Frank Burlison

SPRINGFIELD, Ma. – There were 2014 McDonald’s All-Americans candidates-galore on display throughout Saturday’s six games of the first day of the high school invitational portion of the Spalding HoopHall Classic in Blake Arena at Springfield College.

But one of them clearly stood out well above the rest, setting a standard for the rest of the candidates who will show up during the 11 games that will be played during the event over Sunday and Monday.

Six-foot-seven Daniel Hamilton, whose brother, Isaac Hamilton, was a 2013 McDonald’s selection, seemingly made every key play for the Bellflower (CA) St.

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LAGUNA NIGUEL, Ca. – There are some terrific options if you’re in the mood to watch a very good high school hoops game tonight.

Here are four them come immediately to mind:

*Compton at Poly (6:30): This is a Moore League showdown between a couple of teams on the CIF Southern Section’s Open Division “Watch List”. The host Jackrabbits have reeled off 52 consecutive league victories. This Tarbabes’ club offers the stiffest-ever challenge to that streak.

*St. John Bosco at Mater Dei (7): The host and top-ranked Monarchs will attempt to extend their overall mark to 17-zip in this battle with their only serious threat – in reality – in the Trinity League.

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NORWALK, Ca. – Saturday’s third Cavaliers Classic, hosted by Gardena Serra High and held at Cerritos College, wrapped up about the way most would have anticipated:

The Westchester squad showed off why it is expected to add to the program’s tally of L.A. City championships in March.

The Comets were deadlocked (at 38) at intermission with a very young – but gifted – Sacramento Sheldon squad that knocked off Santa Monica the week before during the Top Flight Challenge at Redondo High.

But Coach Ed Azzam’s crew – led by Loyola Marymount-bound Elijah Stewart, who finished with a game-high 23 points – dominated things over the final 16 minutes and cruised to a 77-55 victory.

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NORWALK, Ca. – The eight-game, held at Cerritos College and hosted by Gardena Serra High, tips off at 10 o’clock Saturday morning.

Action begins with the La Canada Renaissance Academy-Lynwood contest and wraps with the 8:30 p.m. game between two regional powers, L.A. Westchester and Sacramento Sheldon.

Five players participating in the event – Ron Freeman (Serra/Cal State Fullerton), Tavrion Dawson (Serra/Cal State Northridge), Diontae Jones (Clark/Wyoming), Michael Humphrey (Sunnyslope/Stanford) and Elijah Stewart (Westchester/Loyola-Marymount) – signed national letters of intent in November.

 

Schedule

*10 a.m.,

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REDONDO BEACH, Ca.  – The 2015 edition of the Top Flight Challenge, hosted by Redondo Union High, is going to have to go a ways in order to surpass what took place in the inaugural event over the course of some 12 hours on Saturday.

Two of the final three games (of the seven played) weren’t decided until the final possessions, with Los Angeles Loyola remaining unbeaten in the finale by the collective hair on its chinny chin-chin while edging Compton, 64-63, after Tarbabes’ senior point guard Kyron Cartwright missed two free throws with a second remaining after Thomas Welsh’s follow with seven seconds to go proved to put the Cubs ahead to stay.

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