Brethren Christian Finds Place to Play

A year ago, Brethren Christian was among the best teams in Southern Section Division V-AA girls’ basketball. But the Warriors, playing in maybe the toughest small-school league around, the Olympic, finished fifth and failed to earn an automatic qualifying berth for the playoffs.

But this season, with the section allowing any team with 10 victories into the playoffs, Brethren Christian--this time fourth in its league--goes into this week’s playoffs as the second-seeded team in the division.

The Warriors (12-13) are one of 52 county teams among the 292 that qualified for the playoffs under the expanded format, and one of eight county teams seeded among the top four.

“It couldn’t have gone any better for us, absolutely not,” Brethren Christian Coach Kim Harris said. “Because of the change in the rules, we have a life.”

Defending state champion Brea Olinda was the only county team to be seeded No. 1, and Foothill, which lost to Brea in last season’s Division II-AA final, was No. 2.

Also seeded second were Troy in Division I-A, behind Riverside North, and defending champion Calvary Chapel in IV-A.

Calvary Chapel Coach Russ McClurg wasn’t pleased his probable first-round opponent will be Santa Maria St. Joseph, which must first beat Glendale Holy Family in a wild-card game.

“We got worked,” McClurg said of his first-round opponent. “That [Los Padres] league is tough, Morro Bay, Santa Ynez. At least we got them at home.”

In Division I-AA, which has 50 schools competing, El Toro was seeded third and Esperanza fourth behind Chino Hills Ayala and Lynwood.

San Clemente was seeded fourth in Division I-A (49 schools) as was Rosary in III-AA (27 schools) and Capistrano Valley Christian in V-AA (47 schools).

The playoffs begin with one local game on Tuesday, Costa Mesa at Pomona Diamond Ranch in Division III-AA.

Rosary, which plays at Immaculate Heart, and Esperanza are the only teams in the county’s top 10 playing games on Thursday. The Aztecs host Redlands East Valley.

“Last year we played a wild-card game and then played Apple Valley, and we were sharper than they were, so I don’t think playing the extra game is a major problem,” Esperanza Coach Marc Hill said.