Southern Section

One of the oldest adages in sports is "defense wins championships," and Tustin proved that still holds true with a lockdown effort in the first half that resulted in its 49-32 victory over Simi Valley Royal in Thursday's Southern Section Division 3AAA championship game at the Anaheim Convention Center. The top-seeded Tillers (30-2) held Royal to two points in the first quarter and six in the first half on two-of-16 shooting. Tustin had trouble scoring too, however, and led by only 14-6 at halftime.

Despite avenging a triple-overtime loss in last year's final, Los Angeles Windward players were surprisingly subdued after Wednesday's 85-57 domination of Gardena Serra in the girls' CIF Southern Section Division 4AA championship game at the Anaheim Convention Center. That's because this season the Wildcats have higher aspirations than just a section title - they want to win the inaugural state Open Division game as well. Judging by the way it handled the third-seeded Cavaliers, Windward could do just that.

Dozens of fans were left outside the sold-out Long Beach Poly High gym Tuesday night unable to get a ticket for a Southern Section Division 1AA semifinal playoff game. What they missed was a basketball classic. Sophomore Delewis Johnson made two free throws with three seconds left in overtime to clinch Etiwanda's 59-55 victory over the Jackrabbits. "It hit me when the buzzer sounded," Johnson said. "I started crying because it felt so great to win and finally beat Poly. " It was the unofficial public school championship game, matching two powers that have met for four consecutive years in the semifinals.

It was a wild Friday night of high school basketball in Southern California. Unbeaten Torrance Bishop Montgomery had its 29-game winning streak come to an end, losing to La Verne Lutheran, 63-59, in a Southern Section Division 4AA semifinal. McDonald's All American Isaac Hamilton scored 43 points to help Bellflower St. John Bosco hold off Huntington Beach Ocean View, 89-87, in a 3A semifinal. And, in the strongest division in Southern California, No. 2-seeded Long Beach Poly needed clutch free throws from Roschon Prince in the final 30 seconds to hold off Los Angeles Loyola, 75-69, in a 1AA quarterfinal.

The Southern Section released its basketball playoff pairings Sunday. Some coaches in Division 1AA will be suffering from shock-like symptoms this coming week while pondering the gantlet of challenges ahead. "I told our guys it might be the best high school tournament in the country," Los Angeles Loyola Coach Jamal Adams said. Said Pasadena Coach Tim Tucker: "I'm calling it March Madness in February. " The Southern Section has 12 playoff divisions, which brings up a question: What's the need for so many divisions if most of the top teams are put in 1AA?

Griffith Amies of Newport Beach Corona del Mar High came within one field goal of setting a state season record, but he couldn't be too disappointed after the Sea Kings' 35-10 victory over Garden Grove in the Southern Section Southern Division final Saturday afternoon in front of 6,870 at Angel Stadium. The Sea Kings forced two safeties and limited Garden Grove to 82 yards rushing. Junior linebacker Alexander Moore set the tone on the first play from scrimmage by returning an interception 30 yards for a touchdown.

Gardena Serra not only got revenge Friday night, the Cavaliers also captured their third CIF Southern Section title in four years with a 30-28 victory over West Hills Chaminade in the Western Division championship game at Serra High. Serra (12-2) avenged a 28-20 loss to Chaminade in Mission League play on Oct. 5 and put itself in position for a Division II regional bowl berth. Afterward, Adoree Jackson and teammate Daishon Green took turns doing victory backflips for their fans ... the start of a celebration likely to last into the morning.

On a day 26 teams playing for Southern Section football championships came together for a luncheon in Long Beach, big news was made off the field with the announcement that football powers Ventura St. Bonaventure and Westlake Village Oaks Christian could be headed to new leagues in 2014. After years of debate over what leagues Oaks Christian and St. Bonaventure belong in, the Southern Section released its Area Placement for the 2014-18 releaguing cycle, and both schools were placed in the Catholic Athletic Assn., which means big changes ahead barring a successful appeal.

In a season full of surprises, the Southern Section football playoff pairings were released on Sunday with more surprises. Encino Crespi (8-2) didn't receive an at-large berth for the Pac-5 Division playoffs. And Ventura St. Bonaventure (9-1) was given the No. 1 seeding over unbeaten Mission Viejo (10-0). It's a sign of the uncertainty and unpredictability of the playoffs that begin in 13 divisions on Friday. The Pac-5, the section's premier division, is filled with intrigue.

The Diocese of Orange and Santa Ana Mater Dei High have reached agreement in principle to settle a 2-year-old lawsuit against the CIF Southern Section that alleged unfair treatment and discrimination against Mater Dei athletes, attorney Jerome Jackson said Thursday. A notice of settlement is expected to be filed Friday. Jackson said his clients are satisfied that a change in attitude has occurred at the Southern Section office, citing the retirement of former commissioner Jim Staunton and the hiring of new Commissioner Rob Wigod.