ANTELOPE VALLEY COLLEGE NOTEBOOK: PLAYOFF RUN NO SLAM DUNK FOR A.V. COLLEGE SMALLISH MARAUDERS OPEN VS. GROSSMONT.

Byline: Sean Ceglinsky Staff Writer

Brandun Mates' steal and breakaway dunk Saturday against Barstow was significant for a number of reasons.

First, it was the type of momentum-swinging play the Antelope Valley College men's basketball team needed in its 86-77 Foothill Conference victory over the Rams, a win that clinched a berth in the state playoffs.

``We certainly got some luck with a home game,'' said AVC coach Newton Chelette, referring to the Marauders' playoff game tonight against Grossmont. Tipoff is 7 at Marauder Gym.

``We've worked hard to get to this point,'' he said, ``and it's a favorable matchup for us because they're not real big.''

AVC (22-11, 10-4) isn't exactly a towering unit - seldom-used freshman Tarius Baker is the tallest Marauder at 6-foot-5. In fact, Mates' rim-rattler a week ago was only the second dunk of the season by an AVC player. Damien Seals had the other in the first week of the season.

But what AVC lacks in height and above-the-rim-type play is supplied by quick defense and accurate outside shooting. The combination has enabled the Marauders to advance to the playoffs for the 13th consecutive season, all under Chelette.

``I would like to see any team in America - whether it be a Division I or Division II school, or even Duke - show me a team that can go out and win 22 games in a season with just two dunks,'' Chelette said. ``We had one in the first week and one in the last game and a bunch of 3-pointers in between. And that's just a credit to the guys; it says a lot about the character of this team.

``This is a great group. They're a bunch of overachievers and we've been playing some of our best basketball toward the end of the season.''

The 12th-seeded Marauders aren't the only team that has been hot of late. The Griffins, seeded 21st, enter the game having won 12 of their past 14 games to finish as co-champions of the Pacific Coast Conference. Grossmont also holds the series advantage over the Marauders 4-2, and Chelette never has beaten the Griffins while at AVC.

--Tough matchup: After finishing in second place in the Foothill Conference, the women's basketball team opens up first-round play of the state playoffs Saturday, when they travel to L.A. Trade Tech for a 7 p.m. game.

The John Taylor-coached Marauders finished with the fourth-best record (19-13) in the program's history this season but face the daunting task of playing the 12th-seeded Lady Techsters.

L.A. Trade Tech (25-4) finished as co-champion of the South Coast Conference and is ranked No. 12 in the state according to the most recent Commission on Athletics poll. It holds the series advantage between the two schools 18-3 and has won the past eight meetings.

The last time AVC won was in 1986, a 74-73 victory.

--Honor roll: Desiree Broadnax has proven to be a solid inside presence for the Marauders. As a result, the sophomore was selected to the all- conference first team.

The 5-foot-10 forward has started 29 of AVC's 30 games and averages team highs in points (13) and rebounds (nine).

Freshman Rashawna Mays, a Littlerock High graduate, was selected to the second team, and sophomore Teisha Smith was a third-teamer. Sarah Meng and Judy Collier (Palmdale) were honorable-mention selections.