Southland’s Finest Teams Could Meet Their Match

Some of the top prep boys’ basketball teams in the nation will play Saturday in the six-game Nike Extravaganza II tournament at the Bren Center.

Split into afternoon and evening sessions, the tournament’s premier game features Mouth of Wilson (Va.) Oak Hill Academy, the nation’s 20th-ranked team, against sixth-ranked Compton Dominguez (15-4) at 5:30 p.m.

Dominguez, the defending state Division II champion, is led by senior point guard Kenny Brunner (Fresno State). The Dons, once thought to be moving up to Division I for playoff purposes, announced last week that they will remain in Division II.

NBA star Jerry Stackhouse graduated from Oak Hill Academy, which is perennially ranked in the national polls.

Mater Dei (19-2), ranked No. 1 in Orange County and 19th in the nation, plays a 7:30 game against Carmichael Jesuit, ranked seventh in Northern California.

Mater Dei is led by point guard Kevin Augustine (USC), The Times Orange County player of the year in 1995-96. He is averaging 17.2 points and 9.3 assists. Teammates Tom Lippold (16.5 points), Mike Vukovich (11.7 rebounds) and David Castleton (6.6 assists) provide punch for the Monarchs.

Mater Dei is the defending Southern Section Division I-A champion and reached the championship game of the Southern California state playoffs last season.

Jesuit was a Northern California state finalist in the Division I playoffs in 1995-96, but lost to Concord De La Salle in the championship game, 47-46. Jesuit, with many returning players, is expected to make another strong run at a state title.

“They have a really fine team,” Monarch Coach Gary McKnight said. “When Jesuit lost to Crenshaw, they didn’t have their point guard because he was injured. They’ll be tough.”

At 9:30, Santa Margarita (13-6), the defending section Division II-AA champions, plays host to two-time defending Nevada AAA state champion Las Vegas Durango.

Durango, which hosts the prestigious Reebok Holiday Prep Classic each December, is coached by Long Beach State graduate Al LaRocque.

The early session begins at 11 a.m. with Orange County’s third-ranked team, Los Alamitos (18-2), playing sixth-ranked Villa Park (14-4). That game is followed by a 1 p.m. contest between second-ranked Sonora (17-2) and fourth-ranked Woodbridge (16-3).

Key players are Villa Park’s 7-1 center Eric Chenowith (Kansas) and guard Isaiah Cavaco (Yale), who is a county assist leader with an 8.2 average. Los Alamitos features balanced scoring, led by 6-7 senior forward Adam Seaton.

Woodbridge is led by 6-10 Chris Burgess (Duke) and 6-5 forward Brandon Beeson (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo), who is averaging 16 points. Ben Jones (16.2 points, 8.5 rebounds) is a 6-7 forward for Sonora.

The early session concludes with a matchup of two perennial girls’ powers, when defending Division I state champion Mater Dei (14-5) meets defending Division II state champion Woodbridge (16-4) at 2:30 p.m.

Woodbridge sophomore Debby Caine has emerged as an outside threat. Mater Dei, ranked fourth in the county, also has an outside force in Lori Hurlbut, who leads the team in three-point shooting.

Trying to control Woodbridge’s Krissy Duperron (UC Irvine) and Cathy Joens under the basket will be a challenge for Mater Dei’s Ana Grey and Tina Garcia (UNLV).

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Tournament Schedule

* What: Nike Extravaganza II basketball tournament

* Where: Bren Center, UC Irvine

* When: Saturday

* Schedule: Afternoon session I: Los Alamitos (18-2) vs. Villa Park (14-4), 11 a.m.; Sonora (17-2) vs. Woodbridge (16-3), 1 p.m.; Girls: Woodbridge (15-4) vs. Mater Dei (13-5), 2:30 p.m. Evening session: Mouth of Wilson (Va.) Oak Hill Academy (16-3) vs. Compton Dominguez (14-4), 5:30 p.m.; Mater Dei (19-2) vs. Carmichael Jesuit (16-3), 7:30 p.m.; Las Vegas Durango (14-7) vs. Santa Margarita (13-6), 9:30 p.m.

* Television: Cable channel Fox Sports West 2 will carry the Oak Hill-Dominguez and Mater Dei-Jesuit games live.

* Tickets: $8 general admission, $12 reserved, $50 court-side (includes entry to a hospitality room and T-shirt). Tickets are for one session only; arena will be cleared before evening session. Parking $4.

* Information: (714) 824-5000.

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Staff writer Martin Henderson contributed to this story.