Don’t Expect History to Repeat

When the Southern Section boys’ basketball playoffs begin Wednesday with wild-card and some first-round games, followed by the remaining first-round games Friday, the chances of a team defending its title in any of the top four divisions is about as likely as making a half-court shot.

Don’t bet on it.

Fullerton Sunny Hills, the team that last season lost nine of 10 games in December but went on to win the Division II-AA title and advance to the Southern California Regional final, didn’t qualify for the playoffs after finishing 8-17 overall and 3-7 in the Freeway League. Compton Dominguez won’t have the chance to defend its Division II-A title because the school’s enrollment pushed it up to Division II-AA.

Long Beach Poly, the 2004 champion in Division I-AA, and Division I-A winner Mission Viejo, each faces a tough road beginning in Wednesday’s wild-card round. Of the top-seeded teams in the remaining divisions, only Los Angeles Price in Division V-A is a defending champion.

Here’s how it breaks down:

DIVISION I-AA

2004 champion: Long Beach Poly.

Top-seeded teams: No. 1 Etiwanda, No. 2 Moreno Valley Rancho Verde, No. 3 Lynwood, No. 4 Chino Hills Ayala.

Others to watch: No. 10 Quartz Hill and No. 12 Diamond Bar.

Outlook: Lynwood defeated Dominguez and Los Angeles Loyola and played national power Mouth of Wilson (Va.) Oak Hill Academy closer than any Southland team this season, but it didn’t earn the Knights the No. 2 seeding. That went to Rancho Verde, which won the Southwestern League title but struggled in the final week. Ayala won its final eight league games to clinch the Sierra League title.

DIVISION I-A

2004 champion: Mission Viejo.

Top-seeded teams: No. 1 El Toro, No. 2 Lake Elsinore Temescal Canyon, No. 3 Aliso Viejo Aliso Niguel, No. 4 Glendora.

Others to watch: No. 7 Simi Valley and No. 9 San Bernardino Arroyo Valley.

Outlook: El Toro and Temescal Canyon each finished the regular season impressively. The Chargers defeated Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley to win a share of the South Coast League title for the third consecutive season, and Temescal Canyon avenged losses to Rancho Verde and Temecula Valley to finish second in the Southwestern League. Aliso Niguel has won 16 of its last 17, but Glendora is reeling, having lost two of its last three.

DIVISION II-AA

2004 champion: Sunny Hills.

Top-seeded teams: No. 1 Dominguez, No. 2 Villa Park, No. 3 Pasadena, No. 4 Loyola.

Others to watch: No. 5 Capistrano Valley and No. 6 Torrance.

Outlook: Dominguez moved up from Division II-A this season, and that’s bad news for its new opponents. The Dons have occasionally shown some glitches in their outside shooting but pulled it together in beating Westchester, Etiwanda and Jersey City (N.J.) St. Anthony -- all currently ranked among the top 14 in the nation by USA Today. Pasadena plays a similar style as Dominguez and may be able to keep up if the Dons are having an off night.

DIVISION II-A

2004 champion: Dominguez.

Top-seeded teams: No. 1 Santa Ana Mater Dei, No. 2 Calabasas, No. 3 Fullerton, No. 4 Redondo.

Others to watch: No. 5 Pomona Diamond Ranch, No. 6 Ontario Colony and No. 7 San Bernardino Cajon.

Outlook: Mater Dei looks to have the wherewithal to reach the final, but the Monarchs appeared to be on that road last season and were sideswiped by Inglewood. Calabasas has a point guard in Drew Housman who can take over a game, while Fullerton has the size and intelligence to be a threat, and Redondo has the coach and fearless athletes to throw any opponent off track.

DIVISION III-AA

2004 champion: Santa Margarita.

Top-seeded teams: No. 1 Lakewood Artesia, No. 2 Santa Margarita, No. 3 La Canada, No. 4 La Verne Bonita.

Others to watch: No. 7 Riverside Arlington and No. 9 Huntington Beach Ocean View.

Outlook: Artesia didn’t lose to a Southland team and is riding a 16-game win streak. With only one senior getting significant minutes, it should be interesting to see how the young Pioneers react in a tight game. Santa Margarita has the big-game experience to test Artesia. La Canada and Bonita have combined for only four losses but neither has played the caliber of Artesia or Santa Margarita.

DIVISION III-A

2004 champion: Harvard-Westlake.

Top-seeded teams: No. 1 Compton Centennial, No. 2 North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake, No. 3 Orange Lutheran, No. 4 El Segundo.

Others to watch: No. 5 Torrance Bishop Montgomery and No. 8 Pasadena Muir.

Outlook: Centennial has lost in a section final each of the last five seasons, while Harvard-Westlake has won three titles in a row. The Apaches went undefeated in the Pioneer League, winning all four games against its closest pursuers, Torrance and El Segundo, by a combined nine points. Orange Lutheran and El Segundo didn’t lose any ground after the final coaches’ poll, though both have lost significant players because of injuries.

DIVISION IV-AA

2004 champion: Santa Maria St. Joseph.

Top-seeded teams: No. 1 North Hollywood Campbell Hall, No. 2 Gardena Serra, No. 3 Los Angeles Verbum Dei, No. 4 Playa Del Rey St. Bernard.

Others to watch: No. 6 Santa Monica Crossroads and No. 9 Montebello Cantwell Sacred Heart.

Outlook: Campbell Hall brings an unbeaten record into the postseason but not a clean bill of health. The Vikings lost returning starter Jason Heard for the season because of an abdominal injury suffered three weeks ago, but they still appear deep enough to win this division. Serra has a victory over Loyola; St. Bernard defeated El Segundo; and Verbum Dei played the toughest schedule.

DIVISION IV-A

2004 champion: Verbum Dei.

Top-seeded teams: No. 1 Van Nuys Montclair Prep, No. 2 Flintridge Prep, No. 3 Huntington Beach Brethren Christian, No. 4 Redlands Arrowhead Christian.

Others to watch: No. 6 Ontario Christian and No. 7 Downey Calvary Chapel.

Outlook: Montclair Prep had a rough start to the month, losing on consecutive days to Crossroads and Brentwood to lose its grip on first place in the Olympic League. Flintridge Prep has three players back from a team that lost to Verbum Dei in last season’s title game.

DIVISION V-AA

2004 champion: Palos Verdes Estates Rolling Hills Prep.

Top-seeded teams: No. 1 San Juan Capistrano Serra, No. 2 Granada Hills Hillcrest Christian, No. 3 Los Angeles Pilibos, No. 4 Rolling Hills Prep.

Others to watch: No. 6 Long Beach St. Anthony and No. 9 Apple Valley Christian.

Outlook: In its first season of varsity basketball and featuring a roster devoid of seniors, Serra lost to Southland powers Mater Dei, Capistrano Valley and Redondo and split with defending Division I-AA champion Long Beach Poly. Pilibos defeated Hillcrest Christian, 50-42, three weeks ago.

DIVISION V-A

2004 champion: Los Angeles Price.

Top-seeded teams: No. 1 Price, No. 2 La Canada Renaissance Academy, No. 3 Palm Springs Desert Chapel, No. 4 Anaheim Acaciawood.

Others to watch: No. 5 Moreno Valley Calvary Chapel and No. 6 Antelope Valley Christian.

Outlook: Price has a clear shot at its seventh consecutive section title. Renaissance Academy, with an enrollment of 55, has one of the division’s top players in 6-foot-5 senior forward Leif Williams, who averages 21 points.