PREP BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS : Mater Dei Is Poised to Defend Title

The Mater Dei boys’ basketball team, featuring four returning starters, is the defending champion and top-seeded team in the 21st Tournament of Champions scheduled to begin tonight at Ocean View High.

The Monarchs, who won the Daily Pilot Tipoff Classic this season, will open the tournament against traditional rival Servite at 8:30 tonight. The two Catholic schools have moved into separate public leagues this season.

Inglewood Morningside, the defending State Division III champion, is seeded second. Morningside’s top player is guard Stais Boseman, a four-year starter who has signed a national letter of intent with USC.

Among the top players scheduled to compete are guard Miles Simon (Mater Dei), center Tony Gonzalez (Huntington Beach), guard Jimmy Harris (Ocean View), forward Zerrick Campbell (Long Beach Poly), Treyvone Towns (Pasadena) brothers Ben and Jason Sanders (Westchester) and guard Everett Ratleff (LB Jordan).

The championship game is scheduled at 8 p.m. Saturday. The first-round pairings:

Monday: 4 p.m.--St. Anthony vs. Locke; 5:30--Lakewood vs. Westchester; 7--Ocean View vs. Millikan; 8:30--Mater Dei vs. Servite.

Tuesday: 4 p.m.--Inglewood vs. Morningside; 5:30--Lakewood vs. Westchester; 7--LB Jordan vs. Gardena Serra; 8:30--Pasadena vs. Huntington Beach.

Diamond Bar High is the top-seeded team and Irvine is seeded second in the Irvine World News tournament scheduled to begin Tuesday at two locations.

Diamond Bar’s top player is Keith Van Horn, a 6-foot-8 forward who averaged 21.1 points as a junior. Irvine is led by Eric Ambrozich, a 6-foot-7 forward who averaged 10 points and six rebounds as a junior.

Other top players scheduled to compete include guard Chris Bradshaw (Saddleback), guard Anthony Porter (Santa Ana Valley), guard Matt Keim (Marina), forward Jeff Cummins (Kennedy) and guard Arash Ghazinoor (Woodbridge).

The championship game is scheduled at 6 p.m. Saturday at Christ College Irvine. Tuesday’s first-round pairings:

At Irvine: 3 p.m.--Palos Verdes Peninsula vs. Garey; 4:30--San Clemente vs. Saddleback; 6--Diamond Bar vs. Whittier California; 7:30--Santa Fe Springs Santa Fe vs. Irvine.

At Woodbridge: 3 p.m.--Compton vs. Kennedy; 4:30--Santa Ana Valley vs. Marina; 6--San Pedro vs. University; 7:30--Santa Ana vs. Woodbridge.

Century High and tournament host Sonora are the co-favorites to win the Sonora Cage Classic beginning Tuesday in Sonora’s gymnasium.

Sonora was the consolation champion of the Daily Pilot Tipoff Classic and features three-year starting guard Chris St. Clair.

Century was a finalist in the Downtown Kiwanis Invitational at Costa Mesa High. The Centurions have three returning starters off last year’s team that finished 16-9.

Among the top players scheduled to compete are forward Darvin Thompson (Century), forward Chris Campbell (Sonora), forward Matt Cardillo (Troy), guard Greg Greenfield (La Quinta) and center Tyler Ream (Whittier Christian).

The championship game is scheduled at 8:15 p.m. Friday. The first-round pairings:

Tuesday: 6 p.m.--Whittier La Serna vs. Whittier Christian; 8--Sonora vs. La Quinta.

Wednesday: 6 p.m.--Century vs. Southern California Christian; 8--Santiago vs. Troy.

Western High, featuring four returning starters from last year’s team that finished 18-8, is the favorite to win the Fullerton tournament beginning Tuesday in Fullerton High’s gymnasium.

Among the top players scheduled to compete are forward Frank Floyd (Western), forward Scott Thomas (Brethren Christian), center Chad Murray (Fullerton) and forward Reggie Davis (Brethren Christian).

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

Tuesday: 6 p.m.--Canyon vs. Brethren Christian; 7:30--Los Altos vs. Fullerton.

Wednesday--6 p.m.--Western vs. Cerritos; 7:30--Buena Park vs. La Mirada.