Frank Burlison

LAS VEGAS – There are some, no doubt, who might beg to differ.

But I would suggest that high school basketball doesn’t come any better – or, at least, more entertaining and/or suspenseful – than what was on display in the Bishop Gorman High gymnasium Saturday evening.

I doubt very seriously that anyone in attendance for the Montrose Christian-Findlay Prep and Mater Dei-Bishop O’Dowd games that closed out the second annual Tarkanian Classic would disagree with me.

In the last of the Prep School Division contests, Findlay Prep (based not far away in Henderson) led by double-figure margins most of its game against Montrose Christian (located in Montrose, MD).

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LAS VEGAS — Is it possible that a preview of the 2014 California State Open Division championship games is going to be played Saturday night at 7:30 in Bishop Gorman High gymnasium?

It doesn’t take a leap in faith to answer “Yes, there will be” to that question.

Oakland Bishop O’Dowd and Santa Ana Mater Dei cruised to semifinal victories Friday evening at the Orleans Arena, setting up “Northern vs. Southern California” finale in the second Tarkanian Classic.

Both the Dragons (68-54 over Las Vegas Bishop Gorman) and Monarchs (while overwhelming one of Southern California’s better teams, Redondo Beach Redondo, 84-38) looked the part of teams that will compete for California’s ultimate team hoops prize in Sacramento on March 29.

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LAS VEGAS – The top five seeds in the National Division won by an average margin of 21 points during Round of 16 games Friday on the second day of the second annual Tarkanian Classic at Bishop Gorman High.

Defending championship Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei (72-58 over Las Vegas Clark), 2012 runner-up Gorman (65-49 over Sacramento Sheldon), Oakland (CA) Bishop O’Dowd (78-34 over Las Vegas Durango), Highland (UT) Lone Peak (70-54 over Modesto Christian) and Redondo Beach (CA) Redondo (63-46 over Portland Central Catholic) advanced to the quarterfinals that will be played Friday morning and afternoon.

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LAS VEGAS – The abbreviated “first day” of the second annual Tarkanian Classic tipped off in impressive – if relatively lopsided – fashion Wednesday at Bishop Gorman High.

The host Gaels and the Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei Monarchs– who played for the title in the Platinum Division finale a year ago – opened with 20- and 39-point victories, respectively – in Platinum games Wednesday evening.

Then, in a Prep School Division contest, Henderson (NV) Findlay Prep – after an hour or so delay while their opponents made their way to the gym after a late arrival at McCarran Airport from Atlanta – cruised with a litany of dunks and dazzling passes.

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PHOENIX – It’s not going to be very far into the future when foes are going to have to dread playing the Phoenix Shadow Mountain team.

With an all-sophomore starting lineup, the Matadors took their 6-0 record and boundless promise and enthusiasm into the Grand Canyon University Pavilion Saturday nigh.

And they made things extremely difficult for the four seniors and state’s best junior that the 5-0 Tempe Corona Del Sol Aztecs put on the floor for the tip-off in the final game of the two-day inaugural Hoophall West.

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