Semifinal doubleheader features four top boys’ teams

The Final Four in college basketball has become one of the greatest events in American sports, so why not try to duplicate the atmosphere and quality of the competition at the high school level?

The Southern Section Division 1AA semifinals at the Anaheim Convention Center on Tuesday will feature matchups worthy of a Dick Vitale primal scream.

All season, it has been apparent that Long Beach Poly, Etiwanda, Corona Centennial and Santa Ana Mater Dei were the four best boys’ teams, and now they will be brought together in an arena setting to decide who is No. 1.

Centennial (26-3) faces Mater Dei (27-2) at 6:30 p.m., and Poly (27-1) and Etiwanda (28-2) meet at 8:30.

Forget about the coaches and players being pumped. The fans should enjoy a heavenly experience. It doesn’t get any better than this. Each team is loaded with future college players, and one participant surely will be recognized as the player of the year in Southern California.

They might declare a school holiday Tuesday at Mater Dei, considering the school’s girls’ team is playing in the game before the boys’ team’s semifinal, and the Monarchs like home-court advantages.

The doubleheader became possible when the Southern Section made a deal to host most of its championships this week at the Anaheim Convention Center instead of at the Honda Center.

“I think it’s great,” Mater Dei Coach Gary McKnight said. “This could build into something.”

Added Centennial Coach Josh Giles: “Four pretty good teams playing in back-to-back games. It should be a lot of fun.”

Mater Dei is supposedly the team of the future. Nine of its 10 main contributors will be back in 2012, so this is the time to beat the Monarchs because it’s not likely to happen next season. Junior Xavier Johnson has become a big-time college prospect. Junior Katin Reinhardt, who has committed to USC, has been a dependable scorer from three-point range. Plus the Monarchs are relying on freshmen Stanley Johnson and Shaqquan Aaron.

Centennial has been preparing for this moment since its talented group of seniors arrived on campus. They’re versatile, love to run, play defense and they dive for loose balls. Point guard Michael Caffey “has been playing incredible,” according to Giles. Dominique Dunning, a New Mexico signee, rises up in big games. And Gelaun Wheelwright has been hot from three-point range.

Whichever team is able to shoot best from three-point range in an arena setting could be the decisive edge.

The nightcap could be the real 1AA championship game. Poly and Etiwanda know each other well. Last season, in two close games, Poly lost to Etiwanda in the semifinals, then beat the Eagles in the state playoffs.

“Every possession is a battle,” said USC-bound Byron Wesley of Etiwanda.

The first team to reach 50 points might win. It’s going to be a grinding, defensive struggle, with every free throw needed and a premium put on limiting turnovers. You’ll see two premier point guards facing off in USC-bound Alexis Moore of Poly and Boston College-bound Jordan Daniels of Etiwanda.

“We knew the championship would have to go through them,” Poly Coach Sharrief Metoyer said.

The excitement is genuine. The talent level is legit. The quality of the games should be spectacular.

“It’s definitely what everyone has been expecting all year,” Metoyer said. “I’m glad it’s come to fruition.”

Santa Monica surprise

Is there anyone who thought that Santa Monica’s girls’ team could knock off Long Beach Poly in the quarterfinals?

“I think we were the only ones who thought we could do it,” Santa Monica Coach Marty Verdugo said.

A free throw by Bianka Balthazar with 0.4 seconds left gave the Vikings a 57-56 victory and sends them into a Tuesday semifinal matchup with Mater Dei. Guess who’s going to be a big underdog again?

“We believe anything can happen,” Verdugo said.

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com

twitter.com/latsondheimer