Basketball: Christmas tournaments begin en masse on Saturday

It’s not only time to search for those post-Christmas shopping deals. It’s time to watch high school basketball from morning to night day after day. Tournaments begin en masse on Saturday from San Diego to Palm Springs and around the country. It’s the week for planes, trains and automobiles. If you’re a fan of basketball, you’ll be in heaven.

No. 1-ranked Chino Hills (9-0) opens play in the MaxPreps Holiday Classic at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday against Seattle Prep at Rancho Mirage. Santa Margarita, Redondo, Windward, Alemany, Laguna Hills and Rancho Mirage are also in the division.

The Under Armour Holiday Classic takes place at Torrey Pines. In the National Division are Corona Centennial, Diamond Ranch, Fairfax and Compton. Los Alamitos is also competing.

The Southern California Christmas Classic sponsored by #D1Bound takes place at Cathedral, St. Francis, Maranatha and Dorsey. Westchester Coach Ed Azzam has the opportunity to win No. 804 in his career and set a City Section record when his team plays in an 8:30 p.m. game against Narbonne on Saturday at Cathedral.

Tournaments also are going on at Chaminade, Hart, Lakewood and Hope International. Crespi is traveling to Chicago for a tournament.

Santa Ana Mater Dei is traveling to South Carolina for the Beach Ball Classic next week.

There’s also a prestigious girls’ tournament in Livermore. The West Coast Jamboree includes Long Beach Poly, which knocked off Chaminade last week.

Here’s a link for tournament schedules ahead.

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