Two SoCal squads make trek for NorCal Tip-Off Challenge Saturday

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DUBLIN, CA –  It’s a game worth setting an alarm or getting a wakeup call – for high school hoops fans and college coaches.

The 18^th NorCal Tip-Off Classic tips off at 8 o’clock Saturday morning in Dublin High’s spacious gymnasium.

And the opener of the nine-game schedule promises to be a dandy between two terrific programs and a couple of the best prospects in the west.

The first of nine clashes pits Sunnyvale’s King’s Academy (a runner-up to San Gabriel Academy in the State D-IIII final) and Ross of Branson (expected to contend for a slot in the North Regional Open Division playoffs next spring).

Each is led by a player already much admired by college coaching staffs across the country, 6-foot-4 sophomore Boss Mhoon of King’s Academy, and Branson’s N.J. Gray (pictured) – the top point guard prospect in the top half of the state’s junior class.

And the event wraps with a superb “North vs. South” matchup more than 12 hours later (8:30 p.m.), with San Francisco Riordan – the runner-up to Brayden Burries-led Roosevelt in last March State Open finale in Sacramento – and CIF Southern Section Open Division participant La Mirada.

Each is paced by one of the region’s best scorers, University of San Francisco-bound guard Andrew Hilman (Riordan) and one of the state’s elite juniors, Gene Roebuck (La Mirada).

Game 8 (7 p.m.) features the second North-South showdown via Destiny Christian of Sacramento and the San Gabriel Academy, which returns four starters from the team that edged King’s Academy last March.

The latter is led by one of the nation’s top junior posts in 6-10 Mahamadou Diop, a super shot blocker and rebounder and improving jump shooter.

One of Arizona’s best teams – Sunnyslope of Phoenix – makes its event debut at 3:30 while taking on an opponent with one of the most gifted rosters in the region, Amador Valley of Pleasanton.

Sunnyslope returns four starters from the squad that lost to Koa Peat-led Perry in the Arizona state title game, including University of Colorado-bound wing Rider Portela (the son of Sunnyslope Coach Ray Portela) and another of the nation’s top junior centers, 6-10 Darius Wabbington.

Amador Valley returns a sizzling trio of perimeter players (Cade Krueger, Dante Ventura and Jaylen Smith) with some noteworthy transfers, senior center Cam Anderson and junior guard Elijah Stanley.

Stockton Lincoln, which lost to Sierra Canyon in the State D-I title game, faces Bellarmine of San Jose in Game 2 (9:30).

The host Gaels take on Modesto Christian – led by one of the better jump shooters in the west’s junior class, Trevor Dickson, at 11 a.m.

Antioch Cornerstone Christian (led by a strong junior class that includes 6-7 James Perry, Jr.) faces Folsom – another team that make a nice run to the State’s Open regional playoffs – at 12:30 .

A deep and veteran San Francisco St. Ignatius team – led by 6-3 Raymond Whitley, one of a handful of the elite seniors in the North  – will challenge for “best in the North” honors this season.

It will be tested by another of the region’s better programs, Clayton Valley of Concord.

Six-five Zion Grissom could break through as one of the region’s best wings in the 2027 class.

And one of the region’s top sophomore posts – 6-10 Brendan Williams – will be on display at 5:15 for Hayward’s Moreau Catholic in its showdown with Fairfield’s Vanden.