Mater Dei girls basketball excited about challenge of playing Bishop Montgomery

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Mater Dei girls basketball coach Kevin Kiernan embraced his team’s challenging draw for the CIF Southern California Regionals by focusing Monday on the task ahead rather than loudly complain.

The Monarchs (27-4) drew the fifth seed in the Open Division and a road showdown against No. 4 Bishop Montgomery (23-6) and former Mater Dei standout Khylee Pepe on Wednesday.

The 5 p.m. game will lead off a girls-boys doubleheader between the schools at El Camino College. The Mater Dei and Bishop Montgomery boys will follow with their Open Division game at 7 p.m.

“I was hoping for a little higher seed,” Kiernan said. “It is what it is. We’ll go where they tell us to go.”

And for the third time in four postseason games, Mater Dei will be on the road.

The Monarchs narrowly lost 53-49 in Southern Section Open Division pool play to eventual champion Windward but bounced back to win 68-60 at Etiwanda.

If Mater Dei wins Wednesday, it could head Saturday to top-seeded Clovis West, which opens against Redondo. Last season, the Monarchs lost at Clovis West in the first round of the SoCal Regionals.

“You always like to have a home game in the playoffs, but we’re certainly not afraid to go on the road,” Kiernan said. “We’re going to focus on Bishop Montgomery. They’re a great team.”

Pepe is one of the reasons why the Knights are so tough. She was a versatile 6-foot forward last season at Mater Dei and has developed more of an inside presence with Bishop Montgomery.

Count Kiernan as one of her biggest fans.

“I really love Khylee Pepe. She left (Mater Dei) on good terms,” he said. “Great player. … I always want her to do well.”

The backcourt is another strength for Bishop Montgomery. Senior Kayla Padilla (Penn) and Kayla Williams (UC Irvine) are dangerous from the perimeter or on drives.

Mater Dei features its own standout sophomore in Brooke Demetre, a versatile 6-foot-2 forward. And the Monarchs’ backcourt of Cal-bound Cailyn Crocker and sophomore Alyssa Frescas also can be a force.

Kiernan hopes that senior guard Katie FitzGerald (groin) returns Wednesday to make her playoff debut and helps against Padilla and Williams.

“It will be high-level girls basketball,” he said. “We’re looking forward to it.”

Troy inherits Oxford’s problem

Oxford Academy’s defense limited Santa Margarita to 29 points in the Division 2A semifinals, but Lakeside made 11 of 24 3-pointers to beat the Patriots 73-50 in the final Saturday.

Now, Cal-bound Jazlen Green and Lakeside (26-3) are headed to Troy (22-9) for a Division I regional first round game Tuesday at 7 p.m.

“They were the most impressive team I have seen in a long time,” Oxford Academy coach Dave Clifton said of Lakeside on Monday. “Green is an amazing player.”

Troy coach Roger Anderson feels the same about the senior guard, who had 27 points Saturday.

“Jazlen is a talented combo guard who you must defend everywhere,” he said.

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