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LA VERNE, Ca. – The Etiwanda High boys’ basketball team extended its winning streak to 18 Tuesday night with its Baseline League victory over host Damien Spartans.

But none of those first 17 wins came nearly as hard-fought as did the 69-67 overtime decision over the Spartans.

In improving to 22-1 overall (and 5-0 in league), Coach David Kleckner’s crew had to overcome:

*A sterling performance by Damien’s Northern Arizona-bound Cameron Shelton, who scored 24 points with five rebounds, seven assists and two seals;

*A tremendous effort by Spartans’ freshman Malik Thomas, who scored all 13 of his points after intermission, including four free throws in the four-minute extra stanza;

*An uncharacteristic display of careless passing and ball-handling after intermission.

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SAN DIEGO – The fifth and final game of Saturday’s Battle at the Bay could have easily been deemed a sneak preview of the CIF San Diego Section’s Open Division championship game in March.

El Cajon Foothills Christian and the host Mission Bay team are as good as there is in San Diego this season and they looked the part Saturday night, going into a four-minute overtime before the visitors prevailed, 61-58, in front of an elbow-to-elbow and hip-to-hip packed building.

The Foothills Christian Knights (17-5) took the lead for good (at 54-53) on junior Dorian Blue’s sixth 3-pointer of the contest with 3:17 to go in overtime.

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LA VERNE, CA – A showdown between two of the best guards in California could be on tap during the final contest of the eight-game “Southern California Shootout” at Damien High Saturday.

In 7:30 finale, the Damien Spartans (17-3 before their Friday night Baseline League game with Rancho Cucamonga) face the Los Altos Conquistadors (17-2 going into their Friday Hacienda League game with West Covina)

Damien is led by senior Cameron Shelton (PICTURED), a left hander who signed with Northern Arizona University in November while Los Altos is paced by 6-foot-3 junior Jarod Lucas, who was the Most Outstanding Player while leading his team to the Gold Division title during the Dec.

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Two of the best-ever high school boys’ basketball coaches can hit milestones if their respective teams win Friday night.

Mike LeDuc (PICTURED) of Damien – the second winningest coach in California history behind Gary McKnight of Mater Dei – can see his record go to 900-234 if the Spartans (17-3) win their 6:30 home Baseline League contest against Rancho Cucamonga (17-4).

LeDuc would become only the 32^nd boys coach, nationally, to reach the 900-victory plateau.

McKnight (1,096-104 going into his team’s Trinity League game against Servite at 7 o’clock Friday night) is just four victories short of becoming on the fifth boys coach with at least 1,100 victories.

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SPRINGFIELD, Ma. – Some 30 minutes after the top-ranked team in the country rolled to a 26-point victory, No.’s 2 and 3 took to the Blake Arena court Monday afternoon on the final day of the 17^th Spalding Hoop Hall Classic.

And, 90 or so minutes later, Mouth of Wilson (VA) Oak Hill Academy left the floor looking every bit worthy of its No. 2 standing behind Florida’s Montverde Academy.

The Warriors, fresh off a Bass Pro Tournament championship in Missouri Saturday night, moved to 21-0 behind their convincing 83-69 victory over No.

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