Frank Burlison

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Ca. – A boys’ basketball game a lot of folks – especially those with rooting interests for a nationally touted program based in the San Fernando Valley – have anticipated this season will come about after all Tuesday night.

Top-ranked and defending champion Corona Centennial High rolled to an eased-up, 76-55, victory over visiting Bishop Montgomery Saturday night to earn the right to play host to the Tuesday night CIF State Southern Open regional.

And, with a spot in the March 12 State title game in Sacramento at stake, the 31-1 Huskies’ 6 o’clock opponent will be .

[Click to continue reading]

IRVINE, Ca. – The results of the Division I of the California Southern Regional Boys Basketball playoffs continued to following seeding Thursday night.

No.’s 1 Damien (JSerra, 66-56), 2 Crean Lutheran (La Costa Canyon, 68-50), 3 Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (St. Anthony, 66-60) and 4 St. Bernard (Village Christian, 59-46) themselves into the Saturday night semifinals, which set the stage for the Tuesday night championship contest.

The higher seeds play in the hosts in the games set for 6 p.m., with the No. 1 Spartans taking on the No.

[Click to continue reading]

STUDIO CITY, Ca. – The Harvard-Westlake, Sierra Canyon and Bishop Montgomery boys’ basketball teams held off tough challenge of visitors Wednesday night in opening play of the State Southern Regional Open competition.

The wins by Harvard-Westlake (Santa Maria St. Joseph, 63-55), Sierra Canyon (San Diego St. Augustine, 80-74) and Bishop Montgomery (Mater Dei, 58-53) meant that – with top-seed Corona Centennial having a first-round bye – the No.’s 2, 3 and 4 seeds “held serve” and set up Saturday evening rematches of CIF Southern Section Open pool-play games.

[Click to continue reading]

PLAYA DEL REY, Ca. – Be it a case of “championship hangover”, erratic shooting or tough defense by its opponent, the St. Bernard High boys’ basketball team got off to anything but a quality start to the Vikings’ State Regional D-I opener Tuesday night.

The Vikings scored only four points in the first five minutes of action and had rung up just 13 points by intermission.

But they step on the gas once the third quarter starter and, ultimately, pulled away down the stretch to knock off a Long Beach Poly, 52-40.

[Click to continue reading]

LONG BEACH, Ca. – The annual Pangos Junior All-American Camp has produced too many McDonald’s All-Americans, college All-Americans and NBA first-round picks to list without my fingers getting cramped typing all of their names.

Will the most recent camp, held this past weekend at McBride High with 183 players in attendance from across the country, follow in its predecessors’ footsteps relative to the high school, college and NBA careers its alumni experience?

I’m not one to look far down the road when it comes to the basketball “futures” of 13- and 14-year-olds.

[Click to continue reading]