DIVISION IV BASKETBALL PREVIEWS : Coronado Teams Trying to Find Where Titles Are

SAN DIEGO — Funny as in frustrating, not ha-ha, is how Bob Stanton describes his Coronado boys’ basketball team.

“We seem to play at the level of the competition,” he said. “We’ll beat good teams when they’re ranked, then we play other teams where we’ll be ahead by 15 points, and we let them come back and beat us.”

Today at 2 p.m. in Golden Hall, Coronado will play Imperial for the San Diego Section Division IV title. Both played in finals last year, Coronado in the same division and Imperial in Division V, but both are still seeking their first section championship. Last season, Coronado lost to Christian, Imperial to two-time champion Calipatria.

For Harbor League champion Coronado (18-8), stuck unmercifully in the 3-A Metro Conference for years, the title in the new league means at least one drought is over.

“No one can recall winning (a section),” Stanton said. “In fact, 1963 was the last time they won a league championship.”

Senior forward Derek Wastila (6-3, 19.8-point average) and senior guard Paul Carter lead a balanced Coronado attack.

“Everyone worries about Wastila,” Imperial Coach Kerry Legarra said. “But he’ll get his points.”

Imperial will instead focus on stopping Carter.

“If we can keep it out of his hands, we have a much better chance,” Legarra said.

Imperial (16-7) is led by senior center Brian Williams (6-3, 18 points, 13 rebounds), the Coastal League MVP.

Coronado defeated Imperial, 68-59, in the Mountain Empire tournament final in December.