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LIVERMORE, Ca. – It was a Sunday sweep for the Southern California squads during the first-ever Prep2Prep All-Star Basketball Classic at Los Positas College.

But while the Class of 2017 squad from the southland rolled to an eased-up 135-114 in the opener of the double-dip (played in front of an estimated 1,400), its 2016 counterpart had a much more arduous task before finally holding off the lads from Northern California.

Concord Del La Salle guard Jordan Ratinho – mostly terrific throughout the 48-minute contest affair while finishing with 20 points – missed a 3-point attempt from out top with about two seconds to go and the southerners held on for the 137-134 decision.

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LIVERMORE, Ca. – The first-ever Prep2Prep California All-Star Basketball Classic, with a double-header of games pitting some of the top seniors and juniors between the northern and southern portions of California, tips off Sunday afternoon at Los Positas College.

At 1:30 the North will take on the South in the 2017 contest, with the west’s top player – guard Lonzo Ball of Chino Hills – leading the South in the 2016 game at approximately 3:30.

Among the others on the North roster will be two other players planning to join Ball in signing with UCLA in November in 6-foot-9 Ike Anigbogu (Corona Centennial) and 6-5 Kobe Paras (L.A.

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LAGUNA NIGUEL, Ca. – There was no shortage of options that presented themselves as I tried to come up with my choice for the “Most Outstanding Player from the Class of 2016” based upon what was accomplished during the multitude of summer events.

In fact, I could have tabbed any of six or so players and none of the choices, from my perspective, would have been “wrong”.

But from start (the Pangos All-American Camp) to the end (the adidas Global Nations) one player, from my point of view, stands out – if only by the slightest of margins.

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LAGUNA NIGUEL, Ca. – The national high school Class of 2017 has a hefty share of high-quality “post” players – or, if more “wing” than “post” — players who stand 6-foot-8 or taller.

Five of those landed spots on my 10-player first team all-Summer of 2015 for the Class of 2017.

And, after the last of the “national” summer events I watched – the adidas Global Nations in Southern California that ran July 31-August 3 – my choice as the “Most Outstanding Junior-To-Be” for the class was clear cut.

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LAGUNA NIGUEL, Ca. – The bulk of California’s very best high school players from the Classes of 2016 and 2017 will be in the same building on the same Sunday afternoon this month.

The first-ever Prep2Prep California All-Star Basketball Game will be played on Aug. 30 at Las Positas College in the northern California city of Livermore.

Among the players committed to playing in the event, for the South squad, are UCLA-bound brothers Lonzo and Li’Angelo Ball from Chino Hills.

The 6-foot-5 Lonzo Ball helped lead the Team Rose squad to the championship of the adidas Global Nations Tournament at Cerritos College in Norwalk Monday night.

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