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SAN DIEGO – The multitude of reasons why, in reality, the Sierra Canyon High Trailblazers should be considered the strong favorites to successfully defend their California State Open Division basketball championship were all on display Saturday night in front of a packed San Diego Montgomery gymnasium for the final game of the three-day San Diego Tip-Off Challenge.

Consider:

*Five of the program’s top six players from last season made up Coach Andre Chevalier’s starting lineup in the Trailblazers’ business-like 86-40 victory against a Saint Augustine squad that has a chance to be the second-best team in San Diego this season (behind defending Section Open champion Mission Bay, which returns every starter including Duke-bound guard Boogie Ellis);

*In seniors Scotty Pippen Jr.,

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RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Ca. – The Rancho Verde High basketball team seemingly was on its way to a decisive Inland-Empire Classic victory over Hesperia Friday night while opening up a 17-point advantage after three quarters at Rancho Cucamonga High.

But then Hesperia’s Jaden Shackelford (pictured) started knocking in jump shots – deep, deep shots.

And very high school jump shooters – anywhere – sizzle quite like the 6-foot-3 and University of Alabama-bound Shackleford does when he gets hot.

Shackelford scored 20 points – via four 3s, a drive and four free throws – in the fourth quarter, with the last of those coming by way of a couple of free throws with 9.3 seconds to go to tie the score at 54 and send things into a four-minute extra period.

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MISSION HILLS, Ca. – A future UCLA Bruin got his senior season off to a sweet start while the No. 8-ranked team in Southern California had to hold off a scrappy squad that was led by a coach making his varsity high school debut during Thursday’s opening-day of the eight-team “Opening Weekend” Tournament at Bishop Alemany High.

Six-foot-six Jaime Jaquez, who signed a National Letter of Intent with UCLA the day before, scored 36 points to help Camarillo hold on to score an upset – albeit somewhat of the “mild” variety, considering it Jaquez in uniform – by knocking off Santa Clarita Christian, 82-75.

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REDONDO BEACH, Ca. – Sherman Oak’s Notre Dame High use of one of the West Coast’s most potent “1-2 combinations” to knock out the Santa Margarita Eagles Wednesday night in a quarterfinal of the 67^th Ryse Williams/Pac Shores Tournament at Redondo Union High.

Ziaire Williams (PICTURED) scored 36 points – 26 of those after intermission while hitting his final nine field-goal attempts –and Boston College-bound Julian Rishwain added 26 as the Knights, trailing by 11 points early in the third quarter, pulled away down the stretch for a 74-62 victory.

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REDONDO BEACH, Ca. – Monday’s opening action in the 67^th Ryse Williams/Pac Shores Tournament set the stage for some compelling – and surprising – Wednesday quarterfinals at Redondo Union High.

Top seeds Bishop Montgomery (76-36 over South Gate South East) and Fairfax (68-41 over Peninsula) – ranked No.’s 4 and 5, respectively, in the BurlisonOnBasketball SoCal Top 25 – busted into the second round without much fuss or muss.

Junior forward Ziaire Williams went for 25 points as No. 12 Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) pulled away from Rolling Hills Prep, 57-43 (overcoming a 9-1 deficit), and No.

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