Frank Burlison

CARLSBAD, Ca. – The first-ever “Crème of the County – featuring many of the best basketball prospects in San Diego County, and beyond – is scheduled to tip off Saturday morning at 10 o’clock in the Duffield Sports Center on the Army-Navy Academy campus.

Eight games of approximately one hour each – beginning with the Class of 2020 (current eighth graders) contest at 10 a.m.

Things are set to wrap up with the 2016 (current high school seniors) game at 5 p.m.

According to event co-organizer Aaron Burgin (@FullTimeHoops1), each roster has been filled and there is no “walk-up” availability for players of any grade level.

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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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