Basketball Tournament Roundup : Mater Dei Won’t Play at Valencia This Year

Mater Dei High School, winner of the past five Valencia basketball tournaments, has ended its association with that event and instead has entered the Costa Mesa-Newport Harbor tournament, which begins Dec. 1 at Costa Mesa and Newport Harbor high schools.

Mater Dei, the defending Division I state champion, returns forwards Kevin Rembert and Char Ruppel and guard Mike Hopkins from last year’s 31-1 team. The Monarchs are the tournament’s top-seeded team, but Saddleback will receive the first-round bye. Mater Dei is scheduled to face co-host Newport Harbor in a first-round game.

Other top players who will compete in the four-day tournament include Gylan Dottin (Saddleback), Brett Pagett (Los Alamitos), Steve Stolzoff (University), and Kenny Bennett and Ari Buford (La Quinta).

The championship game is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Dec. 4 in Costa Mesa’s gymnasium.

The first-round pairings:

At Costa Mesa: 4:40 p.m.--Costa Mesa vs. Eisenhower; 6:20--Estancia vs. Mayfair; 8--Mater Dei JV vs. Los Alamitos. Saddleback, bye.

At Newport Harbor: 3 p.m.--University vs. Miraleste; 4:40--La Quinta vs. Glenn; 6:20--San Marcos vs. La Quinta JV; 8--Mater Dei vs. Newport Harbor.

Instead of Mater Dei, Westminster High School is the favorite in the 25th Valencia tournament, which is scheduled to begin Dec. 1 at Valencia and Esperanza high schools.

The Lions, who return 6-foot 9-inch center Chris Tower, will receive a first-round bye in the 11-team tournament, as will Irvine and El Modena high schools. The championship game is scheduled for Dec. 5 at Valencia.

The first-round pairings:

At Esperanza: 6:15 p.m.--Rancho Alamitos vs. Troy; 8--Sonora vs. Esperanza.

At Valencia: 6:15 p.m.--Fontana vs. Valencia; 8--La Habra vs. Valencia.

Fullerton and Laguna Hills high schools are the co-favorites in the 22nd Garden Grove basketball tournament, which begins Dec. 1 in the Argonauts’ gymnasium.

Fullerton features 6-foot 8-inch center Alan Lewis, who averaged 13.5 points and 10.3 rebounds to lead the Indians to the Freeway League title last season.

The championship game of the seven-team tournament is scheduled for 8 p.m. Dec. 4.

The first-round pairings:

Tuesday, Dec. 1: 6 p.m.--Western vs. Loara; 7:30--Laguna Hills vs. Bolsa Grande.

Wednesday, Dec. 2: 6 p.m.--Fullerton vs. Pacifica; 7:30--Garden Grove, bye.