PREP BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS : Capistrano Valley Top-Seeded in Orange Classic

Capistrano Valley, ranked second in the Orange County Sportswriters’ Assn. prep boys’ basketball poll, is the top-seeded team in the 27th Orange Holiday Classic scheduled to begin today in Chapman College’s Hutton Sports Center.

Capistrano Valley finished third this season in the Coca-Cola Classic and the Tournament of Champions. Three-point shooting specialist Tom Airey, who has signed with Loyola Marymount University, is the team’s top player.

Santa Clara, runner-up in the State Division IV championship last season, is seeded second. Coach Lou Cvijanovich has four starters returning from a team that finished 28-5.

Among the top players scheduled to compete are forward Steve Ransom (Capistrano Valley), center Jermaine Galloway (Kennedy), guard Jimmy Harris (Ocean View), guard Jared Winger (Foothill), forward Jason Register (Saddleback), forward Chris Cole (Santa Clara) and forward Brad Berberian (Laguna Beach).

The championship game is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 28. The first-round pairings:

9 a.m.--Laguna Hills vs. Foothill; 10:30--Issaquah, Wa. vs. San Diego Morse; 12:10 p.m.--Fountain Valley vs. Orange; 1:50--Saddleback vs. LB Wilson; 3:30--Marina vs. Kennedy; 5:10--Ocean View vs. Laguna Beach; 6:50--Santa Clara vs. Orange Lutheran; 8:30--Loara vs. Capistrano Valley.

Huntington Beach is seeded first and defending Southern Section 1-AA champion Long Beach Jordan is seeded second in the Coast Christmas Classic beginning Thursday at Estancia High in Costa Mesa.

Huntington Beach has four starters returning from last season’s Sunset League championship team and has added impressive newcomer Tony Gonzalez. Jordan’s top player is junior guard Everett Ratleff, a nephew of former Cal State Long Beach All-American Ed Ratleff.

Defending State Division II champion Tustin is seeded third. The Tillers (6-5) have won three consecutive games since guard Jentry Moore and forward Maurice Fletcher returned to the lineup.

Among the top players scheduled to compete include guard Brian Boothroyd (Irvine), forward Doug Hesse (Corona del Mar), guard Derek Roche (Tustin), forward Matt Kordik (Esperanza), forward Matt Fuerbringer (Estancia) and forward Justin McIntee (Newport Harbor).

The championship game is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. Monday, Dec. 30. The first-round pairings:

9 a.m.--Irvine vs. Wilmington Banning; 10:40--Corona del Mar vs. LB Jordan; 12:20 p.m.--Glendale Hoover vs. Pomona; 2--Mission Viejo vs. Tustin; 3:40--Huntington Beach vs. Hanford; 5:20--Esperanza vs. Santa Maria Righetti; 7--Estancia vs. Dana Hills; 8:40--Interlake, Wa. vs. Newport Harbor.

First-round action continues today in the second Carl’s Jr. Holiday Classic at Century High School in Santa Ana with co-favorite Buena Park opening against Anaheim.

Defending champion El Modena is also a co-favorite in the 16-team tournament. Among the top players scheduled to compete are forward Angel Barrios (Buena Park), guard Jeff St. Clair (Sonora), forward Aaron Aguilera (El Modena), forward Chris Blythe (Los Amigos) and forward Darvin Thompson (Century).

The championship game is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 28. Today’s schedule:

10 a.m.--Brethren Christian vs. Westminster; 11:30--Buena Park vs. Anaheim; 1 p.m.--Santa Ana vs. Century.

Gahr, featuring returning All-Southern Section forward Brandon Titus, is the top-seeded team in the 27th Pepsi-Brea-Olinda Christmas Tournament scheduled to begin today in Brea-Olinda High’s gymnasium.

Titus averaged 28.7 points as a junior and helped Gahr win the tournament last season. Among the top players scheduled to compete are guard Kelly Hambrick (La Mirada), guard Randy Abbott (Troy), forward Terry Mann (Sunny Hills) and forward James Cotton (St. John Bosco).

Four first-round games are scheduled today and four are scheduled Thursday. The championship game is 8:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 30. The first-round pairings:

Today: 3 p.m.--Montclair vs. La Mirada; 4:45--Centennial vs. Troy; 6:30--Sunny Hills vs. Compton; 8:15--Pacifica vs. Brea-Olinda.

Thursday: 3 p.m.--St. John Bosco vs. La Habra; 4:45--Rancho Buena Vista vs. Hacienda Heights Los Altos; 6:30--Long Beach St. Anthony vs. El Dorado; 8:15--Whittier Christian vs. Gahr.

Santa Margarita, winner of the Arroyo Grande Tournament and runner-up in the Cerritos-Gahr Tournament, is the favorite to win the Canyon Tournament beginning Thursday in Canyon High’s gymnasium.

Santa Margarita is led by four-year varsity letterman Dan Bathey, who averaged 19.5 points as a junior. Only three county schools are entered in the 16-team tournament.

The championship game is scheduled for 8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 30. The first-round pairings:

9 a.m.--Bellflower vs. Canyon; 10:40--Bolsa Grande vs. Oxnard Hueneme; 12:20 p.m.--Montebello Schurr vs. Newport, Wa.; 2--Vista vs. Goleta Dos Pueblos; 3:40--Bakersfield South vs. Cerritos; 5:20--Bloomington vs. Redondo Union; 7--Montebello vs. Temecula Valley; 8:40--Burbank Burroughs vs. Santa Margarita.