The Preps : Keefe, as Usual, Provides the Key for Woodbridge

The basketball season has reached the point where a coach looks at a scouting report and wonders what his opponent is really like.

A case in point is Bill Shannon, Woodbridge High School boys’ basketball coach. Shannon has a general report on San Diego Madison, the Warriors’ semifinal opponent in the Southern California Regional Division II playoffs, that details the Warhawks’ quickness, depth, rebounding strength and scoring balance.

Shannon knows that Madison (27-2) has used three defenses during the season and that the Warhawks rarely use a patterned offense. But Shannon--who hasn’t seen Madison play--isn’t quite sure what to expect when Woodbridge (23-6) travels to Torrey Pines High in Del Mar at 7:30 tonight to meet Madison.

“I don’t know if they compare to Banning, or if they’re more like San Bernardino,” Shannon said. “I certainly hope they don’t compare to Banning.”

Banning’s quickness created all kinds of problems for Woodbridge in the Southern Section’s 2-A division title game. Woodbridge committed 21 turnovers in a 62-54 loss.

Woodbridge was better able to deal with San Bernardino’s quickness in the semifinals and handed the Cardinals their second loss of the season, 59-50.

“Of course, they have to figure out what to do with our big guy,” Shannon said. “The thought of Madison playing a man-to-man or 3-2 zone is appealing to us.”

The Warriors’ big guy, 6-foot 9-inch center Adam Keefe, scored 31 points and had 12 rebounds in the Southern Section championship game. He opened regional play with 31 points and 20 rebounds in a 59-49 victory over San Diego Kearny Tuesday night.

Keefe has been playing with a sore left ankle, and the grind of personally carrying a team through the playoffs is beginning to show.

“He’s pretty beat up,” Shannon said. “The referees didn’t call much, and Kearny annihilated him physically the other night.”

Jeff Alexander, a 6-7 center, will guard Keefe and figures to get help from 6-5 forward Andre Mitchell. Forward Robby Robinson is Madison’s leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 14.4 points and 13 rebounds.

“We usually shoot well from outside, and we’ll press mainly to pick up the tempo,” Madison Coach Jim Thompson said. “We’re not great in any particular phase of the game, but overall we have great balance.”