Southern Section semifinal previews

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Here is a look at the CIF Southern Section boys’ semifinal action tonight (all games tip off at 7 unless noted):

IAA

At Anaheim Convention Center Arena

No. 2 seed L.B. Poly (26-1) vs. No. 3 Etiwanda (29-1), 6:30 p.m.

Comment: Each of these teams suffered their only losses on the same evening (Dec. 3/the Jackrabbits to Loyola in the Pacific Shores final at Redondo High, 70-65; the Eagles, to La Verne Lutheran, in the Rose City Classic final at Pasadena High, 72-61). Poly’s Roschon Prince (27.3 points/10.7 rebounds in the playoffs) and Jordan Bell (20 blocks in the playoffs) make up the best 1-2 junior combo in California. Etiwanda has just two seniors (Sam Flemming and Brandon Townes) who get significant playing time, with a superb group of underclassmen being led by Jordan McLaughlin (18.0) – one of the best sophomore guards in the Western U.S. This will be the fifth meeting between the programs in three post-seasons (the Jackrabbits have won the past three) and No. 5, like the previous four, should be a defensive struggle. If Etiwanda doesn’t do a better defensive job on Prince than anyone has done this season, the Jackrabbits will be trying to defend their Southern Section title Saturday night.

No. 1 Santa Ana Mater Dei (27-2) vs. No. 4 L.A. Loyola (24-4), 8:15

Comment: This is a rematch of sorts, with the Monarchs prevailing a year ago, 72-70, in a second-round State Southern Regional Division I game played in Santa Ana. Most of the key players in that game will be uniform in the ACCA tonight. Unlike the other semifinal, this contest figures to be played at a fast-paced tempo. Both excel offensively at any tempo and this should be (relatively) high scoring. Can the Cubs reasonably contain the best 1-2 senior punch in California (Katin Reinhardt and Xavier Johnson)? If not, the Monarchs will play again Saturday night in the same building.

 

IA

No. 4 La Crescenta Valley (26-4) at No. 1 Mission Viejo (26-3)

Comment: The Falcons beat one South Coast League team (third-place finisher El Toro, 61-49) at home Friday night but taking a tougher one – the Diablos – on their home floor tonight will be too tough a challenge to overcome.

No. 2 Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley (25-4) at No. 3 Orange Lutheran (18-10)

Comment: The Cougars – who lost in the IA final to Loyola a year ago – will be taking on the team that is easily the most physical gifted (in terms of college prospects) in the division. Can the Cougars combination of senior experience, depth, jump shooting, underrated post play and half-court defense overcome a team that offers of Arizona-bound guard Gabe York and two of the best juniors in Orange County (Payton Banks and Darien Williams)? It wouldn’t be the biggest upset of the season but the possibility would seem a lot likelier if the game were be playing in Mission Viejo.

 

2AA

No. 15 Thousand Oaks (21-8) at un-seeded Inglewood (20-10)

Comment: Each team’s roster is dominated by underclassmen (Thousand Oaks doesn’t start any seniors). The Lancers’ run is one of the more expected of the playoffs but the Sentinels have a lot of size as well as perimeter skill and are coming off back-to-back impressive road victories (vs. Anaheim Canyon and Cajon). Give the home team the edge tonight.

No. 11 Fullerton Sunny Hills (25-6) at No. 7 Simi Valley Royal (23-6)

Comment: Royal has polished off two Orange County teams (Villa Park by 12 and Tesoro by five) but is facing a much better O.C. opponent in this tilt. Size and home-court advantages will be tough for the Lancers to cope with, though.

 

2A

No. 5 Wildomar Elsinore (27-3) at No. 1 Lakewood Mayfair (24-5)

Comment: This should be not only the highest scoring game of the night but also of the entire playoff season. I’ve never heard a more vocal visiting crowd at a high school game than the one that showed up to support Elsinore Friday night during what proved to be a come-from-behind victory at Lawndale Leuzinger. Someone is going to win this sucker, 95-90 (or so). I’m just not sure which. If the brothers Dion and Brian Wright & company can’t contain Elisnore’s E.J. Twyman and Lawrence Chamberlain – which Leuzinger wasn’t able to do – then the Tigers could pull off the night’s biggest upset.

No. 6 Santa Maria Righetti (24-4) at No. 7 Ontario Colony (22-8)

Comment: The Warriors had to bus 233 miles, southeast, for 4-plus hours Friday night in order to knock off Murrieta Valley Murrieta and get into the semifinals. The bus ride won’t be quite so daunting – 196 miles in the same general direction and about 3 ½ hours – today but the opponent should be more difficult to cope with. The Warriors will need solid efforts from seniors Hunter Walker (one of the most underrated college prospects in the state) and Ryan McGready (who scored 32 points Friday night) to overcome the extremely quick and Miles Poullard– and Everett Turner-led Titans, who rallied from 12 down in the fourth quarter to win at Compton Friday night