and second in Division I-AA, and San Clemente and Newhall Hart were first and second in Division I-AA.

All four have reached the section finals the last two seasons, with Lynwood and San Clemente winning both their games.

The anomaly in the seedings took place in Divisions III-A and IV-A, where teams tied for championships in the Del Rey and Olympic leagues, respectively. The higher-seeded team lost coin flips to determine the leagues’ first-place entries.

La Puente Bishop Amat (24-3), ranked No. 11 in the Southland by The Times, was seeded second and No. 20 Torrance Bishop Montgomery (21-7) was seeded fourth in Division III-A. Bishop Amat defeated Bishop Montgomery on Tuesday, 61-39.

“We’re probably breaking our normal rule, but if we don’t do it, the integrity of the bracket wouldn’t be very good,” said Paul Castillo, assistant commissioner in charge of basketball.

Brentwood (21-6), which had been No. 1 in the section’s Division IV-A rankings, was seeded No. 1 despite losing, 53-45, in its last meeting with Olympic League rival Downey Calvary Chapel (22-3).

The playoffs begin Thursday and the finals are March 5-6.

Staff writers Dan Arritt and Martin Henderson contributed to this report.