It will be a showdown at high noon on Saturday when the Santa Barbara High boys basketball team plays Lynwood in the CIF-Southern Section 2A Division championship game at the Honda Center in Anahteim.
Santa Barbara (30-1), the division’s top-seeded team, and No. 2 Lynwood (23-5) are scheduled to tip off at noon. Their title game is the second of six CIF Finals on tap that day at the 18,000-seat arena.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve been to the finals,” Santa Barbara coach Dave Bregante said. “It’s not something that happens very often and we’re going to enjoy it.”
Santa Barbara is making its first trip to the finals since 1991. The Dons captured the 1A Division title that year under coach Bob Purdy. Lynwood hasn’t been to the title game since 1992. The Knights were 1AA runners-up that year and in 1990.
Lynwood is led by sophomore a Keith Carlton, a slick guard. He averages points a game and scored 19 in an overtime win at Hart in the semifinals. Jamal Bogan, a 6-2 power foward, averages 14 points and 10 rebounds.
“One thing I’ve noticed as we’ve moved along in CIF is the game is being played above the rim; the teams we’ve played are very athletic,” Bregante said. “And, the team we’re going to play is also very athletic. So, we’ve got to deal with that.”
Bregante expressed his gratitude on being able to coach a special group of players at Santa Barbara.
“I really appreciate coaching them. It’s been a real pleasure and a blessing. Hopefully, we can do well. I think we’re ready.”
Here’s the schedule of games on Saturday at the Honda Center.
Time Division Teams
10 a.m. DIVISION 1A-Boys Santa Monica – Temecula Valley
12 p.m. DIVISION 2A-Boys Santa Barbara – Lynwood
2 p.m. DIVISION 1AA-Boys LB Poly – Riverside North
4 p.m. DIVISION 3AA-Boys Bonita – Oak Park
6:30 OPEN DIVISION-Boys Chino Hills – Sierra Canyon
8:30 DIVISION 2AA-Boys Ayala – Edison