IA302

SoCal High School & Prep Report

Southern Section Playoffs: Division I-A
Semifinal Previews--(March 2, 1998)

This is a Division in which the seeding worked, but only slightly. Glendora, the No. 1 overall seed survived, as did the Pacific, the overall No. 2 seed. But No. 3 Arlington and No 4 Cajon are gone, eaching having lost in the second round. What's left are the No. 2 "Regional" teams from Regions III (Mater Dei) and IV (J.W. North). On Tuesday March 3, at Perris High, Glendora and J.W. North will face off, while the Mater Dei v. Pacific game will also be on March 3, but at a site to be determined. So here's a look at the matchups:

Division I-A Quarterfinals

Game I--No. 1 Glendora v. J.W. North

Casey Jacobsen, a junior guard, scored 45 points as the top-seeded Tartans (28-1) blew past the Vikings at College of the Canyons. Jacobsen scored on dunks, jumpers in the lane, drives to the hole, and eight three point baskets. Chris and Chad Clark added 15 points apiece and Chris Clark also had eight rebounds. For J.W. North, they feature James Taylor who scored 22 points in the last game against Garey, hitting eight in a one-minute span late in the fourth quarter. North also features Raji Burnett, an explosive scorer. They also feature Matt Dickenson, a 6'-7" forward, Lionel
Dixon (6'-4" So F), Nick Gosserand (6'-10" Sr. C), JaQay Carlise (6'-6" Jr F), and James Henderson (6'-4" Sr F), all of whom have played well at various times this year. Jacobsen has scored 101 points alone in the last two games, and may just be the best junior in all of SoCal this year. The only question is whether North can stop him in this semifinal game.

Game 2: No. 2 Pacific v. Mater Dei

Pacific features Chris Smith (5'-8" So PG), Chaun Ballard (6'-3" Jr SG), Bobby Tossetti (6'-1" Sr SG), Daylin Philyaw (6'-1" Sr SG), Mike Hall (6'-3" So F), Davion Harbart (6'-2" Sr F) and DeMond Huff (6'-9" Sr F/C). Not too bad for a team which didn't make a whole lot of noise this year. Smith and Ballard are the designated 1-2 combo on the team and Smith has been scoring well, hitting 20 in the game against Canyon last Friday. Tossetti tends to be foul prone, and that could hurt against a Mater Dei squad which although "beatable" to quote coach McKnight, is still one of the best in the SoCal area. Mater Dei features a young but by now seemingly-veteran squad, and is led by Steve Scoggin, a sophomore guard, who scored 24 points in the game against Arlington last Friday. Freshman guard Cedric Bozeman scored 15 points and sophomore forward Steve Henderson 13 too, and theyse guys are the outside-inside threat for Mater Dei, which is now 21-7 on the year. Mater Dei also features Mike Bayer, a 6'-7" junior power-forward, Derrick Mansell, 6'-0" junior shooting guard, Steve Henderson, a 6'-4" sophomore strong-forward, and Christian McGuigan 6'-3" soph forward, and occasional starter Eric Soderberg, who at 6'-9" and only a freshman is still growing and improving from the start of the season when Mater Dei and he struggled. We like Mater Dei, only becaus they appear to be a little quicker and a bit more battle hardenend this year with the seven losses, something no other Mater Dei team in recent memory has ever done. But if Ballard and Smith are hitting, this could be a very close one.