Frank Burlison

SPRINGFIELD, Ma. – The best – at least in terms of a noisy crowd and down-to-the-wire result – was saved for last Saturday during the Spalding HoopHall Classic in Blake Arena on the Springfield College campus.

In the finale of a seven-game schedule (that tipped at 11 a.m.), local program Putnam Vocational Technical Academy came oh-so-close to stunning nationally ranked Tempe (AZ) Corona del Sol.

But sophomore guard Alex Barcello patiently probed and then penetrated the Beavers’ zone defense, fired a pass to teammate Tyrell Henderson and the junior rose and snapped in a 3-pointer that drew nothing but net and air.

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SPRINGFIELD, Ma. – A 20-game schedule over three days is on tap for the Spalding HoopHall Classic this weekend at Springfield College.

There is impressive representation from every region of the country, including the west (Bishop Gorman and Findlay Prep from Las Vegas; O’Dowd from Oakland CA; and Corona del Sol from Tempe, AZ), mid-west (Simeon and Stevenson from Illinois and Chaminade from St. Louis); south (Oak Hill in Virginia; Kinston in North Carolina; Montverde in Florida and Wheeler in Georgia) and, of course, the east.

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LAGUNA NIGUEL, Ca. – Some terrific “one-day events” are on tap in Southern California during Martin Luther King birthday holiday weekend.

Saturday six games are on tap at Cerritos College for the Ron Massey Memorial/Public vs. Private Showcase, beginning at 1 o’clock with its one “public vs. public” contest, L.A. Dorsey vs. Norco.

A couple of interesting matchups are Tyler Dorsey-led Maranatha vs. Sedrick Barefield-led Corona Centennial at 5:30 p.m., and Redondo against El Cajon Foothills Christian at 7.

Foothills Christian is led by 6-foot-9 junior T.J.

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LAGUNA NIGUEL, Ca. – Three outstanding “one-day events” will provide plenty of quality high school hoops action for those craving it on Saturday.

*The Cavalier Classic is being hosted by Serra High in Gardena, with action tipping off at 11 Saturday morning.

Things wrap with the 8 o’clock matchup between Renaissance Academy and the “Ball Brother (Lonzo and LiAngelo)”-led Chino Hills Huskies.

*San Diego Lincoln High is the site for the San Diego-Los Angeles Challenge, whose five-game slate tips at noon.

Defending San Diego Division I champion La Costa Canyon plays L.A.

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LOS ANGELES – The second annual Take Flight Challenge, presented by Redondo Union High, proved a veritable smorgasbord for the high school basketball connoisseurs who made their way into the Jordan Hangar for 12 hours or so Saturday.

There were seven games and among the highlights were:

*A remarkable comeback in Game 1, during which the Compton High Tarbabes overcome double-digit deficits in the second half to edge Lawndale, 54-52, behind the drive, finish “And 1” by senior Robert Lewis with 11.9 seconds remaining;

*A strong performance by USC-bound forward Bennie Boatwright, who scored 20 points, grabbed 16 rebounds and blocked a couple of shots to lead Sun Valley Village Christian to a 54-42 victory over Santa Monica;

*The terrific outside shooting of junior Jacob Davison (18 points, including three of four shots from behind the arc) to go along with the strong post punch of Gligorije Rakocevic and Balsa Dragovic as Montebello Cantwell Sacred-Heart held off short-handed L.A.

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