This Week’s Tournaments

BOYS

La Quinta Tournament

* Site: La Quinta HS

* Dates: Pool play games, Dec. 8-12; Championship, Dec. 13 at 8 p.m.

* County teams entered: Santa Ana Valley, Katella, La Quinta, Garden Grove, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, Calvary Chapel.

* 1996 champion: Katella, an 80-68 winner over Santa Ana Valley.

* Outlook: Seven county teams plus Lakewood will make up this eight-team format. Katella should face a test from Calvary Chapel.

Century Shootout

* Site: Century HS

* Dates: Pool play games, Dec. 8-12; Championship, Dec. 13 at 8 p.m.

* County teams entered: Newport Harbor, Orange, Century, Western, Dana Hills, Magnolia, University.

* 1996 champion: Orange, a 59-46 winner over Dana Hills.

* Outlook: University, led by Eric Palmer, should be one of the top six or seven teams in the county this season. La Mirada fills out this eight-team tournament.

Tournament of Champions

* Site: Ocean View HS

* Dates: Bracketed games, Dec. 8-12; Championship, Dec. 13 at 8 p.m.

* County teams entered: Ocean View, Los Alamitos, Mater Dei, Servite.

* 1996 champion: Mater Dei, a 71-63 winner over Los Angeles Westchester.

* Outlook: This 16-team tournament showcases some of the top teams from across Southern California, including Mater Dei and Ocean View, Redondo Beach Redondo Union, and Fontana, which lost only three games during the summer league.

Fullerton Tournament

* Site: Fullerton HS

* Dates: Pool play games, Dec. 8-12; Championship, Dec. 13 at 8 p.m.

* County teams entered: Canyon, Marina, Fullerton, Bolsa Grande, Brethren Christian, Savanna.

* 1996 champion: Whittier California, a 51-48 winner over Fullerton.

* Outlook: Rowland Heights Rowland and Whittier La Serna round out this eight-team tournament. Marina, which is also playing in the Las Vegas Holiday Prep Classic just after Christmas, will be the team to beat.

Costa Mesa Tournament

* Site: Costa Mesa HS

* Dates: Pool play games, Dec. 8-11; Championship, Dec. 12 at 7:30 p.m.

* County teams entered: Buena Park, Costa Mesa, El Modena, Mission Viejo.

* 1996 champion: No championship game.

* Outlook: This field was limited to four teams last season.

Foothill Tournament

* Site: Foothill HS

* Dates: Pool play games, Dec. 8, 10 and 12; Championship, Dec. 13 at 8 p.m.

* County teams entered: Fairmont, Loara, Los Amigos, Saddleback, Santa Ana, Tustin, Foothill, Santiago.

* 1996 champion: No tournament.

* Outlook: Tustin, a preseason top-five selection, is the easy standout in this tournament.

Other tournaments

Downey Calvary Chapel, Dec. 9-13 (Capistrano Valley Christian, Heritage Christian, Liberty Christian, Southern California Christian); Cerritos Valley Christian, Dec. 9-13 (Anaheim); Escondido Calvin Christian, Dec. 10-13 (St. Michael’s Prep); Glendora, Dec. 10-13 (Brea Olinda); Napa, Dec. 11-13 (Fountain Valley); Pasadena Poly, Dec. 11-13 (St. Margaret’s).

GIRLS

Santa Ana Valley Tournament

* Site: Santa Ana Valley HS

* Dates: Bracketed games, Dec. 8-12; Championship, Dec. 13 at 6 p.m.

* County teams entered: El Toro, Rancho Alamitos, Irvine, Tustin, Brethren Christian, Westminster, Santa Ana Valley, Rosary, Corona del Mar, Katella, Orange.

* 1996 champion: No tournament.

* Outlook: Santa Ana Valley Coach Lionel Horn wants this inaugural event to become one of the county’s better tournaments. This field, which includes section semifinalist Compton Dominguez, provides a good start.

Ladycat Classic

* Site: Brea Olinda HS

* Dates: Bracketed games, Dec. 8-12; Championship, Dec. 13 at 8 p.m.

* County teams entered: Aliso Niguel, Brea Olinda, Mission Viejo.

* 1996 champion: Brea Olinda, a 65-38 winner over Torrance Bishop Montgomery.

* Outlook: This is the first chance to see the county’s top-ranked team strut its stuff against some outstanding out-of-county teams such as Riverside North, Pasadena and two-time defending state champion Torrance Bishop Montgomery.

Estancia Tournament

* Site: Estancia HS

* Dates: Pool play games, Dec. 9-11; Championship, Dec. 12 at 7:45 p.m.

* County teams entered: Estancia, Century, Canyon, Dana Hills, Edison, Huntington Beach.

* 1996 champion: Edison, a 57-50 winner over Huntington Beach.

* Outlook: This mid-level tournament could see a repeat of last year’s championship game.

Fairmont Small Schools Classic

* Site: Fairmont HS

* Dates: Pool play games, Dec. 11-12; Championship, Dec. 13 at 4:15 p.m.

* County teams entered: Connelly, Capistrano Valley Christian, Fairmont.

* 1996 champion: Capistrano Valley Christian, a 59-39 winner over L.A. Ribet.

* Outlook: Capistrano Valley Christian won this tournament last season en route to a berth in the state tournament.

Other tournaments

Downey Calvary Chapel, Dec. 8-13 (Calvary Chapel, Liberty Christian); Gold Coast Classic at Oxnard Rio Mesa and Santa Barbara San Marcos, Dec. 10-13 (Foothill); Carson City (Nev.) Carson, Dec. 11-13 (Marina).

Compiled by DAN ARRITT