Frank Burlison

LAGUNA NIGUEL – The final week of regular-season boys’ basketball action in the Southern Southern Section has some significant match-ups on tap that figure to impact the respective make-ups of the section’s Open Division playoff field.

   Notable games in that regard in the Southern Section include:

   *Wednesday Trinity League finales of No. 9 Mater Dei (in the latest BurlisonOnBasketball Top 25) at home to No. 20 Orange Lutheran; No. 11 Santa Margarita at No. 23 JSerra; and No. 10 St. John Bosco at Servite.

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  SANTA ANA, Ca. – The host Mater Dei High Monarchs never was able to delivered a figurative knockout punch against its opponent from Rolling Hills Prep Friday night.

  But Coach Gary McKnight’s club was able to play just well enough at both ends of the floor to edge the Huskies, 57-51, in the final game of the first day of the 24^th Nike Extravaganza in the Meruelo Center.

   The Monarchs (No. 10 in the most recent BurlisonOnBasketball Top 25) got 18 points from sophomore guard Devin Askew and 10 apiece from his classmates, posts Wilhelm Breidenbach (who grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds) and Nick Davidson, to improve to 23-3 with another Nike X game on tap vs.

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  RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Ca. – As far as “back-handed compliments” go, this one is world-class:

  “Is there a better eight-loss boys basketball team anywhere than the Santa Margarita High Eagles?”

  That question begged to be asked Thursday night, after Coach Jeff Reinert’s team stunned Las Vegas Bishop Gorman – arguably the best team in the west – 63-60 at Santa Margarita High.

   Coach Grant Rice’s Bishop Gorman Gaels, who face another SoCal team (Chino Hills) Saturday night in the 24^th Nike Extravaganza.

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  SANTA ANA, Ca. – Eleven teams in the latest BurlisonOnBasketball SoCal Top 25 are a part of the 24^th Nike Extravaganza that will be played on the Mater Dei High campus Friday and Saturday.

   Three programs from outside the Southern California region – Modesto Christian, Las Vegas Bishop Gorman and powerhouse Mouth of Wilson (VA) Oak Hill Academy – will also participate over the weekend in the 14 boys’ games that will be played.

  One girls’ clash – between the host Monarchs and Bishop Gorman – will be played Friday night at 6 o’clock.

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  SPRINGFIELD, Ma. – The teams from La Lumiere School (La Porte, IN), Montverde Academy (FL), McEachern (Powder Springs, GA) and The Ranney School (Tinton Falls, NJ) turned in impressive performances on Monday’s final day of the Spalding HoopHall Classic in Springfield College’s Blake Arena.

  La Lumiere (66-50/Hyattsville, MD, DeMatha) and McEachern (66-55/Temecula, CA, Rancho Christian) knocked off 1- and 2-loss opponents to remain unbeaten.

   Montverde (which has only to La Lumiere – twice) handed Chatsworth, CA, Sierra Canyon only its second loss of the season, 77-58.

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