The Preps / Scott Howard-Cooper : Champions Live Up to the Billing

Two versions of the Tournament of Champions, plenty of action:

At Cal Poly Pomona, the 14th edition of the area’s most prestigious boys’ basketball tournament had a fittingly fine finish Saturday night. Santa Monica fell behind Santa Ana Mater Dei, 13-4, at the start of the championship game before closing the gap by halftime and then matching the Southern Section 5-A champions and two-time defending TOC winners basket for basket in the second half. Mater Dei finally held on for its third straight title.

Meanwhile, at UC Santa Barbara, the girls’ TOC continued to gain recognition. Half the age of the boys’ tournament, it was billed by organizers as the top gathering in the nation for the 1985-86 season, and they were probably right.

The top two teams in the country. Four of the top 25. Seven of the 12 schools undefeated. The first girls’ basketball team ever to travel across the country for a game. Eleven pre-season All-Americans. Many of the best players in California.

The action lived up to the billing, especially on Saturday night.

Brea-Olinda, ranked 23rd in the country by USA Today, took No. 1 Christ the King of Queens, N.Y., into overtime before losing, 63-62, on a shot by Jill Cook with three seconds remaining.

“Everyone thought that we would be intimidated by a big team from New York,” Brea Coach Mark Trakh said afterward. “But they were the ones who were intimidated. Except for one lucky shot, we win this game. I think the game showed the girls they can play, and beat, anyone.”

No. 13 Pasadena Muir was also the underdog heading into the other semifinal against San Diego Point Loma, the second-ranked team in the country and the best team in the state with probably the best player, junior Terri Mann.

On Monday night, Muir came back to beat Christ the King for the tournament title.

That game never came close to overtime--but it was Muir, led by center Pauline Jordan’s 28 points, that claimed a 62-43 upset win that broke the Pointers’ 63-game winning streak. Mann picked up her third foul with 4:20 remaining in the first quarter, had to be removed from the game and finished with only eight points, well below last season’s average of 28. She finally fouled out midway through the third quarter.

‘Tis the season . . . for season-ending awards.

Football: Claremont quarterback Dan McGwire has been named to Bally’s 100-member All-America team. Another quarterback, Jeff George of Warren Central in Indianapolis, who set a national record with 543 pass completions in his career, has been selected as the best player in the country by Gatorade. Pomona running back J.J. Flannigan was the Californian up for the award.

Volleyball: Volleyball Monthly named its first ever prep All-America girls team, and California led all states with 12 selections of 24 selections on the first and second teams.

Manhattan Beach Mira Costa, the State Division I champion, had Lindsey Hahn and Megan McCallister, a junior, on the first team and Melissa McNally on second. Tara Cross of Anaheim Southern California Christian, Keba Phipps of Long Beach Jordan and Tanya Williams of Lakewood St. Joseph were the other local first teamers, while Michelle Krebsbach of Lakewood St. Joseph, Jackie Cook of Fountain Valley and Cinnamon Williams of Southern California Christian made the second team.

Soccer: David Havassy of La Canada St. Francis has been named to the National Soccer Coach’s Assn. All-America team and will be honored Jan. 18 in St. Louis.

Prep Notes Receiver-safety Mike Ford of San Pedro and running backs J.J. Flannigan of Pomona, Ricky Ervins of Pasadena Muir, Gary Wellman of Westlake, Calvin Holmes of Carson and Terry Rodgers of San Diego Sweetwater have entered the High School Football 60 race at the Sunkist Invitational track meet Jan. 17 at the Sports Arena. Rodgers is the son of Johnny Rodgers, the former Heisman Trophy winner at Nebraska. . . . Chino baseball Coach Bob Sheehan and assistant Sandy Crumrine will play host to a clinic Jan. 11 for adults and students. Several other Southern Section coaches are scheduled to participate. . . . Quarterback Herman Evans of Eastern New Mexico, a 1983 graduate of Crenshaw, was an honorable mention selection for the Lone Star Conference team.