GIRLS’ BASKETBALL TITLE GAMES

SOUTHERN SECTION

Division I-AA

Lynwood (20-4) vs. Long Beach Poly (7-24), 6:30 tonight at Long Beach State

Defending champion Poly, expected to be the top-seeded team in the playoffs, forfeited 22 victories before entering the playoffs, was given an automatic fourth-place bid from the Moore League, and beat four league champions to get to the final behind sophomore sensation Jasmine Dixon. Top-seeded Lynwood counts on junior Lenita Sanford as it tries for its fifth title in six years. This is the fifth consecutive season these heavyweights have met in the title game. Poly defeated Lynwood, 52-47, on Jan. 21.

Division I-A

Newhall Hart (26-4) vs. Canyon Country Canyon (23-7), 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Long Beach State

Canyon lost three of its final four Foothill League games and tied for second. Coming out of the 31st spot in the 32-team playoff bracket, Canyon upset second-seeded Ventura Buena and then sixth-seeded Riverside North in a semifinal. Christina Hall’s three-point basket in the final seconds beat North, 56-55, in overtime. Hart is making its fourth finals appearance in five seasons, but is trying to win its first title since it won in 1989 and 1990. The Indians may have the Southland’s best player in Taylor Lilley, who is shooting over 50% from behind the three-point arc, including a shot with 40 seconds left to give Hart the lead over Pasadena in a 51-48 semifinal victory. Hart has already beaten Canyon twice, 43-29 and 50-28.

Division II-AA

Fullerton Troy vs. Villa Park, 8:15 tonight at Long Beach State

Kevin Kiernan will coach against a protege, Kim Cram-Torres, as Troy tries to win its fourth consecutive title and fifth in six years. Not coincidentally, Cram-Torres’ team mirrors Troy’s with an intense in-your-face defensive style. Though Courtney Ford, Lauren Sahli and Katie Kissee each averaged 10 points, the Spartans’ offense pales next to Troy’s, which can score in a wide variety of ways behind playmaker Sara Yee, sisters Rheya and Rhaya Neabors and Amanda Sims, among others. This is Troy’s seventh consecutive championship appearance and Villa Park’s first.

Division II-A

Brea Olinda (19-11) vs. South Torrance (25-7), 8:15 p.m. Saturday at Long Beach State

Brea’s worst season in more than 20 years could still have a silver lining as it plays for a 15th championship. Brea was one-dimensional most of the season behind junior Jeanette Pohlen, who has averaged 22.8 points, 13.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists in the playoffs, but recent contributions by teammates such as Sarita Stamps and Jenni Lane have taken the sting out of defenses aimed at Pohlen. Third-seeded South is making its first appearance in a championship game. Though there’s no one to match Pohlen’s firepower, Hana Asano has averaged a team-high 10 points. South’s offense and defense have slightly better per-game point averages than Brea’s.

Division III-AA

Anaheim Magnolia (21-9) vs. Pomona Diamond Ranch (27-4), 4:45 today at Long Beach State

Magnolia lost seven of its first 13 games but is going to its first championship game after a 46-42 upset of top-seeded Santa Margarita. It’s the biggest thing to happen to the program since Michele Carter averaged 31.4 points over a three-year career that ended in 1986. This season’s top scorer is Jhakia McDonald, who has averaged 11.5 points. Second-seeded Diamond Ranch is led by Nina Earl (19.0 points) and has won 11 in a row. The Panthers’ last loss was to Santa Margarita, 59-43.

Division III-A

La Puente Bishop Amat (30-1) vs. Mission Hills Alemany (18-6), 2:45 p.m. Saturday, at Long Beach State

Nothing points to Alemany continuing its string of upsets except pride, and maybe the sting of losing to Bishop Amat, 55-34, on Dec. 14. The Indians upset previously unbeaten Santa Ynez, the No. 2-seeded team, and then third-seeded Pasadena Muir, 51-47. But Bishop Amat is something altogether different. The Lancers are the defending section and state champions and have won 65 of their last 66 games behind 5-foot-11 Juanise Cornell, 5-11 Kristen McCarthy and 6-3 Candice Brown. Bishop Amat beat Muir earlier this season, 62-49.

Division IV-AA

Los Angeles Marlborough (23-3) vs. Westlake Village Oaks Christian (21-8), 1 p.m., Saturday at Long Beach State

Nobody gives second-seeded Oaks Christian much of a chance, which might be the Lions’ best chance of upsetting top-seeded Marlborough. Although Oaks Christian trailed at halftime before rallying for a 47-32 semifinal victory over Ventura St. Bonaventure behind Chelsea Carlisle, the 2003 champion can’t afford a similar first-half letdown against Marlborough, which hasn’t failed to win a title since 6-4 senior center Abi Olajuwon arrived. The Mustangs have four six-footers, and five of their players are taller than any Oaks Christian player.

Division IV-A

Los Angeles Windward (25-3) vs. Brentwood (19-8), 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Long Beach State

Second-seeded Brentwood has won two titles in a row, but repeating last season’s 53-47 victory over Windward will be a tall order, in part because of top-seeded Windward’s tall guards, 6-2 USC-bound Hailey Dunham, and 6-1 UCLA-bound Erica Latimer, who each average 15.5 points. Add sophomore Monica DeAngelis’ 16.8 points and Brentwood’s problem becomes apparent, despite its own firepower that includes three double-digit scorers, including Lauren Edwards (16.0) and Tani Brown (15.2). Windward won both Olympic League games, 68-51 and 62-42.

Division V-AA

Calimesa Mesa Grande (22-5) vs. Los Angeles Pacific Hills (26-2), 3 today at Long Beach State

Pacific Hills, under first-year Coach Tony Jimenez, has won 15 in a row and is looking for its third consecutive title. The Bruins’ defense allows an average of 29.2 points and has held opponents to 30 or less on 17 occasions. Freshmen Bree Richardson (11.6 points) and Ariel Dale (10.0) lead the way. Mesa Grande, moving up a division, is in the finals for the second time in three years behind senior Megan Bradford (18.6 points).

Division V-A

Santa Maria Valley Christian (23-5) vs. Arcadia Rio Hondo Prep (19-7), 11:15 a.m. Saturday at Long Beach State

Top-seeded Valley Christian, the defending champion, has won 17 in a row behind 6-0 senior center Lara Hertzog, who has averaged 26.0 points and 14.8 rebounds. Fourth-seeded Rio Hondo is led by Kristian Llamas’ team-high 10.8 points. The Kares’ defense is allowing 35 points, which Valley Christian has been held to only three times this season.

CITY SECTION

Harbor City Narbonne (20-4) vs. Los Angeles Dorsey (25-3), 5 p.m. Saturday at the Sports Arena

Top-seeded Narbonne took L.A. Crenshaw for granted two seasons ago, and it cost the Gauchos a championship. In Coach James Anderson’s final season, Narbonne is not likely to overlook Dorsey, which was seeded sixth instead of second only because of a regular season-ending loss to Crenshaw. Erica Inge leads the Dons with a 23.0-point average, but she will need a special night to overcome the efforts of Morghan Medlock and Reiko Thomas, who figure to do everything possible to deliver Narbonne a seventh title in 10 seasons.

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--MARTIN HENDERSON