Mater Dei, Woodbridge Head Field for Servite Basketball Tournament

Defending state champions Mater Dei and Woodbridge high schools head the field of 16 teams entered in the ninth Servite summer basketball tournament, scheduled to begin Friday in the Friars’ gymnasium.

The three-day tournament features three teams that won Southern Section titles last year--Mater Dei (5-A), Santa Monica (4-A) and Woodbridge (2-A). There also are seven league champions entered.

Among the top individuals scheduled to compete are guard Darrick Martin of St. Anthony, forward Adam Keefe of Woodbridge, forward Steve Guild of Marina, center Alan Lewis of Fullerton, center Chris Tower of Westminster, forward Greg Rieber of Foothill, guard Keith Neal of Santa Monica and forwards Kevin Rembert and Char Ruppel of Mater Dei.

Mater Dei, the defending tournament champion, is attempting to become the first school to repeat since Long Beach Poly won successive titles in 1980-81. The championship game is scheduled for 8 p.m. Sunday.

The first-round pairings:

9 a.m.--Mater Dei vs. Pius X; 10:30--Santa Monica vs. Westminster; noon--Los Alamitos vs. Inglewood; 1:30 p.m.--Foothill vs. Lakewood; 3--St. Anthony vs. Fullerton; 4:30--Dominguez vs. Servite; 6--Long Beach Poly vs. Marina, and 7:30--Capistrano Valley vs. Woodbridge.