PREP BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS : Lynwood, Crenshaw Come in Co-Favorites

Lynwood High School, the second-ranked boys’ basketball team in the Southern Section’s Division I, and Crenshaw, the top-ranked team in the City Section 4-A division, are the co-favorites to win the Coca-Cola/Converse Classic, which begins today at Trabuco Hills and Capistrano Valley high schools.

Among Crenshaw’s seven transfers is junior forward Kris Johnson, son of former UCLA All-American Marques Johnson.

Lynwood is led by returning All-Southern Section guard Rodney Malloy and forwards Nathan Ware and Deon Amos.

Among the county’s top teams entered are the tournament co-hosts. Trabuco Hills features transfers Jerron White and Matt Moore. Capistrano Valley returns the county’s best point guard, David Sedgwick.

Other top players scheduled to compete in the 15-team tournament include Pasadena Muir point guard Jaques Vaughan, Cal State Fullerton-bound Chris Dade of Oceanside El Camino, Los Alamitos guard Steve Carbone, Kennedy forward Jeff Cummins, Esperanza swingman Marcus Jones and Long Beach Poly juniors Zerrick Campbell and Sydney Faison.

The championship game will be at 8:15 p.m. Saturday at Capistrano Valley. The first-round pairings:

At Trabuco Hills

Monday: 8 p.m.--Pasadena Muir vs. Esperanza.

Tuesday: 6:30 p.m.--University vs. LB Poly; 8--Trabuco Hills vs. El Modena.

At Capistrano Valley

Monday: 6 p.m.--Los Alamitos vs. Kennedy; 8--Capistrano Valley vs. Escondido San Pasqual.

Tuesday: 6:30 p.m.--Savanna vs. Lynwood; 8--Oceanside El Camino vs. Santa Margarita.

Note: Crenshaw received a first-round bye.

Mission Viejo High, led by returning All-South Coast League guard Jeff Carr, is the top-seeded team in the first Laguna Hills tournament beginning today in the Hawks’ gymnasium.

The Diablos’ first-year coach, Joe Reid, also has returning players in forward Matt Denny and center Dave Bayer. Foothill, featuring All-Century League guard Jared Winger, and Laguna Hills will also be contenders.

“The whole idea when I put this tournament together was having a field where everyone has a chance to win,” Laguna Hills Coach Dave Brown said.

The championship game will be 7:30 p.m. Friday. The first-round pairings:

Monday: 6 p.m.--Foothill vs. Dana Hills; 7:30--Norwalk vs. Laguna Hills.

Wednesday: 6 p.m.--Capistrano Valley Christian vs. El Toro; 7:30--St. John Bosco JVs vs. Mission Viejo.

Katella High, led by All-Empire League forward Brian Carlson, is the top-seeded team in the La Quinta tournament beginning today in the Aztecs’ gymnasium.

Veteran Coach Tom Danley has four returning starters. Other top players scheduled to compete include Estancia guard Jim Faulkner, La Quinta forward Greg Greenfield and Garden Grove forward Cornel Archer.

The championship game will be 7:45 p.m. Friday. Corona del Mar is the defending champion. The first-round pairings:

Monday: 6:15 p.m.--Katella vs. Estancia; 7:45--Life Christian vs. La Quinta.

Tuesday: 6:15 p.m.--Garden Grove vs. Corona del Mar; 7:45--Cypress vs. Westminster.

Century High, which returns three starters, including All-Pacific Coast League forward Darvin Thompson, is the top-seeded team in the first Downtown Kiwanis Invitational scheduled to begin today at Costa Mesa High.

Orange is seeded second, followed by Saddleback and Pioneer. The tournament has 12 teams entered and the championship game will be 7 p.m. Saturday. The first-round pairings:

Monday: 3:20 p.m.--Fullerton vs. Villa Park; 5--Laguna Beach vs. Chino Boys Republic; 6:40--Costa Mesa vs. Bolsa Grande.

Tuesday: 3:20 p.m.--Calvary Chapel vs. Southern California Christian.

Note: Century, Pioneer, Saddleback and Orange all received first-round byes.

Long Beach Jordan is the top-seeded team in the boys’ division and El Dorado is the top-seeded team in the girls’ division in the El Dorado Co-ed Classic beginning Tuesday in the Golden Hawks’ gymnasium.

The tournament has eight girls’ teams and six boys’ squads and is the only co-ed tournament in the Southern Section.

Jordan is the defending boys’ champion. Mission Viejo, which won the girls’ title last year, is not entered this year. The championship games are scheduled at 6 p.m. (girls) and 7:30 (boys) Saturday. The first-round pairings:

Girls

Tuesday: 4:30 p.m.--Canyon vs. Pomona; 6--Sunny Hills vs. Downey.

Wednesday: 4:30 p.m.--Fullerton vs. Pomona Ganesha; 7:30--LB Jordan vs. El Dorado.

Boys

Tuesday: 7:30 p.m.--Sunny Hills vs. Downey.

Wednesday: 6 p.m.--LB Jordan vs. Pomona JV.

Thursday: 4:30 p.m.--Downey vs. Pomona; 7:30--El Dorado vs. LB Jordan.