Teams Jockey for Position as They Enter Final Week of Regular Season

The Southern Section playoff brackets for boys’ and girls’ basketball will be announced Sunday, and most teams would rather earn an automatic playoff berth than risk hoping for an at-large berth.

Teams finishing at least third in six-team leagues or fourth in seven-team leagues will gain one of those automatic berths.

Here’s how the teams stand entering the final week.

In girls’ basketball:

Academy--Capistrano Valley appears headed for the title. Downey Calvary Chapel (8-2 in league) plays at Connelly (8-2) on Friday.

Century--Foothill (8-0) and Canyon (6-2) probably finish 1-2. Third-place Villa Park (4-4) must hold off El Modena (3-5) for an automatic playoff berth.

Empire--Third-place Loara (4-4) plays Century (8-0) and El Dorado (6-2). Cypress (4-4) plays Kennedy (0-8) and Katella (2-6).

Freeway--Troy (8-0) plays Sonora (7-1) Friday for league title. La Habra (4-4), which faces Troy Tuesday, plays Fullerton (3-5) Friday. Garden Grove--Four teams will advance. Pacifica (9-1) plays host to Santiago (9-2) on Thursday to determine the league champion. Bolsa Grande (6-5), Los Amigos (5-6), Garden Grove (4-6) and La Quinta (4-6) have chance at third and fourth places.

Golden West--Westminster (8-0) plays host to Rosary (7-1) tonight to determine league champion. Tustin (5-3) can clinch third place tonight at home against fourth-place Saddleback (3-5).

Olympic--Calvary Chapel (10-0) can clinch league title tonight against Ontario Christian (5-6). Brethren Christian (4-7) needs a victory tonight over Cerritos Valley Christian (7-2) to forge a possible fourth-place tie with Ontario Christian.

Orange--Brea Olinda (8-0) will win league again. Valencia (6-2) is in the playoffs. The Tigers have two-game lead over Anaheim (4-4), which is trying to hold off Savanna (3-5).

Pacific Coast--Laguna Hills (7-1) and Costa Mesa (6-2) are in the playoffs. University (4-4) trails Estancia (5-3), but plays Estancia tonight; Estancia still must play Laguna Hills. Estancia and University are already at-large eligible.

Sea View--El Toro is league champion. Santa Margarita (5-3) has edge for second place because Eagles don’t face El Toro this week, like Woodbridge (5-3) and Irvine (4-4).

South Coast--San Clemente (7-1) and Mater Dei (6-1) will probably share the league title. Dana Hills (5-3) has two-game lead over Capistrano Valley (3-5), but Cougars need a victory over San Clemente Thursday for a chance to catch Dana Hills.

Sunset--Edison (8-0) has a two-game lead over Marina (6-2). Esperanza (5-3) faces Marina tonight.

In boys’ basketball:

Academy--Calvary Chapel Downey and Capistrano Valley Christian are in. St. Margaret’s and Orangewood Academy are holding down the final two spots.

Century--Canyon and Villa Park are in. One more victory for Foothill would secure third place.

Empire--Loara and Katella have qualified. El Dorado needs a victory at Loara Tuesday or at Cypress Friday to finish third.

Express--First-place Heritage Christian is a game up on defending league champion Rolling Hills Prep.

Freeway--Sonora has clinched at least a tie for the league title. Troy, which learned that two key players have been declared academically ineligible, and Buena Park, have secured playoff spots.

Garden Grove--Pacifica has clinched the league title. La Quinta, Bolsa Grande and Los Amigos are battling for positioning for the three remaining playoff berths.

Golden West--Servite’s stunning upset of Ocean View last week kept the Seahawks from wrapping up the league title. But Ocean View and Tustin have clinched playoff berths. Servite and Santa Ana are tied for the final playoff spot.

Olympic--Sierra Madre Maranatha and Calvary Chapel are in. Orange Lutheran and Valley Christian have the edge for the final two spots, although Whittier Christian could slip in.

Orange--Brea Olinda will finished no worse than tied for its third league title in four seasons. Savanna appears to be in. Valencia is a game up on defending league champion Magnolia for the final spot.

Pacific Coast--Only Costa Mesa, 0-8 in league play, is out of the playoff hunt.

Sea View--Santa Margarita has clinched no worse than a tie for the title. Newport Harbor, which hosts the Eagles Wednesday, needs at least one victory in its final two games to wrap up second.

South Coast--Mater Dei wins yet another title, but if Dana Hills posts its 10th victory this week with a win against the Monarchs or Mission Viejo, it’s possible six teams will make the playoffs.

Sunset--Marina’s surprising victory over Fountain Valley last week allowed Los Alamitos to claim the title outright, but it’s a scramble for the final automatic spots between the Vikings, Barons and Esperanza.