L.A. Windward High sails back into championship play

This season was supposed to be a rebuilding year for Los Angeles Windward after the Wildcats won the state Division V boys’ basketball championship in 2009 and lost to graduation players who ended up at UCLA and Michigan.

So how come on Saturday the Wildcats (26-8) are again playing for the Southern California Division V regional championship?

Credit 6-foot-5 junior Wesley Saunders, who has taken the team on his back. He’s averaging 22.9 points.

“Wesley has stepped up his game,” Coach Miguel Villegas said. “We’re going to go as far as he takes us.”

Windward gets a rematch with La Verne Lutheran (26-8), which upset the Wildcats, 62-61, on a buzzer-beater shot by Bruce English in the Southern Section 5AA championship game.

Other players have stepped forward to compensate for the loss of Anthony Stover (UCLA) and Darius Morris (Michigan). Stover’s younger brother, Nick, a sophomore, has been playing well at guard, and 6-6 freshman Chauncey Hill has been contributing as a rebounder and shot blocker. Senior guard Kawame Firewpong also has been a key player.

“I’m excited. I can’t wait. It’s going to be a great game,” Villegas said of Saturday’s rematch scheduled for 3 p.m. at Ontario Colony High.

Surprise team

There might not be a more surprise team playing in Saturday’s regional finals than Compton (21-14), which ousted heavily favored Rialto Eisenhower in a Division II boys’ semifinal last week.

Compton has a team with youth and experience. Inconsistency has been a problem but the Tarbabes certainly don’t lack talent.

Cliff Sims has been a dependable offensive player. Compton will once again be a heavy underdog when it faces San Diego Lincoln (27-2) at 4 p.m. at USC’s Galen Center.

Battle of the guards

And then there were two. All season, there has been speculation and arguments over which team had the best trio of guards. That should be decided in the Division I boys’ final between Santa Ana Mater Dei and Westchester at 8 p.m. at the Galen Center.

Mater Dei has Tyler Lamb (UCLA), Keala King (Arizona State) and Gary Franklin Jr. (California). Westchester has Jordin Mayes (Arizona commit), Kareem Jamar (Montana commit) and Denzel Douglas (undecided).

How well the guards are able to shoot from three-point range could be decisive.

Brewing rivalry

Two of the best girls’ basketball teams in the nation, Brea Olinda and Mater Dei, will meet for a rematch in the Southern California Regional Division II championship Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Galen Center. Brea Olinda won last year’s final, 44-38.

Brea Olinda (32-2) snapped Mater Dei’s undefeated record with a 47-43 victory in the Tony Matson Memorial Classic in January.

But Brea Olinda’s point guard, Alexis Perry, suffered a torn knee ligament last Thursday, and Coach Jeff Sink said his team is in trouble.

Mater Dei (30-1) also has recently endured a blow.

Sophomore point guard Jordan Adams missed practice Monday because of an injured hamstring, but she is expected to play Saturday. Adams had 11 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists in the quarterfinals against Villa Park and 10 points and 10 rebounds in a semifinal against Hanford.

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com