SOUTHERN SEC. DIV. I-AA: VALENCIA STANDS TALL PALMDALE ADVANCES, FEELS BADLY FOR VIKINGS PALMDALE 49, VALENCIA 42.

Byline: Ramona Shelburne Staff Writer

PALMDALE - As the final buzzer ended what can only be described as frustrating but extremely promising season for the Valencia girls' basketball team, coach Jerry Mike tried hard to be diplomatic when asked whether he felt his team had been wronged by drawing Palmdale, the fifth-ranked team in Division I-AA in the first round of the Southern Section playoffs.

His face was red with emotion, his voice all but gone, but even after No. 2 Palmdale's 49-42 win that sent No. 6 Valencia home for the year, he spoke professionally.

``I don't know man, I think we played well and would have beat a lot of teams tonight,'' Mike said. ``But this division is tough, the playoffs were tough, so if we want to complain about it we should've just finished higher in league.''

If you wanted outrage, you'd have to talk with the winning side: Palmdale coach George Corisis.

``Valencia is a very talented team, we knew that from playing them over the summer. I just wish the (Southern Section) office knew that,'' Corisis said. ``They would have beaten 65 percent of the league winners tonight and if the CIF truly believes they are the 10th-ranked team in the division and we're fifth, there's no way we should have been playing each other in the first round.

``I feel bad for their kids because they're good enough to be playing next week and even after that. But we're too far away from Orange County (where the Southern Section office is based) and the farther away you get, the uglier it gets.''

Nonetheless, Palmdale (23-5) played the hand it was dealt well, winning an ugly game despite sitting out star center Teiosha George, who was serving a mandatory one-game suspension for being ejected from Palmdale's last game against Antelope Valley.

With the 6-foot-4 George out, the game would come down to a battle of the guards pitting Valencia's Kelley Tarver and Tamaiya Smith against Palmdale's McKena Richardson and Shanna Demus.

But with emotions and intensity running high, the first half turned out to be a dud, as both teams struggled to score. Valencia (19-8) led only 8-7 after the first quarter, and Palmdale led 17-14 at the halftime. It was well below average for two traditionally fast-break offenses.

The matchup actually favored the Vikings, who were able to break through Palmdale's fullcourt press early in the game and neutralize Palmdale's ability to score points off turnovers.

``Shanna (Demus) kept us in it the first half by posting up and getting to the free-throw line because we couldn't hit the ceiling in the first half,'' Corisis said.

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Valencia's Tamaiya Smith leaps high to shoot over Palmdale's Sandy Perry on Saturday. Palmdale won the Div. I-AA playoff opener.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News