SOUTHERN SECTION BOYS’ BASKETBALL PREVIEW : DIVISION V-AA, V-A : St. Margaret’s Hopes to Climb From Depths

Rick Bauer, St. Margaret’s High School basketball coach, didn’t mince any words when sizing up the competition in the Southern Section V-AA playoffs.

“There are no stiffs in this division,” Bauer said. “This might be one of the better divisions this year.”

It could be one of the most interesting. The division features top-seeded Bishop Diego (20-4), second-seeded Mission (16-4) and third-seeded Brethren Christian (20-5).

But Bauer said the strength of the division is its depth.

Fourteen teams with winning records play qualifying-round games tonight. St. Margaret’s (15-6) will play the winner of the qualifying game between Camp Kilpatrick (17-6) and Southwestern Academy (8-10).

Bauer’s not too excited about the possibility of playing Camp Kilpatrick, an at-large entry, in the opening round. And St. Margaret’s could play top-seeded Bishop Diego as early as the quarterfinals.

“Kilpatrick might be the best team in the division,” he said. “I saw it lose to Ribet Academy (top-seeded team in the 5-A Division) by only one point earlier this year.”

St. Margaret’s, the Academy League co-champion with Liberty Christian, moved to the 5-AA division this season. The Tartans lost to Ribet Academy in the Small Schools division final last season.

“We’re excited about the move,” Bauer said. “If we were in 5-A, I think we would be right up there with (top-seeded) Ribet Academy and (second-seeded) Rio Hondo Prep.”

St. Margaret’s is led by 6-foot-7 senior Ryan Westendorf.

Westendorf, who’s being recruited by USC, Wake Forest and several Ivy League schools, is averaging 28 points and 16 rebounds.

He is coming off a 58-point game against St. Michael’s Prep in the regular-season finale Friday. Westendorf’s total tied him with Loara’s Tes Whitlock and Huntington Beach’s Art Worthy for second on the county’s single-game scoring list.

“We’re hoping Ryan has some confidence after his game last week,” Bauer said.

While St. Margaret’s relies on Westendorf’s play inside, Brethren Christian uses the speed and outside shooting of Brandon Stott and Chiron Hart. Stott’s averaging 12 points and Hart 11 for Brethren, which finished second to Valley Christian in the Olympic League.

In Friday night’s opening round, Brethren will play host to the winner of the St. Michael’s Prep (6-14) and Bel Air Prep (14-9) qualifying game. Southern California Christian (12-9), the Arrowhead League champion, will play host to the winner of the Avalon (9-12) and Brentwood (12-10) qualifying game.

In the V-A division, Liberty Christian (13-8) will make its first playoff appearance in nine years. This is the first year the playoffs are open to all schools.

“It figures, we finally have a good enough record to get in the playoffs, and they let everyone in,” Coach Rudy Sass said.

Sass said Liberty Christian had one of the best draws in the division. The Minutemen play host to Riverside Christian (4-12) in the opening round Friday night, and wouldn’t face a seeded team until the quarterfinals.

“I’m pretty pleased with our bracket,” Sass said.

V-AA

Defending champion: Faith Baptist.

Top teams: Bishop Diego (20-4), Brethren Christian (20-5), Mission (16-4), St. Margaret’s (15-6).

Top players: Jon Grobler (St. Michael’s Prep), Chiron Hart (Brethren Christian), Brandon Stott (Brethren Christian), Ryan Westendorf (St. Margaret’s), Jacques Wright (St. Michael’s Prep).

Dark horses: Chadwick (17-9), Southern California Christian (12-9).

Best draw: Southern California Christian vs. Avalon (9-12) or Brentwood (12-10).

Worst draw: St. Margaret’s (15-6) vs. Camp Kilpatrick (17-6) or Lone Pine (6-12).

Notes: St. Margaret’s, which lost to Ribet Academy in last year’s small schools division final, could play top-seeded Bishop Diego as early as the quarterfinals. St. Margaret’s features center Ryan Westendorf, who scored 58 points Friday in a 104-68 victory over St. Michael’s Prep.

V-A

Defending champion: Ribet Academy.

Top teams: Ribet Academy (23-2), Rio Hondo Prep (21-1), South Bay Lutheran (18-4) and Gethsemane Baptist (21-1).

Top players: Toby Curto (Liberty Christian), Jamal Duncan (Ribet Academy), Andre English (Ribet Academy), Dave Kellams (Liberty Christian), Chris Maxwell (Ribet Academy).

Dark horse: Liberty Christian (13-8).

Best draw: Liberty Christian vs. Riverside Christian (4-12).

Worst draw: Pacific Shores (2-10) at Gethsemane Baptist.

Notes: Ribet Academy, the defending Small Schools division champion, broke the Southern Section scoring record Friday night with a 144-38 victory over Antelope Valley Christian. Heritage Christian (6-18), Cal Lutheran (7-8), Pacific Shores and Liberty Christian are the only Orange County schools in the division. Liberty Christian, the Academy League co-champion with St. Margaret’s, is the only county team likely to survive the first round.