Girls ready for the playoffs

When the second half to the 2015-16 prep girls’ basketball season begins Thursday, Edison, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Ocean View and Brethren Christian will take part in divisional title chases.

First-round games start at 7 p.m. Division second-round games are at 7 p.m. Saturday, and quarterfinal games are at 7 p.m. next Wednesday.

Edison finished its Sunset League schedule Feb. 10 against Newport Harbor and defeated the visiting Sailors, 58-38. Senior shooting guard Jenni Kwok scored 20 points and sophomore center Ashley Niemand had 13 points and seven rebounds for the Chargers who finished league play 7-3 and in a second-place tie with Huntington Beach.

“Being that it was Senior Night, all of the girls got to play and contribute to the win,” Edison Coach Sara Brown said.

Edison, 13-13 overall, plays a Division 2AA first-round game Thursday at Foothill (Crestview League No. 2). The winner advances to a second-round game at 7 p.m. Saturday to face the winner of Thursday’s first-round game between Segerstrom and Newbury Park.

“I think our team is playing our best basketball right now and as long as we can focus on playing intense, disciplined defense and controlling the boards for four quarters, I feel good about our chances in the playoffs,” said Brown who is taking the Chargers to the postseason in her first year as head coach.

Edison and Foothill previously met in late-December at the Larry Doyle/Dan Wiley Tournament, a game won by the Knights, 68-58.

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•Fountain Valley, the sixth-place team (0-10) from the Sunset League, made the Division 1AA playoffs as an at-large team. The Barons played at Bay League champion Redondo Union (18-8). The winner advances to a second-round game Saturday to face the winner of the Wednesday first-round game between Upland and Eastvale Eleanor Roosevelt.

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•Huntington Beach won for the seventh time in 10 Sunset games by ending its league season Feb. 10 with a 75-25 win over visiting Fountain Valley. Eleven Oilers scored on Senior Night led by senior guard Sammy Gray’s 17 points and 14 points from junior forward Frankie Wade Sanchez.

“The girls finished the year on a high note and I am very proud of them,” Huntington Coach Russ McClurg said.

Huntington, 22-6 overall, is the No. 2 seed in the Division 1A playoffs. The Oilers host Walnut (15-9, Hacienda League No. 3) in a first-round game Thursday.

“It should be a very tough game,” McClurg said of the matchup with the Mustangs. “They are very quick and scrappy.”

The Walnut-Huntington winner moves on to a 7 p.m. second-round game Saturday against the winner of Thursday’s Wednesday first-round game between University and Katella.

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•Ocean View went 7-3 and finished in second place in the Golden West League, capping its league season Friday with a 57-12 rout of visiting Santa Ana. Junior point guard Jackie Moss had a game-high 15 points, senior guard/forward Treasure Robinson had 10 points and seven rebounds, and freshman center Helen Reynolds seven points and six rebounds for the Seahawks.

Ocean View enters postseason play 16-8 overall. The Seahawks will host Garden Grove Bolsa Grande (14-12, Garden Grove League No. 3) in a first-round Division 3A game Thursday.

“If we can remain patient offensively and consistent defensively, then I am confident we could do well heading into playoffs,” Ocean View Coach Kim Morris said.

The Bolsa Grande-Ocean View winner advances to a 7 p.m. second-round game Saturday against the winner of Thursday’s first-round game between Whittier Pioneer and Barstow.

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•Brethren Christian is playoff bound as an at-large team. The Warriors finished in seventh place (0-12) in the Academy League and 4-20 overall, and play a first-round Division 6 game Thursday at San Jacinto Noli Indian (Warrior League No. 2). The Warriors are the No. 14 seed in the tournament.

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•Marina ended Sunset League play and its season Feb. 10 with a 70-28 loss at league champion Los Alamitos. Junior guard Michelle Esparza and senior forward Mary Dishoian scored eight and seven points, respectively, for the Vikings who went 3-7 in league (tied fourth) and finished 9-16 overall.