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LAGUNA NIGUEL, Ca. – The fifth “NorCal Clash”, pitting some of the better hoops players from high schools in Northern California, is scheduled to tip off Sunday (Aug. 25) afternoon at 3:30 at El Cerrito High.

Two squads represented by players from the Classes of 2014 (seniors in the 2013-14 school year) and 2015 (juniors in 2013-14) will play.

It’s the fifth version of the contest, which stands at two victories apiece for the classes.

The event of the brainchild of Gerry Freitas (who runs the Hoop Review scouting service), who selects the players and coaches for the event.

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LAGUNA NIGUEL, Ca. – So, how did I go about trimming all of the high school basketball players I saw during a dozen “national-in-scope” evaluation events over about nine weeks to a list of  “the 50 best”?

I did it very methodically and almost as painfully.

In setting the bar at 50, I decided to divide it into five groups of five players (by position) for the “best 25 seniors I saw in the summer”, with three groups of five (also by position) for the “best of the 2015 class” and have a first- and second-team (yep, by position) “best of 2016”.

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LAKEWOOD, Ca. – As for “causes”, they don’t come much more “worthy” than this one.

The second “Golf for Greg” tournament (along with raffle and dinner), held in honor of the late NBA referee Greg Willard, set for Aug. 27 at Skylinks Golf Course.

Willard, who was born and raised in Orange County , died – at 54 – on April 1 of this year after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer approximately a year earlier.

He worked for 24 seasons as an NBA official after working his way up the officiating (he also officiated high school football) in Southern California.

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LONG BEACH, Ca. – There was so much drama in the LBC(C) gymnasium Monday night until the Don MacLean-coached Team USA 2014 Blue squad made just enough plays down the stretch to come away with the adidas Nations championship.

The 81-77 victory over Team USA 2014 Red that was likewise unbeaten over the weekend of action that was held at the Next Level Complex in Garden Grove was played in a Long Beach City College gym that has played host to some of the top high school and community college players in Southern California – and beyond – for more than 50 years.

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GARDEN GROVE – The two USA 2014 squads didn’t have to endure a lot of stress Sunday night while cruising to semifinal victories to advance to Monday night’s championship game of the adidas Nations at Long Beach City College.

Six players cracked double-figure scoring for USA 2014-Red during its 96-71 victory over USA 2015/16-Red.

Leading the way was Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei High forward Stanley Johnson, with 18 points, six rebounds and three assists.

Center Jahlil Okafor (Chicago Whitney Young) and forward Kevon Looney (Milwaukee Hamilton) added 12 points and 11 rebounds apiece for the 2014 team, which is coached by former NBA center Ralph Sampson.

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