Boys’ Basketball : At Santa Ana, the Host and Westminster Are Tournament Favorites

Westminster and Santa Ana High schools, ranked among the county’s top 10 teams in preseason polls, are favored in the 13th Santa Ana tournament that begins today.

Westminster has 6-foot 10-inch center Chris Tower and four-year varsity players Marland Love and Mark Austin. Santa Ana will be led by guard Scootie Lynwood and forwards Bobby Joyce and Willie Lane.

Others who will play a lot are Joe Small (Bolsa Grande), Rick Swanwick (Trabuco Hills), Gary Hunter (Buena Park) and Vince Merk (Mission Viejo).

The championship game is scheduled for 8 p.m. Friday. Mission Viejo is the defending tournament champion. The first-round pairings:

Tonight: 6:15 p.m.--Hollywood vs. Trabuco Hills; 8 p.m.--Buena Park vs. Westminster.

Tuesday: 6:15 p.m.--Bolsa Grande vs. Mission Viejo; 8 p.m.--Kennedy JV vs. Santa Ana.

San Francisco Lincoln, the top-ranked team in Northern California, is seeded No. 1 in the La Quinta tournament beginning today.

Lincoln has four starters returning from a last season’s 23-2 team, which was eliminated in the Northern California regional final of the state tournament.

Leading area players expected to play in the eight-tournament are Jerry Babe (Katella), Kenny Bennett and Arri Buford (La Quinta), Rich Hughes (Huntington Beach) and Leo Parker (Tustin).

The championship game is scheduled for 8 p.m. Friday. The first-round pairings:

Tonight: 6:30 p.m.--Huntington Beach vs. El Modena; 8--West Torrance vs. La Quinta.

Tuesday: 6:30 p.m.--Tustin vs. Lincoln; 8--La Quinta JV vs. Katella.

Woodbridge, the defending state Division II champion, is favored to win the Fountain Valley tournament beginning Tuesday.

The Warriors are led by center Adam Keefe, probably the best player in the county, and returning guards Rob Lee and Robb Lee.

Other top players who will get some playing time in the eight-team tournament are Frankie Edwards (Long Beach Millikan), Chip Hanlon (Edison), Brian Kenney (Servite) and Bond Weaver (Cypress).

The championship game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday. The first-round pairings:

Tuesday: 6 p.m.--Cypress vs. L.B. Millikan; 7:30--Servite vs. Edison.

Wednesday: 6 p.m.--El Dorado vs. Woodbridge; 7:30--Compton vs. Fountain Valley.

Three-time defending champion Foothill High School is favored in the San Clemente tournament beginning Wednesday.

The Knights have five starters 6-4 or taller, including forward Greg Reiber, the team’s top returning player.

El Toro, which won its first South Coast League title last season, should be Foothill’s toughest opponent. El Toro features forwards Eric Speaker and Khari Johnson.

The championship game is scheduled for Saturday. First-round pairings:

Wednesday: 6 p.m.--Foothill vs. Capistrano Valley Christian; 7:45--San Diego Lincoln vs. San Clemente.

Thursday: 6 p.m.--El Toro vs. Savanna; 7:45--Laguna Beach vs. L.B. Wilson.