DIVISION III-A

Defending champion: North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake.

Top teams: Harvard-Westlake (21-2), San Dimas (25-1), Lompoc (22-0), Estancia (22-4).

Dark horse: Corona del Mar (15-10). The Sea Kings have a seasoned coach in Paul Orris, played in a tougher league than many of the teams they will face and are playing some of their best basketball of the season (witness their 55-53 victory over third-ranked Woodbridge last week.) Brian Coleman averages 16.4 points and Adam Klinke 13.

Top players: Chris Candlish (Estancia), Brian Coleman (Corona del Mar), Jason Conaway (Lompoc), Eric Holmes (Duarte), Derrick Williams (Lompoc).

Notes: There are six wild-card games scheduled Wednesday. . . . Last year’s runner-up, Goleta Dos Pueblos, is in III-AA this season, leaving the field wide open for Harvard-Westlake. . . . La Quinta (12-12), with Todd Butt averaging 16.7 points and seven rebounds, barely got into the playoffs, surviving its forfeits of four Garden Grove League victories. But its opponent, third-seeded Lompoc, hasn’t lost at home in several years and is unbeaten this season. . . . Estancia did well enough to earn a bye in the first round. The Eagles play the winner of Wednesday’s game between West Covina South Hills and Monrovia. Chris Candlish leads Estancia with 16.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. Guard Dane Plock averages 17 points and sophomore Sam Nelson 11. . . . Rancho Alamitos (12-13) won the Garden Grove League title with a sub-.500 mark. The Vaqueros are led by their football quarterback, John Frank. Their first-round opponent, Duarte (21-5), is averaging 74.5 points. Terry Battle averages 10 rebounds.