Top boys’ hoopsters to play

The Tournament of Champions annually displays some of the top

Southern California prep boys’ basketball teams, and the 2002 edition

of the 18-team tournament will be no exception.

The event will begin Monday at Ocean View High and will run

through Dec. 14, with consolation and championship bracket finals.

“This tournament has featured some really outstanding teams in the

past, and we have yet another strong tournament this year,” Ocean

View co-coach Jim Harris said. “There will be plenty of great

basketball played here at Ocean View next week.”

This year’s tournament field boasts seven schools that have been

ranked in the southland’s preseason Top 25 by the Los Angeles Times.

Those seven highly touted schools are Westchester, Loyola, Verbum

Dei, Cajon, Canyon Springs, Villa Park and host Ocean View.

First-round play will begin Monday and Tuesday. Action will

continue daily through Saturday, Dec. 14.

“You can watch a minimum of five games per day,” said Harris, who

began piecing together the tournament field last spring. “At $6 per

ticket, that amounts to just over $1 per game. Where else can you see

such high quality of competition for that price?”

Monday’s schedule

(all games at Ocean View High)

3 p.m. -- Ayala vs. Ocean View

4:20 p.m. -- Verbum Dei vs. Rialto

5:40 p.m. -- Loyola vs. Canyon Springs

7 p.m. -- Villa Park vs. Cajon

8:30 p.m. -- Morningside vs. H.H. Wilson

*Note: Clovis plays its first game Wednesday, Dec. 11, at 8:30

p.m. against the winner of Monday’s game between Loyola and Canyon

Springs.

Tuesday’s schedule

3 p.m. -- Crossroads vs. Ontario

7 p.m. -- Westchester vs. Highland

8:30 p.m. -- Serra vs. Claremont

*Note: Leuzinger plays its first game Tuesday, Dec. 10, at 4:20

p.m. against the winner of Monday’s game between Ayala and Ocean

View.