Frank Burlison

TORRANCE – Saturday night games pitting Rancho Christian and Santa Clarita Christian, as well as Long Beach Poly and Mayfair, provide the high-profile matchups during the two-day, Winter Real Run Classic at Bishop Montgomery High.

Twelve games are scheduled, beginning with the 4 p.m. clash between Saugus and Santa Fe on Friday and wrapping up with the 9 o’clock showdown Saturday night between Rancho Christian (No. 1 in the latest BurlisonOnBasketball Southern California Top 25) and Santa Clarita Christian (No. 7), which won the Platinum and Gold championships, respectively, Monday night in the Classic at Damien.

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LAGUNA NIGUEL – Rancho Christian ended the 2019 portion of the Southern California 2019-20 high school hoops season with an overtime victory over Sierra Canyon Monday night in the Platinum Division of the fourth Classic at Damien Tournament.

The 85-81 decision, in front of an SRO-only gathering in Damien’s Athletic Center, also moved the Trailblazers atop the BurlisonOnBasketball Southern California (CIF Southern Section and L.A. City Section programs) Top 25, just ahead of the Trailblazers – who were ranked No. 6 (Ballislife) nationally and were unbeaten going into the showdown.

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LA VERNE, Ca. – It was the finale of the fourth Classic at Damien Tournament Monday night in the school’s Athletic Center, played in front of a crowd that was strictly SRO-mode by late afternoon, nearly two games before the Platinum Division title clash between defending champion Rancho Christian and Sierra Canyon, which was unbeaten and ranked No. 6 nationally.

And the Eagles and Trailblazers delivered on the pre-tip off hyperbole and expectation, giving the crowd 36 minutes of on-court action that was classic, indeed.

In a confrontation that produced a wealth of content for social media videographers who seemingly chronicled every on-court moment in real time, Coach Ray Barefield’s Rancho Christian team needed a four-minute overtime – and nails efforts by each of his starters and his only reserve that played, Jayce Catchings – to hand Sierra Canyon its first loss after 14 wins, 85-81.

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LA VERNE, Ca. – The fourth annual The Classic at Damien wraps with what should be a spectacular Monday of high school basketball that has rarely been equaled anywhere.

The finale – tonight’s 8:30 Platinum Division championship clash between two-time defending California Open Division champion Sierra Canyon (14-0 and No. 6, nationally) and Evan Mobley-led Rancho Christian (13-2) – will be played in front of a Damien Athletic Center crowd that figures to reach SRO (2,500-plus) status by late in the afternoon.

Those planning to attend any of the on-campus games and staying thru the finale not already in possession of pre-sale tickets are advised to arrive as early as possible as the remaining pool of $15 general admission tickets figures to go quickly as the Sierra Canyon-Rancho Christian tip-off approaches.

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LA VERNE, Ca. – The potential match-up that excited high school hoops-following folks the most when the field for the fourth Classic at Damien was announced on Sept. 17, will take place Monday night in Damien High’s Athletic Center.

And the crowd will be SRO well before the 8:30 tip-off of the Platinum Division championship clash between defending champion Rancho Christian.

It will be the last and – obviously – most anticipated of the five divisional title games played on the Damien campus Monday in what has evolved into easily the best post-Christmas event of its kind in the west.

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