Indians, Pioneers hit road

Jeff Tully and Edgar Melik-Stepanyan

The Burroughs and Providence high boys’ basketball teams played their

final league games in the confines of their home gyms.

However, for the CIF Southern Section playoffs, both are going to

have to hit the road for their opening contests.

Here is how the playoffs shape up:

PROVIDENCE AT CARPINTERIA (7:30 p.m. today)

The Pioneers (17-4, 10-4 in league) enter tonight’s Division IVAA

game as the No. 3 team from the Liberty League.

Carpinteria is the second-place entry from the Tri-Valley League

and the Warriors (12-10, 5-3) ended regular-season play behind

champion Oak Park (18-6, 8-0).

Although it isn’t a bad draw for the Pioneers, if they do advance

to the second round, they should have a tough contest Friday. They

would play the winner of L.A. Daniel Murphy (17-9, 6-4 in Santa Fe

League)/San Pedro Mary Star of the Sea (13-13, 5-5 in Camino Real

League).

Coached by DeRon Carbajal, the Warriors have some size, led by

6-foot-4, 263-point senior center Justin Lamar.

For Providence, it counters with a well-balanced team that can

shoot from the outside with Harout Messrelian (20.8 points a game)

and Armen Yousefian, as well as play the inside game with Ian

Breckenridge-Jackson (16 points).

BURROUGHS AT FOUNTAIN VALLEY LOS AMIGOS (7:30 p.m. today)

The Indians travel to Orange County to take part in one of four

Division IIA wild-card games.

Los Amigos (8-18, 6-6) is the fourth-place team from the Garden

Grove League and Burroughs is an at-large entry after placing fifth

in the Foothill League.

It was an off-season for Los Amigos, which captured league titles

in 2001 and 2002.

The two have a common opponent in Valencia High. The Lobos lost to

the Vikings, 57-33, and Burroughs fell to its Foothill League foes

twice, 83-53 and 77-62.

Coached by Dan Grable, Los Amigos shot 40.7% from the field.

The team is led by 6-3, 230-pound junior forward/- center Chris

Finau, who averages 14.8 points and 9.7 rebounds a game. The Lobos’

other offensive threat is Kelly Nanthavong, a junior guard who

averages 7.1 points a game.

For Burroughs (11-14, 2-8) it beat cross-town rival Burbank,

63-55, Friday in a Foothill League game to qualify for the playoffs

with 11 wins.

The Indians are paced by Joey Paysinger and Peter St. Hubert.