This Week’s Tournaments

A listing of prep basketball tournaments opening this week that include county teams:

BOYS

Brea Olinda Christmas Classic

* Site: Brea Olinda HS

* Dates: Pool play games, Dec. 23, 26, 27, 29; Championship, Dec. 30 at 8 p.m.

* County teams entered: Orange Lutheran, La Habra, Brea Olinda, Whittier Christian.

* 1996 champion: Brea Olinda, a 53-49 winner over Troy.

* Outlook: Brea Olinda was a preseason top 10, but let’s see where the Wildcats stand now.

Daily Pilot Coast Classic

* Site: Estancia HS

* Dates: Pool play games, Dec. 26, 27 and 29; Championship, Dec. 30, 7:30 p.m.

* County teams entered: Estancia, Corona del Mar, Edison.

* 1996 champion: Estancia, a 71-59 winner over Esperanza.

* Outlook: This tournament, in its 13th year, gets a visit from Antioch and Rialto Eisenhower, both of which could challenge the defending champions for the title.

Canyon Tournament

* Site: Canyon HS

* Dates: Bracketed games, Dec. 26-29; Championship, Dec. 30 at 7:30 p.m.

* County teams entered: Saddleback, Santa Ana, Loara, El Dorado, Fullerton, Canyon, Buena Park, Costa Mesa.

* 1996 champion: El Dorado, a 58-49 winner over Loara.

* Outlook: Canyon, Rowland Heights Rowland, Lakewood Mayfair and Loara are the teams to beat.

Century Holiday Classic

* Site: Century HS

* Dates: Bracketed games Dec. 26, 27 and 29; Championship Dec. 30, 8:40 p.m.

* County teams entered: Los Alamitos, Sunny Hills, San Clemente, Century, Westminster, Laguna Beach, Mission Viejo, Brethren Christian, Villa Park, Calvary Chapel, Los Amigos.

* 1996 champion: Sonora, a 59-52 winner over Century.

* Outlook: This eighth annual tournament is the better of the two that Century hosts each December. Los Alamitos, Villa Park and Calvary Chapel should get challenged by county invaders North Hollywood Campbell Hall and Lancaster.

Orange Holiday Classic

* Site: Chapman University

* Dates: Bracketed games, Dec. 26, 27 and 29; Championship, Dec. 30 at 8:30 p.m.

* County teams entered: Orange, Laguna Hills, Garden Grove, Foothill, Tustin, Esperanza, Kennedy, Aliso Niguel, Valencia, Santa Margarita, Dana Hills, Mater Dei, Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley.

* 1996 champion: Ocean View, a 47-45 winner over Orange.

* Outlook: This 16-team tournament easily has the best talent from around Orange County. Mater Dei returns, but it won’t be as the top-seeded team. That honor goes to Santa Margarita.

Katella Klassic

* Site: Katella HS

* Dates: Pool play games, Dec. 26, 27 and 29; Championship, Dec. 30 at 8 p.m.

* County teams entered: Western, Bolsa Grande, Santiago, Savanna, Katella.

* 1996 champion: Katella, a 54-49 winner over Torrance Bishop Montgomery.

* Outlook: This might be Katella’s third tournament title of the preseason.

Other tournaments

Bullhead City (Ariz.) Mohave, Dec. 22-23 (El Toro, Irvine, Magnolia); Nike National Prep Classic at Torrey Pines, Dec. 26-31 (Capistrano Valley, Ocean View); San Diego Mount Carmel, Dec. 26-30 (Trabuco Hills); Honolulu (Hawaii) Roosevelt, Dec. 26-29 (Valley); Covina, Dec. 26-30 (La Quinta); Eagle Rock, Dec. 26-30 (St. Margaret’s); Las Vegas Prep Championship, Dec. 26-30 (Marina, Woodbridge); Santa Barbara, Dec. 26-30 (El Modena); Best of the West Tournament at Long Beach City College, Dec. 26-31 (Cypress); Hawaii, Dec. 26-31 (Pacifica); San Rafael Marin Catholic, Dec. 26-31 (Servite); Honolulu (Hawaii) St. Louis, Dec. 26-Jan. 1 (Sonora, Pacifica); Mountain View St. Francis, Dec. 27-30 (University).

GIRLS

Laguna Beach Tournament

* Site: Laguna Beach HS

* Dates: Bracketed games, Dec. 27-29; Championship Dec. 30, 6:30 p.m.

* County teams entered: Irvine, Mission Viejo, Dana Hills, Fairmont, Orange Lutheran, Capistrano Valley Christian, Laguna Beach.

* 1996 champion: Irvine, a 46-45 winner over Brethren Christian.

* Outlook: Irvine was down by 20 at the half against Brethren Christian in last year’s tournament, and came back to win.

Marina Tournament

* Site: Marina HS

* Dates: Bracketed games, Dec. 26-29; Championship, Dec. 30 at 8 p.m.

* County teams entered: Santa Margarita, El Dorado, Huntington Beach, Newport Harbor, Edison, Fountain Valley, San Clemente, Rosary, Pacifica, Mater Dei, Century, Marina.

* 1996 champion: Harbor City Narbonne, a 72-60 winner over Marina.

* Outlook: This is easily the best local tournament with traditional powerhouses Mater Dei, Newport Harbor, Edison, Rosary, and Marina getting primed for their league schedules. But San Clemente’s the local team to beat and Narbonne is nationally ranked in USA Today.

Costa Mesa Winter Classic

* Site: Costa Mesa HS

* Dates: Bracketed games, Dec. 26-29; Championship, Dec. 30 at 8 p.m.

* County teams entered: Villa Park, Laguna Hills, Tustin, Capistrano Valley, Westminster, Costa Mesa.

* 1996 champion: Capistrano Valley, a 54-48 winner over San Clemente.

* Outlook: Based on last year’s finishes, Capistrano Valley is seeded first, followed by Westminster, Costa Mesa and North Torrance.

Garden Grove Tournament

* Site: Garden Grove HS

* Dates: Pool play games, Dec. 26, 27, 29, and 30; Championship, Dec. 31 at 4:30 p.m.

* County teams entered: Garden Grove, Magnolia, Troy, Trabuco Hills, Bolsa Grande, Los Alamitos, Sunny Hills, Anaheim, Santa Ana.

* 1996 champion: Foothill, a 52-47 winner over Inglewood.

* Outlook: Beverly Hills, Whittier California and Pomona round out this field of 12. Troy, led by Heidi Hardeman, and Los Alamitos are the teams to beat.

Other tournaments

Chula Vista Bonita Vista, Dec. 26-30 (Brethren Christian); Cerritos Gahr, Dec. 26-30 (Esperanza); Murrieta Valley, Dec. 26-30 (Whittier Christian, Santiago); Santa Maria Righetti, Dec. 27-30 (University, Irvine).

Compiled by DAN ARRITT