Frank Burlison

SCOTTSDALE, AZ. – A couple of teams laden with future college standouts set the stage for what should be a high-profile matchup Saturday night with impressive victories Thursday during the HoopHall West at Chaparral High.

Duncanville High (located in the Dallas suburb of the same name) fell behind by 15 points in the first quarter before pulling away down the stretch for a 69-58 win over Cardinal Hayes of New York City.

And, in the game played before, Southern California-based Notre Dame (its campus is in Sherman Oaks in the San Fernando Valley) withstood a late charge to knock off Phoenix Brophy Prep, 72-61.

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BELLFLOWER – The giddy days of beating folks by nearly 36 points per game were always going to be short-lived, as St. John Bosco High boys’ basketball coach Matt Dunn would have been the first to attest.

And that was demonstrated succinctly Wednesday night, as the host Braves – trailing by three points in the fourth quarter – got all 10 points in the final period from a dandy pair of sophomores to hold off a one-win, Long Beach Poly team, 52-48, in a quarterfinal of the Braves’ Varsity Winter Classic.

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REDONDO BEACH – The Harvard-Westlake High boys basketball team held up quite well while taking its first major test of the season Saturday night, all things considered.

The Wolverines, trailing by three points in the fourth quarter of a game with the team that beat Sierra Canyon seven nights before, pulled away in the final four minutes to knock off Rancho Christian, 63-52, in the final game of the five-day, Ryse Williams/Pac Shores Showcase at Redondo Union High.

Trent Perry (pictured) and Jacob Huggins split 16 of their team’s 21 fourth-quarter points as Coach David Rebibo’s team improved to 8-0.

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REDONDO BEACH – The Harvard-Westlake boys’ basketball team – a couple of days before what should be its toughest challenge of the young season so far – improved to 7-0 Thursday night with its second win of the week during the Ryse Williams/Pac Shores Showcase at Redondo Union High.

The Wolverines, who knocked off St. Anthony Tuesday night, trailed by a point after the first period Thursday night before taking a 10-point advantage at intermission on route to a 72-51 decision against San Gabriel Academy.

The comp should amp Saturday night (6 o’clock) in the final game of the event when Coach David Rebibo’s squad faces Rancho Christian.

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REDONDO BEACH – Siblings Marcus Jr. and Maximo Adams helped show why the Narbonne High Gauchos came into the season with something more than a strong chance to win the L.A. City Section’s Open Division title.

Marcus (who spent last season at a prep school in Corona) and Maximo – one of the elite freshmen anywhere in the west – combined for 38 points to help their squad edge Long Beach Jordan, 64-62, on Wednesday’s second day of the Ryse Williams/Pac Shores Showcase at Redondo Union High.

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