Local hoops games slated

Today marks the battle between old and young -- wisdom and knowledge

versus energy and quickness.

And when Casey Jones steps foot on the court today in the Corona

del Mar High alumni basketball game, it will be an even greater

competition between old school and new school.

Jones, 50 and the Class of 1973, will be going up against his son,

Paul Jones, class of 2002 at some point during the 16-team,

single-elimination tournament scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. at CdM.

So, who has the advantage?

“I do, of course,” the elder Jones said. “It’s age before beauty

with our group. But seriously, if we played horse instead, our group

would win; it’s the running up and down that will be tiring.”

Newport Harbor will be hosting its alumni tournament beginning at

9 a.m. today, marking the school’s sixth year of participation. It

will be Corona del Mar’s 17th alumni tournament.

And the elder Jones, who helped lead his CdM basketball team to

the CIF Southern Section Division IV-A semifinals in his senior

season, is looking forward to it.

“We’re just out here to have fun,” said Jones, who played for two

years at USC after high school.

Teams will begin play in the morning and the final should occur

around 3 p.m., tournament director Robert Hess said.

Each game will consist of two 15-minute halves and will be

officiated by CIF referees.

“Guys that have been playing in it look forward to it,” Hess said.

“There’s a lot of tradition with it. We get guys flying in, coming to

reunite with their buddies, yet, is pretty competitive at the same

time.”

Hess has his bets on the older guys.

“[The younger teams] usually come in cocky thinking they can beat

the 40-year-olds,” he said. “But I don’t remember any brand new team

doing well in the tournament.”

The cost for each CdM team to join is $200 and each player

receives a T-shirt. Proceeds from the tournament go toward the

school.

The Newport Harbor alumni tournament has had eight teams in the

past, but Jamie Holmes, who has put on the tournament all five years

of its existence, said early this month he is expecting more teams

this year.

Proceeds of the $25 entrance fee go toward the school.