CIF girls basketball preview: No. 1 Mater Dei vs. No. 5 Berkeley tangle

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - High scoring teams, long win streaks, the nation's top-ranked team and nation's most decorated player highlight the 2011 CIF State Basketball Championships this weekend at Power Balance Pavilion.

Unlike the boys, which features just two section champions, eight of the 10 girls representatives will carry hefty win streaks.

St. Joseph-Santa Maria (Division III) and St. Bernard-Playa del Rey (D5) avenged Southern Section defeats to capture regional championships, but everyone else carries at least 14-game win streaks into this weekend's games.

The longest win streak is 26 by six-time champion St. Mary's-Stockton and the D1 match-up between national powers Mater Dei-Santa Ana and Berkeley also matches 25-game streaks.

Mater Dei is No. 1 according to all national rankings and the Monarchs are led by the Gatorade and Naismith National Player of the Year Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis.

Look for a lot of scoring this season as St. Mary's (77.5), Rialto (74.2) and Mater Dei (71.3) all put up more than 70 and everyone else other than Bishop O'Dowd-Oakland (57.9) and St. Bernard (59.2) averages more than 60.

The 2011 games will be known for its family feel as four schools sport both boys and girls teams – Bishop O'Dowd-Oakland, Mater Dei, St. Bernard and Windward-Los Angeles.

After winning three of five games last year, Northern California holds a 69-63 edge in the state finals since 1981.
Northern California holds big edges in Division IV (14-9) and V (18-5) and Southern California have leads in Division I (20-9) and II (15-14), and Division III is tied 14-14.

DIVISION I, Saturday 6 p.m.
Mater Dei-Santa Ana (33-1) vs. Berkeley (31-1)

WIN STREAKS: Mater Dei 25, Berkeley 25.

STATE RECORD: Mater Dei 2-1, Berkeley 2-7.

TERRIFIC TRIOS: Mater Dei – F Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, G Jordan Adams, F Alexyz Vaioletama. Berkeley – G Brittany Boyd, F Chairese Culberson, G Elisa Davis.

POINTS PER GAME (ALLOWED): Mater Dei 71.3 (36.0); Berkeley 65.0 (43.0).

Of all the 10 state championship games, boys or girls, this one has the most interest nationally.

Mater Dei, the defending mythical national champions, enters No. 1 in the country by virtually all media outlets. Berkeley is No. 5 in the MaxPreps Freeman (computer) rankings and No. 8 in the Xcellent 25.

Mater Dei is led by Mosqueda-Lewis, who last week, nursing a severely strained left quad, scored 13 points in the fourth quarter helping the Monarchs beat a very strong Canyon Springs-Moreno Valley team 59-44. Mosqueda-Lewis, a 6-foot senior headed to Connecticut, is averaging 21.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.

USC-signee Vaioletama, a 6-1 senior, had 17 against Canyon Springs. Adams, a 6-1 point guard considered one of the top juniors in the country, played last week despite a dislocated shoulder. She played at about 60 percent. Another starter Alexas Williamson missed the game due to an appendectomy. She may play against Berkeley.

The Monarchs, who traveled across the country to the HoopHall Classic, played in the Nike TOC in Phoenix and also traveled to Washington, are indeed battle-tested and road weary.

"It feels longer than a WNBA season," Mater Dei coach Kevin Kiernan. "It's been a long season crossing across the United States and navigating our way though a very tough postseason. We're going in with the mindset we'll have to beat the best team we've played all year. It's going to be a big challenge." 

Berkeley is led by Cal-signee Boyd, who led four players in double figures last week during a 68-57 win over defending D2 NorCal champion Carondelet-Concord. Boyd had 17, 6-1 senior and San Diego State-signee Culberson had 15 points and 12 rebounds and Davis, a 5-5 junior, added 10.

Culberson has averaged more than 17 points and 17 rebounds in the postseason. This after missing last postseason with an ACL tear.

The key for Berkeley lately is the addition of another San Diego State-signee Khristina Hunter, a 6-1 post, who sat out the entire season due to eligibility issues. An Alameda County judge ordered her eligible right before the postseason and it's taken six games for the Yellowjackets to all click.

They'll all need to be on to contend with Mater Dei, which is 97-3 over the last three seasons. Berkeley is quicker up the court and off the floor. Mater Dei is bigger, much more battle-tested and skilled. The Monarchs also have determined Mosqueda-Lewis.

"They have talented players everywhere," Berkeley coach Cheryl Draper said. "On film, they are very impressive. We'll have to get out on their shooters and really box out and crash the boards. But our girls are hungry and ready and playing their best ball of the year."

PREDICTED SCORE: Mater Dei 52, Berkeley 50.

DIVISION II, Friday, 6 p.m.
Rialto (33-3) vs. St. Mary's-Stockton (28-2)

WIN STREAKS: Rialto 14, St. Mary's 26.

STATE RECORD: Rialto 0-0, St. Mary's 6-2.

TERRIFIC TRIOS: Rialto – G Janae' Sharpe, C Danae Williams, G Trazhazia Webb. St. Mary's – F Ali Gibson, F Kendall Kenyon, G Regina Camera.

POINTS PER GAME (ALLOWED): Rialto 74.2 (36.1), St. Mary's 77.5 (42.3).

Hold on to your seats for this one.

Both teams love to get up and down the court, especially the defending Division III champion Rams who press full-court and dare teams to maintain high intensity for 32 minutes.

Rialto figures to take the dare with one of the most productive guards in the state in Sharpe, a 5-6 senior headed to Cal State Northridge. She averages 24.6 points, 9.5 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game. Williams, a 6-2 post, averages 17.3 points, 18.7 rebounds and 4.1 blocks per game. Webb is also a nifty ball-handler and averages 13.1 points and 11.0 assists per contest.

St. Mary's doesn't have such massive individual numbers, but spreads the wealth all-around though Oregon State-bound Gibson, a fourth-year starter, leads the bunch at about 17 points per game.

She had 15 points in a tough 56-48 NorCal championship win over Del Oro-Loomis. Courtney Range, a 6-1 sophomore, and Camera had 12 points apiece in that game but it was the NorCal Division II title-game record 20 rebounds from long Kenyon (6-1) that proved decisive.

PREDICTED SCORE: St. Mary's 68, Rialto 64

DIVISION III, Saturday, 1 p.m.
St. Joseph-Santa Maria (28-6) vs. Bishop O'Dowd-Oakland (24-7)

WIN STREAKS: St. Joseph 4, Bishop O'Dowd 14.

STATE RECORD: St. Joseph 1-1, Bishop O'Dowd 0-0.

TERRIFIC TRIOS: St. Joseph - C Alyson Beebe, G Heather Madrigal, G Kelsi English. Bishop O'Dowd – C Oderah Chidom, G Ariell Bostick, F Kendall Waters.

POINTS PER GAME (ALLOWED): St. Joseph 62.1 (42.2), Bishop O'Dowd 57.9 (41.5).

It's been a long dry spell since St. Joseph has been to the state finals. It's the first time for the Bishop O'Dowd girls, whose boys' counterpart has been here seven times.

St. Joseph, which last went back-to-back seasons starting in 1990, is led by one of the state's top juniors in 6-3 Beebe, who averages 20.7 points and 12.2 rebounds per game. She led the Knights to a 54-45 win over Serra-Gardena in the regional finals with 17 points, 15 rebounds, four blocks and three assists.

The victory avenged a Southern Section loss for the Knights, who are also led by 5-8 junior Madrigal (11.6 ppg) and 5-7 senior guard English (10.7 ppg).

Beebe and company will need to deal with the length of O'Dowd, which starts 6-3 Breanna Brown, 6-1 Kendall Waters and 6-3 Oderah Chidom. The scariest part about that trio isn't so much their height, but the fact all are sophomores as is the player that makes O'Dowd go, 5-2 point guard Ariell Bostick.

Lariel Powell, , the team's lone senior, is a 5-8 guard and best shooter. She had 17 points in 57-46 regional final win over Sacramento. Chidom was the star down low with 21 points and 10 rebounds and Waters, after a quiet first half, added 10 second-half points and 10 rebounds.

PREDICTED SCORE: Bishop O'Dowd 46, St. Joseph 43

DIVISION IV, Saturday, 9:30 a.m.
Windward-Los Angeles (28-4) vs. St. Mary's-Berkeley (30-4)

WIN STREAKS: Windward 19, St. Mary's 17.

STATE RECORD: Windward 0-1, St. Mary's 0-1.

TERRIFIC TRIOS: Windward – C Imani Stafford, G Courtney Jaco, G Jordin Canada. St. Mary's – G Gabby Green, F Emily Vann, F Cody Sims.

POINTS PER GAME (ALLOWED): Windward 63.2 (38.4), St. Mary's 64.0 (37.8).

This might be the most interesting game of the bunch based on so many similarities. Both are hoping to avoid previous lone appearances – Windward lost a bitter 2006 D4 overtime title game to Sacred Heart Cathedral (66-56) and St. Mary's lost last season to Harvard-Westlake 58-44.

Both teams are led in scoring by freshmen, Canada, a 5-7 guard, and Green a 5-11 guard.

And both teams are remarkably balanced. Canada, Stafford, a 6-7 junior and Jaco, a 5-6 guard, average between 12.2 and 12.5 per game. Green averages just 10.1 per game yet five others average between 7.9 and 9.8. Who are you going to stop?

The key appears to be the long reach of Stafford, who had nine points and 16 rebounds in the team's regional final win over La Jolla Country Day (68-58). She didn't play in two previous games with Country Day, both losses. Jaco drilled six 3-pointers in the win.

PREDICTED SCORE: Windward 51, St. Mary's 49

DIVISION V, Friday, 3:30 p.m.
St. Bernard-Playa del Rey (24-14) vs. Pinewood-Los Altos Hills (27-5)

WIN STREAKS: St. Bernard 4, Pinewood 15.

STATE RECORD: St. Bernard 3-3, Pinewood 4-1.

TERRIFIC TRIOS: St. Bernard – F LaJahana Drummer, C Kacy Swain, G Chyanne Butler. Pinewood - G Hailie Eackles, G Kelsey Morehead, G Miranda Seto. 

POINTS PER GAME (ALLOWED): St. Bernard 59.2 (50.4), Pinewood 63.4 (41.9).

Two of the most experienced programs at state attack completely from different angles.

St. Bernard is huge down low, with 6-2 freshman Drummer (17.3 ppg) and 6-3 Swain (11.3), while defending champion Pinewood has won four of its five state appearances utilizing the 3-pointer.

Without a player taller than 5-9, Pinewood has made 330 3-pointers led by one of the state's top players Hailie Eackles (23.5). She is also the team's leading rebounder at 8.0 per game. Seto averages 10.6 points per game and Morehead averages 7.7.

Pinewood was towered over last season but won the state finals going away 62-44 over St. Anthony-Long Beach. St. Bernard was a regular to the state finals, making six visits from 1993 to 2001. The Vikings are making their first visit since then. Pinewood is making its fifth appearance in seven seasons.

PREDICTED SCORE: St. Bernard 53, Pinewood 50