The high school basketball season heads into the busiest week of the season so far, with post-Christmas tournaments getting under way next week. Teams that have been waiting for transfers to finally become eligible get to unveil them and see if they make an immediate impact.
The Classic at Damien tournament featuring 112 teams over five days begins Monday, with 32 games in six gymnasiums. But the real action starts Tuesday in the Platinum Division, where there’s a 4 p.m. opening matchup at La Verne Damien of City Section title favorite Harbor City Narbonne and Marcus Adams Jr., taking on Studio City Harvard-Westlake (13-0), which is the new No. 1 team in The Times’ top 25 rankings.
Harvard-Westlake coach David Rebibo used to coach at Woodland Hills El Camino Real, so he knows not to take top City teams lightly, and Narbonne finally will be at full strength with the addition of Windward transfer Troy Jones, a guard who scored 16 points in his debut last week in the championship game of the Gardena Serra tournament. He will add scoring support for Adams and his freshman brother, Maximo.
If there’s a time to surprise the Wolverines, it might be in the opener since they’ve been off for more than a week after traveling to Arkansas. This will be a good test for Harvard-Westlake by taking on the 6-foot-7 Marcus Adams, since possible future opponents Corona Centennial and Santa Clarita West Ranch also have good big men.
West Ranch, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, Anaheim Canyon and Temecula Rancho Christian are also in the Platinum Division, so Friday’s championship game should produce a top matchup.
There also are tournaments taking place at Orange, Covina, Torrey Pines, Rancho Mirage, Anaheim and South Pasadena.
For girls’ basketball, there’s a huge tournament involving top teams taking place at Dublin High in Northern California, the West Coast Jamboree, which includes unbeaten Rancho Cucamonga Etiwanda.
