Preview: SoCal Boys Finals

And then there were 48. That’s how many high school basketball teams continued practice schedules this week with dreams of a state title. The majority of that number gets cut in half on March 18 as 24 boys teams and 24 girls will attempt to take the last step to the state finals — which take place March 25-26 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. We’ll have preview glances for each of the regional championship games taking place in Northern and Southern California this Saturday. First up, the NorCal girls.

Here’s how they’ll roll out:

Thursday, noon: NorCal Girls
Friday, 8 A.M.: NorCal Boys
Friday, noon: SoCal Girls
Friday, 4 P.M.: SoCal Boys

CIF Boys Basketball Southern Regional Championship Matchups

OPEN DIVISION

MATCHUP: No. 1 Bishop Montgomery-Torrance (29-2) vs. No. 2 Mater Dei-Santa Ana  (33-2), 8 p.m., March 18 at Long Beach State
HISTORY: Bishop Montgomery defeated Mater Dei, 70-55, just weeks ago in the CIF Southern Section Open Division championship game at Honda Center. The rematch features two of the most winningest coaches in California state history in Knights’ Doug Mitchell (647 wins) and Monarchs’ Gary McKnight (1,084 wins). Mitchell is in search of his fifth appearance in a state title game, while McKnight hopes to reach his 17th state final. Bishop Montgomery’s last state title came in 2014, defeating Moreau Catholic in the Div. IV championship. Mater Dei’s last state championship was also in 2014, beating Bishop O’Dowd to take the Open Div. crown.
BISHOP MONTGOMERY KEYS TO VICTORY: The Knights are always most successful when it finds itself with a balanced scoring attack. Oregon State-bound guard Ethan Thompson is the main focus offensively for Bishop Montgomery, but fellow senior Jordan Schakel, juniors David Singleton and Fletcher Tynen, and sophomore Gianni Hunt will need to put forth solid efforts for the Knights to advance.
MATER DEI KEYS TO VICTORY: The Monarchs need one of its top perimeter defenders — whether it be Harrison Butler, Justice Sueing or Matt Weyand — to keep their defensive assignment in check. Bishop Montgomery’s Thompson, Singleton and Schakel combined for 60 points in the CIF-SS Open Division title game win over Mater Dei.
PREDICTION: Bishop Montgomery 68, Mater Dei 66

DIVISION I

MATCHUP: No. 11 Roosevelt-Eastvale (24-8) vs. No. 12 Centennial-Corona (24-9), 2 p.m., March 18 at Long Beach State
HISTORY: Roosevelt has the opportunity to reach its first-ever state championship game. Centennial is making its fourth trip to the SoCal finals, where it is 1-2 in its previous three appearances. The Huskies only trip to the state championship game resulted in a loss to Monte Vista-Danville in the 2014 Div. I title. This will be the fifth meeting between Roosevelt and Centennial this season. Roosevelt has won the previous four by an average margin of five points per game.
ROOSEVELT KEYS TO VICTORY: Senior forward Matt Mitchell, who is committed to play at Cal State Fullerton next fall, has torched Centennial in the four previous meetings this season, averaging 29.8 points per game against the Huskies. If Mitchell can continue that dominance, look for Roosevelt to move on to its first state championship game.
CENTENNIAL KEYS TO VICTORY: As mentioned above, the Huskies have had no answer for Matt Mitchell and desperately need one —especially after losing their top wing defender, Gio Nelson, to a season-ending knee injury in late January. Centennial must take caution in putting too much of its defensive focus on Mitchell, however, as Cal-bound shooting guard Jemarl Baker (17.3 points per game) is also capable of filling up the scoring column.
PREDICTION: Roosevelt 61, Centennial 56

DIVISION II

MATCHUP: No. 13 Pasadena (27-6) at No. 2 Esperanza-Anaheim (28-3),  6 p.m., March 18
HISTORY: This is the first appearance in the regional finals for both teams.
ESPERANZA KEYS TO VICTORY: Stanford-signee Kezie Okpala has been the engine behind the Aztecs charge all season long. The 6-8 senior, who’s widely considered the top player in Orange County, is averaging 30.8 points and 10.7 rebounds on the season. He poured in a school-record 47 against Crossroads-Santa Monica in the regional semifinals. It’s not often that Okpala is off, but if he is, junior shooting guard Brendan Harrick is capable of picking up some slack with his 12.3 points per game season average.
PASADENA KEYS TO VICTORY: The Bulldogs have a scoring machine of their own in junior wing Bryce Hamilton. Hamilton is averaging more than 23 points per game and has saved some of his best performances for the playoffs, scoring 31 points in a regional semifinal win over Harvard-Westlake-North Hollywood. If Esperanza is able to contain Hamilton, junior Darius Brown and sophomore Darius Mason will be looked upon to step up.
PREDICTION: Esperanza 67, Pasadena 62

DIVISION III

MATCHUP: No. 2 Villa Park (26-6) at No. 1 Colony-Ontario, 6 p.m., March 18
HISTORY: This is Colony’s first trip to a regional final. Villa Park has reached the stage once before, losing to Mater Dei-Santa Ana in 2006. Colony beat Villa Park, 74-70, in the CIF-SS Div. II-AA championship game on March 4.
COLONY KEYS TO VICTORY: Get high percentage shots on offense in order to set up its smothering full-court pressure defense. The Titans have a “positionless” offensive attack where any of its five players are looking to beat defenders off the dribble and get to the rim for easy baskets. This allows Colony to get apply 94-feet worth of traps and jumping the passing lanes.
VILLA PARK KEYS TO VICTORY: Defend without fouling. The Spartans sent Colony to the free throw line 39 times in the Southern Section title game. While the Titans made just 22 of those 39 attempts, it made a huge difference in the four-point margin of victory.
PREDICTION: Colony 70, Villa Park 67

DIVISION IV

MATCHUP: No. 5 Immanuel-Reedley (23-8) at No. 2 Helix-La Mesa (30-5), 6 p.m., March 18
HISTORY: Helix is making its first appearance in the regional finals while Immanuel is making its sixth trip. The Eagles lost in all five of their previous appearances, most recently in the 2015 Div. IV title match to Campbell Hall-North Hollywood.
HELIX KEYS TO VICTORY: Any opposing defensive scheme will center around 6-foot-10 junior forward Miles Norris. Norris, who possesses an intriguing inside-out skill-set, is one of the most highly-regarded prospects in the country for the class of 2018. Meanwhile, 6-2 senior Dylan Lee serves as a reliable signal caller, while 6-4 center Jaylen Arnold is an effective glue-guy and hustle player.
IMMANUEL KEYS TO VICTORY: Junior Nate Kendricks (20.8 points per game) and senior Darrin Person, Jr. (20 ppg) have scored 57.7 percent of Immanuel’s total points on the season and there’s no reason to expect that to change when the stakes are the highest.
PREDICTION: Immanuel 68, Helix 64

DIVISION V

MATCHUP: No.2 Rolling Hills Prep-San Pedro (27-2) at Notre Dame-Riverside (31-3), 6 p.m., March 18
HISTORY: This is the first appearance in a regional final for both programs. However, Rolling Hills Prep head coach Harvey Kitani won two state championships during his 35-year tenure as coach at Los Angeles City Section-power Fairfax.
NOTRE DAME KEYS TO VICTORY: Defense and rebounding. The Titans have been stellar on the defensive end this season, holding opponents to 47.1 points per game on average. Rolling Hills Prep has a good mix of size and versatile scoring on its side, and Notre Dame will need to keep a close eye on Chris Koon, Alex Garcia and J.T. Tan.
ROLLING HILLS PREP KEYS TO VICTORY: Execute and listen to its legendary coach. Kitani has been in countless “win-or-go-home” games and should have his team prepared for any situation. The above-mentioned Koon, the John R. Wooden Division V Player of the Year, along with Garcia and Tan at 6-5, 6-3 and 6-6 make for an imposing combination at both ends of the floor.
PREDICTION: Notre Dame 55, Rolling Hills Prep 51