Tonight's SoCal CIF State Boys' Regional
Semifinals: Previews--(March 9, 2000)

All of the SoCal Boys' divisions with the exception of Division I, are in action tonight, and there will be 8 games played.   We've compiled some brief previews of each of the games.  Just click a link below to go to check out a particluar game, the roster and records. We're not sure which games we'll be attending tonight, but we'll be somewhere . . .  See you wherever.  

Division II

San Diego Serra (26-4) v. Compton Dominguez (34-2)
Site:  Dominguez HS, Compton,
Time:7:30 p.m.

The Dominguez Dons, USA Today's No. 1 ranked team, picked up an impressive 81-47 win over Escondido Orange Glen in the quarterfinals on Tuesday night. Tyson Chandler (7'-0" Jr. C) led the Dons with 17 points and forward Keith Brooks (6'-5" Sr. PF) added 11.  A win tonight would put Dominguez in position for a potential third game this season against Artesia, the Nation's No. 6 team as ranked by USA Today, and Dominguez has already beaten them twice, once at the Best in the West in December, and then again in a rematch at the Nike Dream Classic. If the Dons make it, the regional final is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Great Western Forum this Saturday.  San Diego Serra, with a record of 26-9 picked up a win behind James Profit's 21 points as Serra beat Brea Olinda in the State Regional opener 66-51. Serra won the San Diego Section title, beating Point Loma 41-39, Ramona 74-61 and Orange Glen 68-59.  During the regular season, the beat Mira Mesa with Stanford-signee Teyo Johnson and Amon Gordon twice, and finished with a league record of 10-2, losing only to Morse 62-65, and San Diego HS 54-56. 

Artesia (30-2) vs. Bakersfield Foothill (20-12)
Site: Bakersfield East HS (Take the 5 freeway north to the 99 freeway north and then to the 178 freeway east. Exit at Mt. Vernon. Go 3 or 4 blocks and the high school is on the left at 220 Quincy Street)
Time: 7:30 p.m.

Even though Artesia is a No. 2 seed in the division, like Long Beach Poly in Divison I, they have a lower "travel priority", which basically means that a lot of the folks on the seeding committee thought they were the tougher team and could probably win on the road against teams such as Bakersfield Foothill, and thus in order to "seed" the regions, gave Bakersfield the home game. While a lot of fans complain that it must mean that the CIF has no "respect" for the program by not rewarding a top team with a home game, it's actually a sort of backhanded compliment, a sign that Artesia is definitely the stronger of the two teams;  the only question is why then, did Dominguez get two home games and a No. 1 seeding?  Ah, one of life's little mysteries that will never be answered. . .   Artesia defeated East Bakersfield 86-50 in the first round on Tuesday, and the Pioneers were led Tuesday by twin tower junior forwards Jack Martinez and Amaury Fernandez points who both scored 17 points in the win at home on Tuesday. The Pioneers need a win to assure the rematch with Dominguez, which would be the third this season.  Dominguez is the only team to beat them this season, and Wayne Merino really wants to get the Dons this time around.  But no one is looking past tonight's game and Foothill is a dangerous team with Anthony Robinson (6'-4" Jr. C) averaging 12.8 points a game and Demar Walton averaging 11.1 for the Trojans. Foothill picked up the surprise upset win over No. 3 seed Ocean View 61-54 on Tuesday, and gets the home game tonight.

Division III

Compton Centennial (21-12) v. Bishop Montgomery (25-5)
Site:  Bishop Montgomery
Time: 7:30 p.m.

This is a rematch of the Division III-AA Southern Section Championship game, and the Apaches are probably looking to avenge the loss. In that game Apache senior forward Ellis Myles scored a game-high 27 points but it still wasn't enough, as the Knights won 59-43, taking the Southern Section title, and a good deal of momentum into the State Tournament. If Centennial is going to avenge the earlier loss their going to have to shoot better and more players are going to have to step up besides Myles and point guard Eric Alvarez. In the first meeting, Centennial trialed by as many as 17 points in the first half, and never made up the difference. Errick Craven scored 22 points, Brian Pruitt had 12 and Derrick Craven scored 10 points for Bishop Montgomery in the win over San Diego St. Augustine on Tuesday.  Ellis Myles led all Centennial scorers with 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Jamaal Barnes had 14 points as the Apaches won their first-round game at home against Selma on Tuesday night.

Corona del Mar (23-8) VS. Morningside (22-10)
Site: Morningside HS, Inglewood
Time: 7:30 p.m.

This is a match of two teams which made it to the Southern Section D-III-AA semifinals, and both lost there, each missing the finals and getting an a week and a half layoff.   Corona del Mar had not played in 11 days when it faced University High of San Diego in Tuesday's first round of the regionals. But the Sea Kings pulled off the upset, beating USDHS, 49-46. Kevin Hansen led the Sea Kings with 17 points. Morningside of Inglewood, which also had not played in 11 days, beat defending CIF State Division III champion Washington Union of Fresno in the Regionals first round Tuesday, 74-66, and were led by Tracey Cathey (6'-1" Sr. SG) who scored 15 of his 17 points, including 8 for 8 free throws in the final 2 minutes and by  Dwayne Trotter's 11 third-quarter points.  Corona del Mar was led in their win over San Diego perennial favorite USDHS by Kevin Hansen who scored 15 points, Alex Hanson had 13 and Joel Templeton added 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Division IV

Orange Lutheran (25-5) v. St. Bernard (26-7)
Site: St. Bernard HS, Playa del Rey
Time: 7:30 p.m.

Orange Lutheran got a huge upset win in the first round Tuesday with a 63-61 victory over top-seeded Horizon of San Diego. Jason Whieldon scored 16 points and Patrick Salyer added 14 for the Lancers. Orange Lutheran had to overcome Horizon's significant height advantage in that game, and should be better matched against St. Bernard, which doesn't have anyone bigger than 6'-4".  In St. Bernard's first round win over Corcoran, Brandon Williams scored 21 points and Brandon Nunnely had 14 points and 11 rebounds.

San Diego Lincoln Academy 22-6) v. Crossroads (23-9)
Site: Brentwood School
Time: 7:30 p.m.

San Diego Lincoln beat Gardena Serra in the first round game behind balanced scoring with four players scoring 8 points (Cedrick Palmer, John Davis, CJ Bussie, and Nate Carter) while Shaun Davis scored 9 and Darryl White had 12 points.   San Diego is a young and talented team that likes to run, and for  Crossroads, which also runs and has better size, together with the homecourt advantage, this game should suit Darryl Roper just fine.  Crossroads is led by senior Felipe Williams and junior center/power forward Isaiah Fox, and by sophomore forward Jordan Rush who scored 10 of his 23 points in the first quarter against Central Section Lindsay on Tuesday in the first round win. And even if Lincoln is younger and smaller, Crossroads has had trouble with teams like this in the past, barely surviving against Milken, 63-62.  And if for no other reason, you've gotta love Lincoln because what other team has two players named "Prince?" 

Division V

Calvary Chapel Downey 26-6) v. Los Angeles Price (31-1)
Site: Manual Arts HS,
Time: 7:30 p.m.

The Grizzlies turned out to be just as good as everyone thought they would be during the regular season, but not good enough last Friday night to win the Southern Section Division V-AA title, as they lost to St. Anthony's, which ended up losing in the first round of the State Regional on Tuesday night to El Cajon Christian. Calvary Chapel defeated Central Section Champion Fresno Layton 68-58 on Tuesday night, and earned the right to play somewhere closer to home, this time against the top-ranked Division V team in the State, Price of Los Angeles. Sophomore guard Tim Drisdom has been the mainstay of the offense of Calvary Chapel, and on Tuesday he scored 21 points.   Price, the two-time Divison V-A Southern Section Champion, has a plethora of offensive weapons, including Chris Alexander and Jermaine Jamison, who each scored 15 points as Price defeated Reedley Immanuel 70-39 in the first-round. Price is probably a bit deeper, but these are two strong, athletic teams who can run the floor and finish on the break; neither team has spectacular outside shooting, although Drisdom has been known to hit the three on occasion.  Look for him and Alexander to matchup for a good part of the evening.  The game will be a Manual Arts HS because Price's home gym is being refurbished and is not large enough to host a State tournament game (even though it used to be the home of Pepperdine before the school moved to Malibu. . . and before they became an NCAA D-I program).

El Cajon Christian (27-4) v. La Jolla Country Day (28-4)
Site: La Jolla Country Day
Time: 7:30 p.m.

This game is a rematch of the San Diego Division V Championship game, which was played last Friday at Cox Arena, in which La Jolla Country Day stunned No. 1 ranked El Cajon Christian, 56-51.  In that game last week, the No. 3 seed Torres got 20 points from Chris Robinson and 17 from Rashawn Allen and hung on in the final minutes to deal the top-seeded Patriots their first loss in 19 games. Utilizing a stifling defense that limited Christian (71.5 points per game) to its lowest point total of the season, La Jolla Country Day used 14 first-half points from Robinson, a sophomore, to take a 27-15 lead at the break.  That margin swelled to 16 by the end of the third quarter, but Christian came back, going on a 14-2 run to cut the deficit to 51-49 on a three-pointer by Chris Carter with 1:31 to play.  The Patriots were in position to tie with 16 seconds left, trailing 54-51, but an errant inbounds pass resulted in a foul, allowing LJCD's Cesar DonJuan to go to the line and with 11 seconds remaining and put the game away with two free throws.  Tim Brown led Christian in that game with 14 points and Ben Wohlfeil added 12.  On Tuesday night, Christian soundly defeated St. Anthony's of Long Beach, the Southern Section Divison V-AA champions behind Carter's 22 points, 19 of which came in the first half, 15 in the first quarter.  Ben Wohlfeil, who covers the point for Christian had 10, and Tim Brown, who got into foul trouble but who is clearly the Patriot's most athletic player, had 10.  John Frieberg also scored 12.  Christian is a team which runs great offensive sets, lots of sharp cuts and motion offense, but defensively they had trouble holding St. Anthony's scorers in check and Jared Lloyd scored 20 and Pearson Smith had 19 in the loss for the Saints.  Still Christian can shoot the three and they hit 7 to Saint Anthony's 4, which Carter leading the way with 4.  Also on Tuesday, La Jolla Country Day soundly defeated Heritage Christian, 71-56 behind Chris Robinson's 38 points Robinson and Rashawn Allen combined for 62 points, and for the mathematically challenged, that means that Allen had 24 points. He also had six three-pointers. La Jolla Country Day improved to 28-4.

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