Boys basketball: CIF wedges Eagles in

Barry Faulkner

CERRITOS - Estancia High boys basketball coach Chris Sorce would

like to think it was his program’s strong reputation. He’d love to

believe a CIF State Division III title in 1991, section title-game

appearances in 1990, ’91 and ‘92, as well as postseason appearances in 13

of the previous 14 seasons propelled the Eagles into the lone CIF

Southern Section Division III-A at-large berth.

But, when it came right down to it, the Eagles were simply the most

glaring beneficiary of an all-inclusive attitude the section powers took

toward teams that satisfied the at-large criteria when pairings were

announced Sunday at Gahr High.

“We wanted to accommodate people,” said Paul Castillo, the section

assistant commissioner who administrates the basketball playoffs.

“Getting kids involved and playing basketball games is what we’re here

for.”

Estancia’s situation was unique, not only because it was the only

at-large eligible team (at least 11 wins) in its division. The Eagles

were included in the III-A tournament even though 16 automatic qualifiers

existed to fill out the bracket.

With Estancia admitted, Burroughs of Ridgecrest (12-9), which finished

third in the Desert Sky League, was plucked from a first-round pairing

to host the Eagles in a wild-card game Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

“Estancia could have been left out, making it the only (at-large

eligible school) in the section (not to make the playoffs),” Castillo

said. “But I don’t know that we’d want to do that.”

Sorce wasn’t about to quibble.

“As Chick Hearn used to say, ‘It’s nervous time at the Forum,’ ” Sorce

said of the legendary Los Angeles Lakers announcer’s phrase for the final

moments of a competitive game. “It has been like that for me and our

players the last few days. When I got a call today at 11:30 telling me we

had received an at-large bid, it made my weekend.

“I’m very happy our kids get a chance to participate in the playoffs,

because they’ve worked so hard, beginning in the spring. It’s a great

experience and, hey, you never know what can happen in the playoffs.”

The Eagles (13-13) will endure more than a three-hour bus ride to

Ridgecrest to see if they can make something happen.

Sea View League champion Newport Harbor (19-6) hopes to continue to

make good things happen in the Division II-AA tournament.

Coach Larry Hirst’s Sailors, who earned the school’s first league

crown since 1990 with a 54-45 victory at Woodbridge Wednesday, open

against visiting Loara (17-9) Friday.

If successful, the Tars would likely face No. 3-seeded Villa Park

(24-3) in the second round Feb. 19. The Spartans eliminated Newport last

year with a 74-61 home conquest in the CIF Division I-A quarterfinals.

Though Newport, ranked No. 9 in last week’s II-AA CIF poll, is the

only league champion faced with a potential second-round clash against a

seeded team, Hirst was philosophical about his team’s draw.

After the first round, you’re down to 16 teams and it’s like ‘Where

are the cupcakes?’ ” Hirst said. “We’ll focus on Loara, but Villa Park is

a team not totally unknown to us. We hope we can rise to the occasion

four or five times.”

Hirst also said the fact that Loara finished tied for third in the

Empire League with Kennedy -- but lost the head-to-head tie-breaker to

settle for an at-large bid -- will help keep his players’ attention.

Kennedy defeated the Sailors, 38-35, in a December tournament game.

Loara dropped both league games with Kennedy, 87-64 and 55-53.

“I think our kids understand there aren’t a whole lot of weak sisters

in the entire bracket,” Hirst said. “There are maybe 42 teams in the

division and there are at least 32 of them you wouldn’t want to play.”

Costa Mesa (18-9), the third-place team from the Pacific Coast League,

opens Division III-A play on the road Friday against Miramonte League

champion Pomona (19-7).

Coach Bob Serven’s Mustangs defeated the Red Devils, 63-43, in Mesa’s

fourth game of the season. Serven, however, said Pomona did not have

standout Odell Howard at the time.

“(Pomona) was a different team early in the year,” said Serven, who

has plenty of motivational tools to encourage his players.

“Costa Mesa has never won a CIF playoff game and we need one more win

to break the school (single-season) record for wins,” Serven said. “We’ll

talk about both of those things as we prepare this week for Pomona.”

Should the Mustangs prevail Friday, they figure to host top-seeded

Centennial of Compton (25-0) in Tuesday’s quarterfinals.

Sage Hill, competing in its first varsity season in the Academy

League, lost a third-place playoff Friday, 51-40, to Brethren Christian.

Coach Gordon McNeill’s Lightning finished 8-10.