Verbum Dei and Bishop Amat will play for state high school basketball titles this weekend in Sacramento, after earning Southern California regional championships last weekend.

In boys basketball, Verbum Dei won the Division IV regional title --- its first since 1999 --- by edging St. Joseph of Santa Maria, 56-55, on Mike Pagan's basket with two seconds left. The Eagles (21-9) had reached the regional finals when Lowell Grissom sank a shot with 0.2 seconds remaining to defeat San Joaquin Memorial in the semifinals.

On March 19, Verbum Dei will play St. Joseph Notre Dame of Alameda (28-6) for the state championship at Sacramento's Arco Arena, beginning at 4 p.m. St. Joseph, the CIF-SS Division IV-AA champion, ended its season at 29-3, with Stewart Kussler scoring 18 points in the championship game.

In girls basketball, Bishop Amat earned the Division III regional title, its first ever, with a 71-51 victory over Morningside at the Sports Arena. The Lancers were paced by Erin Myrick (18 points), Chasmine Jones (13), Jessica Carrerra (11) and Juanise Cornell (11), and outscored Morningside 37-24 in the second half to pull away.

The Division III-A champions from La Puente, now 31-3, will play St. Mary's of Stockton (31-4) for the state crown at Arco Arena on March 20, 1 p.m.