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Basketball: Locals could be lovin’ it at McDonald’s games

Los Angeles Times staff writer Ben Bolch
By Ben Bolch
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They ought to hold the McDonald’s All-American basketball games in Southern California more often considering the annual size of the contingent from the Southland. This year, the eight local players had to take a five-hour flight to Miami for the games that will held Wednesday at the Bank United Center.

Last year, the West boys’ team had five local players. This year, the number is a still-hearty four: center Renardo Sidney of Fairfax, twin forwards Travis and David Wear of Mater Dei and guard Michael Snaer of Rancho Verde. The boys’ game is at 5 p.m. PDT and will be televised by ESPN.

The girls’ game also includes a healthy Southern California contingent of center Monique Oliver of Long Beach Poly, guard Eliza Pierre of Muir, forward Christina Marinacci of Foothill and forward Gennifer Brandon of Chatsworth. The girls’ game is at 2:30 p.m. PDT and will be televised by ESPNU.

--Ben Bolch

Varsity Times Insider
Ben Bolch

Ben Bolch has been a Los Angeles Times staff writer since 1999. He is serving his second stint as the UCLA beat writer, which seems fitting since he has covered almost every sports beat except hockey and horse racing. Bolch is also the author of the recently released book “100 Things UCLA Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die.” He previously covered UCLA basketball from 2010-11 before going on to cover the NBA and the Clippers for five years. He happily traded in gobs of hotel points and airline miles to return to cover UCLA basketball and football in the summer of 2016. Bolch was once selected by NBA TV’s “The Starters” as the “Worst of the Week” after questioning their celebrity journalism-style questions at an NBA All-Star game and considers it one of his finer moments.

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