SUMMER HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL : Returning Starters Make Santa Clara Tourney Favorite

Santa Clara High School, with four returning starters from a team that was runner-up in the State Division IV championships, is the favorite to the win the Mater Dei summer basketball tournament that begins Thursday in the Monarchs’ gymnasium.

Guard Art Barron, center Mustafa Isaiah, forward Chris Cole and forward Steve Amar led Santa Clara to a 28-5 record as juniors last spring. Coach Lou Cvijanovich has won 12 Southern Section titles at Santa Clara.

Among the top players scheduled to compete are guard Dan Bathey (Santa Margarita), forward Donnell Dowdy (University), guard Jacque Vaughn (Muir), guard Jentry Moore (Tustin), guard Fabian Nixon (Long Beach Poly), forward Matt Fuerbringer (Estancia), guard Reggie Geary (Mater Dei), forward Adam Anderson (Servite) and forward Jason Cunningham (Los Alamitos).

The championship game is scheduled for 7:30 Sunday (at Ocean View High in Huntington Beach. The first-round pairings:

9 a.m.--Mater Dei JV vs. Villa Park; 10:30--Ocean View vs. Santa Margarita; Noon--Mater Dei vs. University; 1:30 p.m.--Muir vs. Chaffey; 3 p.m.--Tustin vs. St. Monica; 4:30--LB Poly vs. Estancia; 6--Los Alamitos vs. Westminster; 7:30--Servite vs. Los Amigos. Bye--El Toro and Santa Clara.

Perenial county power Mater Dei is top-seeded and Edison is seeded second in the Newport Harbor Surf City summer tournament, beginning June 28 in Newport Harbor’s boys’ and girls’ gymnasiums.

Mater Dei features returning guards Geary and Kamran Sufi and center Terence Wilborn from last year’s team that finished 26-5.

Among the top players scheduled to compete include forward Brandon Jessie (Edison), guard Tom Airey (Capistrano Valley), forward Jalani Gardner (Bishop Amat), forward Doug Hesse (Corona del Mar) and Estancia’s Fuerbringer.

The championship game is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. June 30. The first-round pairings:

In the boys’ gymnasium: 11 a.m.--Mater Dei vs. Newport Harbor; 12:40 p.m.--Huntington Beach vs. Laguna Hills; 2:10--Foothill vs. West Covina; 3:50--Marina vs. Capistrano Valley.

In the girls’ gymnasium: 11 a.m.--Bishop Amat vs. Mission Viejo; 12:40 p.m.--Trabuco Hills vs. Corona del Mar; 2:10--Arroyo vs. Estancia; 3:50--El Toro vs. Edison.

Defending City Section 4-A champion Westchester High School is the favorite in the Nike summer basketball tournament, beginning July 11 at Mater Dei High.

Westchester has nine returning lettermen from its championship team, including point guard James Gray and forwards Walter Walker and Lorenzo Ball.

Among the top players scheduled to compete include center Rob Ramaker (San Marcos), forward Larry McGlothin (Dominguez), center Avondre Jones (Artesia), guard Charles O’Bannon (Artesia), Capistrano Valley’s Airey, Santa Clara’s Cole, Los Alamitos’ Cunningham and Mater Dei’s Geary.

The championship game is scheduled for 9 p.m. Sunday at Newport Harbor High. The first-round pairings:

Thursday: 9 a.m.--Los Alamitos vs. Villa Park; 10:30--Riverside Poly vs. Mater Dei JV; Noon--Foothill vs. Westchester; 1:30 p.m.--Santa Clara vs. Muir; 3--University vs. Torrey Pines; 4:30--Capistrano Valley vs. Cypress; 6--Mater Dei vs. Lakewood; 7:30--LB Poly vs. Crespi.

Friday: Noon--Dominguez vs. San Marcos.

High-scoring Fremont High School, which scored 100 or more points nine times last season, is the top-seeded team in the Servite summer basketball tournament, beginning July 11 in the Friars’ gymnasium.

Forward Todd Whitehead and guards David Fizdale and Tyrone Holliness, who led Fremont to a 33-2 record last season, are returning starters. Fremont lost to St. Joseph of Alameda in the State Division I title game in Oakland.

Among the top players scheduled to compete include forward DeAndre Smith (LB Jordan), guard Robert Darville (Millikan), forward Stais Boseman (Morningside), forward Darren Crooks (Marina), Estancia’s Fuerbringer and Servite’s Adam Anderson.

The championship game is scheduled for 6 p.m. Sunday. The first-round pairings:

Thursday: 3:30 p.m.--Morningside vs. Estancia; 5--Dominguez vs. Western; 6:30--Marina vs. LB Jordan; 8--Notre Dame vs. Servite.

Friday: 9 a.m.--LB Poly vs. Los Alamitos; 10:30--St. Monica vs. Pomona; Noon--Fremont vs. Huntington Beach; 1:30 p.m.--Millikan vs. Oceanside El Camino.