Frank Burlison

SANTA ANA, Ca. – The host Mater Dei Monarchs got into a 10-point hole late in the second quarter of their Trinity League showdown with the St. John Bosco Braves Wednesday night.

But their half-court defense tightened and, at the other end of the floor, the Braves never really got a handle on keeping the ball out of Harrison Hornery’s hands.

Led by the USC-bound Hornery’s 24 points (10 of those in the fourth quarter), the Monarchs improved to 16-0, overall, and 5-zip in league, with their 57-54 victory.

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CERRITOS, Ca. – Tuesday night the Heritage Christian High boys’ basketball team got a chance to showcase what it’s capable of when it’s at full strength.

Coach Paul Tait’s Warriors improved to 13-3 overall, and 3-1 in the Olympic League, with their 77-66 victory over the host Valley Christian Defenders.

The Warriors went to their bench early and often – five reserves played – but all of their scoring came from their starters, with 6-foot-5 uber freshman Isaiah Elohim (pictured) scoring 13 of his game-high 22 points after intermission.

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LAGUNA NIGUEL, Ca. – Drum roll, please . . .

The BurlisonOnBasketball “21 for 2021” Team of the Week goes to . . . Coach Josh Giles’ Corona Centennial High Crew.

The Huskies beat down four foes, including 21 for 2021-ranked Long Beach Poly and Roosevelt, by an average margin of 44 points to improve to 10-1.

Their only loss came on the home court of San Diego’s top team, 16 and Zip Torrey Pines, on April 9.

Junior guard Donovan Dent (pictured/he missed much of the game at Torrey Pines with an injury) scored a game-high 25 points in the fourth of those wins last week, Saturday against Poly in Corona.

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CHATSWORTH, Ca – The Sierra Canyon High boys’ basketball team got its first serious test Saturday afternoon in its effort to be California’s best for a fourth consecutive season.

All things considered, the Trailblazers should have been something awarded close to an “A” for their performance over the final five minutes or so of that examination.

And, appropriately, the program’s only two players, in uniform, who were part of 2019-20’s 30-4 campaign were Professor – eh, Coach – Andre Chevalier’s most apt students in the 72-59 victory over St.

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SANTA ANA, Ca. – It was a game some might have deemed “ugly”, although that description wouldn’t have come from anyone with a Mater Dei High affiliation.

Coach Gary McKnight’s Monarchs, despite committing 18 turnovers while utilizing a backcourt stripped clean by 2020 graduation, punched out a 51-38 victory over the visiting Santa Margarita Eagles Friday night in a showdown of Trinity League unbeatens.

It was the first “real test” in the program’s pursuit of a 38^th league championship in McKnight’s 38^th season as the head of the powerhouse program that he has sculpted.

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