Frank Burlison

NEWARK, Ca. – A showdown between two of the best teams in the country will serve as the impressive climax to the seven-game, 8^th annual Prep2Prep Tip-Off Classic Saturday at Newark Memorial High Saturday.

An 8:30 p.m. tip-off is set for Game 7, a clash between Las Vegas Bishop Gorman and Oakland Bishop O’Dowd.

It could prove to be one of the most dynamic games during the 2014-15 season, regionally and nationally.

Bishop Gorman, led by probable 2015 McDonald’s All-Americans in the post duo of 6-foot-10 Stephen Zimmerman and 6-9 Chase Jeter, was 30-3 last season after winning the program’s third consecutive Nevada state championship.

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REDONDO BEACH, Ca. – The championship semifinals were set Wednesday night via some highly competitive quarterfinals during the 63^rd Dijon Thompson Pac Shores Tournament at Redondo Union High.

*The host and top-seeded Sea Hawks built a 17-point lead at intermission only to fall behind early in the fourth quarter before pulling away down the stretch to knock off Gardena Serra, 77-69, in Wednesday night’s finale.

*Bellflower St. John Bosco overcame a three-point deficit at halftime and overpowered Compton in the fourth quarter to prevail, 66-55, and earn a slot in a 6:30 Friday semifinal with Redondo.

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REDONDO BEACH, Ca. – The best “pre-Christmas” high school basketball tournament in the western United States continues Wednesday at Redondo High.

The four 63^rd Dijon Thompson Pac Shores Tournament championship quarterfinals (in the “main” gymnasium): 3:30 p.m., Compton vs. Bellflower St. John Bosco; 5, Inglewood vs. Long Beach Poly; 6:30, Calabasas vs. L.A. Westchester; 8, Gardena Serra vs. Redondo.

Consolation quarterfinals (in the “auxiliary” gym): 3, Newhall Hart vs. N. Hollywood Campbell Hall; 4:30, Harbor City Narbonne vs. Santa Monica; 6, Lakewood Mayfair vs. Palos Verdes Peninsula; 7:30, Lawndale vs.

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REDONDO BEACH, Ca. – Day I of the 63^rd Dijon Thompson Pac Shores Tournament featured eight first-round games.

But, in reality, two of those contests had more thrills and chills than the other six combined.

And one of those – the clash between Calabasas and Lakewood Mayfair – had something else the others didn’t: That would be 12 extra minutes of playing time.

Winners Monday were Calabasas (84-77 over Mayfair, with the aforementioned three four-minute overtime stanzas needed to seal the deal); host Redondo (75-47 over Harbor City Narbonne, in the final game of the evening); Gardena Serra (71-65 over Santa Monica); Bellflower St.

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LAGUNA NIGUEL, Ca. – High school basketball’s 2014-15 season – Southern California-style – tips off Monday afternoon at Redondo Union with the 63^rd Dijon Thompson Pacific Shores Tournament.

The 16-team field includes seven squads selected in BurlisonOnBasketball’s preseason SoCal Top 25, topped by the host Sea Hawks (No. 6) and Long Beach Poly (7) – the top two seeds in the event.

Rounding out the top four seeds are No. 3 Compton (9 in the Top 25) and No. 4 L.A. Westchester (16).

The eight first-round games will be played, staggered by a half hour, in the school’s main and auxiliary gymnasiums, beginning with the 3 o’clock game between Compton and North Hollywood Campbell Hall in the auxiliary gym and the 3:30 contest pitting Palos Verdes Peninsula and Westchester.

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