Tarkanian Classic: Major SoCal programs on hand
The No.’s 3 (Rancho Christian) and 4 (Westchester) teams in my updated Southern California Top 10 are among a strong Southern California presence in the Tarkanian Classic that gets underway Wednesday in Las Vegas.
They are joined in the 16-team Platinum (top) Division by Chino Hills, Corona Centennial and Pasadena, which are in this week’s “Next 10” of the ratings.
Wednesday’s eight first-round games in the division will be played in the Orleans Hotel Arena with Thursday, Friday and Saturday action at Bishop Gorman High.
Rancho Christian, led by brothers Isaiah and Evan Mobley (pictured), takes on Post Falls of Idaho at noon, with Centennial playing Wilson of Washington, DC, at 1:30 p.m. and Pasadena hooking up with Las Vegas Clark at 3.
Onyeka Okongwu-paced Chino Hills plays George Washington of Denver at 6 and Westchester follows with Westbury Christian of Houston at 7:30.
The Platinum championship game is scheduled to tip off at 5:20 on Saturday evening.
The Top 10
(Records as of Dec. 18)
- Torrance Bishop Montgomery (Southern Section/7-0)
- Santa Ana Mater Dei (Southern Section/5-0)
- Temecula Rancho Christian (Southern Section/6-0)
- L.A. Westchester (L.A. City Section/7-1)
- L.A. Fairfax (L.A. City Section/7-1)
- Chatsworth Sierra Canyon (Southern Section/5-1)
- La Verne Damien (Southern Section/9-1)
- Bellflower St. John Bosco (Southern Section/9-0)
- Woodland Hills Taft (L.A. City Section/11-1)
- Santa Margarita (Southern Section/8-2)
Next 10 (alphabetical): Chino Hills (SS/3-3); Corona Centennial (SS/4-2); Encino Crespi (SS/9-1); Etiwanda (SS/9-1); Studio City Harvard-Westlake (SS/9-1); Lakewood Mayfair (SS/8-2); Oak Park (SS/7-3); Pasadena (SS/3-1); Long Beach Poly (SS/7-2) and Eastvale Roosevelt (SS/4-0)