Mater Dei Top-Ranked in Basketball

Mater Dei High School, which will take a 38-game winning streak into the Orange Tournament on Thursday night, is the top-ranked team in the Orange County Sportswriters’ Assn. prep basketball poll.

The Monarchs (9-0) won the Tournament of Champions for the third straight year Saturday. They open against Los Angeles Jordan on Thursday night in Chapman College’s Hutton Sports Center.

Capistrano Valley (8-1) is ranked second. The Cougars are also in the Orange Tournament and conceivably could meet Mater Dei for the title on Monday night.

Ocean View (9-1) is ranked third. The Seahawks are idle until Jan. 2 when they meet tournament host Pine Bluff in the King Cotton Classic in Arkansas.

The writers’ poll:

Pos. School (League)Record 1. Mater Dei (Angelus) 9-0

2. Capistrano Valley (South Coast) 8-1

3. Ocean View (Sunset) 9-1

4. El Dorado (Empire) 7-1

5. Corona del Mar (Sea View) 7-1

6. Los Alamitos (Empire) 7-1

7. Woodbridge (Sea View) 7-2

(tie) Mission Viejo (South Coast) 7-2

9. Edison (Sunset) 5-2

10. Brea-Olinda (Orange) 6-2

Others Receiving Votes: Valencia, Santa Ana, Fullerton, Foothill and Orange Lutheran.