Many Prep Teams to Enjoy Bit of a Homecoming

Many of the county’s high school basketball and soccer teams were on the road last week, participating in tournaments across the country.

This week, however, most will be sticking around to play in the myriad of tournaments scheduled throughout the Southland.

The Mater Dei boys’ basketball team, which fell two points shy of winning the Reebok Holiday Prep Classic Last week in Las Vegas, losing to Mouth of Wilson (Va.) Oak Hill Academy in the final, 55-53, heads south to participate in another prestigious tournament.

The Monarchs, whose 75-game regular-season winning streak ended Thursday, will play the winner of the Las Vegas Bishop Gorman-San Diego Scripps Ranch game at 6:20 tonight at Encinitas Torrey Pines High in the first round of the Reebok Above the Rim Prep Classic.

Ocean View and Newport Harbor will also participate in the tournament. Ocean View plays Las Vegas Bonanza at 1:35 p.m. today at San Dieguito High in Encinitas, and Newport Harbor takes on host San Dieguito at 3:10 p.m.

Included in the Above the Rim field is Washington (D.C.) Dunbar, the team Mater Dei defeated in the semifinals in Las Vegas, 87-60. The championship game is 7:30 p.m. Friday at Torrey Pines.

Sonora, the county’s fifth-ranked team, and Cypress, ranked 10th, head the 16-team field for the fifth Century High Holiday Classic, which begins today and concludes with the championship game Friday at 8:30 p.m.

Defending champion Century plays Anaheim at 6:30 tonight, and Cypress meets Brethren Christian at 8:15. Sonora plays its first game at 8:15 p.m. Tuesday against Santa Ana.

The Daily Pilot Coast Classic at Estancia High begins today and runs through the title game at 7:30 p.m. Friday. The pool-play tournament features 12 teams, including sixth-ranked Estancia.

Eighth-ranked Katella plays host to the Katella Klassic, which features county teams Western and Savanna in its eight-team field. The tournament begins Tuesday and concludes with the championship game at 8 p.m. Friday.

Santa Margarita (10-0), fresh off its 43-35 victory over Encinitas Torrey Pines in the title game of the San Dieguito tournament Thursday, takes part in the 30th Orange Holiday Classic at Chapman University beginning Tuesday and wrapping up with the title game at 8:30 p.m. Friday.

The Eagles, ranked No. 9 in the county and seeded No. 1 in the 16-team tournament, will play Orange Lutheran in Tuesday’s eighth and final game at 8:30 p.m.

Two other boys’ competitions beginning today are the Brea Olinda Progress and Canyon tournaments.

In girls’ basketball this week, the big news is bound to take place at the Marina tournament, where five of the county’s top 10 teams will play in the 16-team field.

El Dorado, ranked seventh, opens the tournament Tuesday against Lakewood at 9 a.m. Sixth-ranked Fountain Valley meets Mission Viejo at 10:30, and fifth-ranked Newport Harbor plays Katella at noon. Mater Dei, ranked No. 3, plays Hurt, a team from Canada, at 1:30 p.m., and four games later, fourth-ranked Marina meets La Quinta in the day’s final game at 8 p.m.

Woodbridge, the county’s top-ranked team, heads the field of the Costa Mesa Christmas tournament, which begins at 9 a.m. today at Costa Mesa High.

The Warriors, who defeated Brea Olinda in the final of the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions on Friday night, meet Aliso Niguel in a first-round game at 1:30 p.m. The 16-team tournament concludes Thursday with a 7:30 p.m. championship game.

Ninth-ranked Edison will play in the eight-team Cavalier Classic at Santiago High.

The Chargers meet El Modena in a first-round game at 8 p.m. Tuesday. The tournament concludes with its championship game at 8 p.m. Friday.

Three other girls’ competitions beginning Tuesday are the Garden Grove Winter Classic and the Laguna Beach and Savanna tournaments. Each concludes Friday.

There’s also a full slate of soccer competition this week with four tournaments starting Tuesday.

The Excalibur tournament at Foothill High and the Ocean View Classic highlight the girls’ competition, while tournaments at Marina and Orange high schools will keep the boys busy.

The Excalibur, in its fifth year, features 32 teams and eight of the county’s top 10. Marina, ranked No. 1, opens play Tuesday with an 8 a.m. game against Magnolia.

The Ocean View tournament, featuring 10th-ranked Ocean View, begins at 8:45 a.m. Tuesday.