DIVISION II-AA

Defending champion: Laguna Hills.

Top teams: Brea Olinda (25-1); Bellflower (23-3); Troy (25-2); El Dorado (22-3).

Dark horse: The winner of the Canyon-Tustin first-round game will likely face third-seeded Troy in the second round and is on the opposite side of the bracket from Brea. Troy hasn’t been challenged much this season, and the two times they faced credible opponents--Buena and El Toro--it lost.

Top players: Sega Asiata (Santiago); Carrie Banister (Loara); Jennie Bluth (El Dorado); Brook Brown (Tustin); Missy Bynon (Villa Park); Allison Chow (Kennedy); Yvette deBruijn (El Dorado); Lindsey Davidson (Brea); Alexis Graves (El Dorado); Heidi Hardeman (Troy); Kate Ides (Brea); Odessa Jenkins (Bellflower); Tammie Johnson (Cerritos Gahr); Veronica Johns (Troy); Erin Kelly (Brea); Bianca Larson (Villa Park); Jessica Miles (Loara); Brandie Mercer (Canyon); Sara Mohkami (Canyon); Darlene Nunez (La Serna); Meghan O’Neill (Canyon); Stephanie Patten (El Dorado); Natalie Quinn (Woodbrige); Nicole Roberts (Woodbridge); Catherine Solorio (Brea); Paulette Seaman (Canyon); Chaunita Smith (Bellflower); Chelsea Trotter (Brea); Shawnna Walker (Loara); Jacky Williams (Tustin); Lisa Whiteside (Bellflower).

Notes: One of the most well-rounded teams in the division is El Dorado, which features two solid post players in Jennie Bluth and Stephanie Patten, two outstanding defensive players in Yvette deBruijn and Alexis Graves. DeBruijn is averaging 7.7 assists, and Graves 6.1. . . . Brea Olinda has four players shooting better than 60% from the field--Kate Ides, Erin Kelly, Chelsea Trotter and Lindsey Davidson. . . . Woodbridge got into the playoffs because it got a basket at the buzzer by Bryn Riley to beat Santa Margarita, 38-37. “We’re just excited about being [in the playoffs,” Woodbridge Coach Pat Quinn said. “We just wanted to get some experience for our girls [returning next year]. Woodbridge (14-12) lost twice to Irvine and once to Newport Harbor by three points--ultimately, not a bad showing by a team that had three starters transfer, including Cathy Joens (Calvary Chapel) and Debby Caine (San Clemente). Woodbridge has only two seniors, Nicole Roberts and Romeena Constantino.