Area squads roll into ’07

With the start of the New Year comes the start of league play for local prep basketball teams, and for the Marina boys’ basketball team, the Vikings enter 2007 on a roll.

The Vikings returned Wednesday to Huntington Beach after having spent the last part of 2006 and the start to the New Year in Kona, Hawaii. They were there for business — a basketball tournament — and returned fresh, tanned and ready for the beginning of Sunset League play.

Marina took runner-up honors in the WYB Tournament in Kona, played a nonleague game Tuesday and finished the trip with a 4-1 record.

During the trip, Marina twice routed host Kealakehe of Hawaii (118-76, 97-77), beat Glide (Oregon), 105-65, lost 90-80 to Konawaena (Hawaii) and defeated Ashbury of Canada, 79-57.

“It was a great trip,” Vikings Coach Roger Holmes said. “As for our start, we could not be happier right now starting 11-4. The kids have done a great job with the ‘system,’ and are excited for league.”

Marina, which has gone 3-1 in each of the tournaments it has played this year to garner two seconds and a third-place finish, begins Sunset play Friday at home against defending-league champion Los Alamitos.

The Vikings, a squad composed of six seniors, three juniors, four sophomores and a pair of freshmen, enter the league opener with a hot touch — Holmes said his team has 265 three-point baskets heading into league play.

“League will be tough as always,” he said. “All of the teams are playing well and each night there will be great games. Los Al has established itself as the one to beat. They have the size and experience to do really well.

“All of the other teams are pretty equal and it will be very interesting each night out.”

In other boys’ basketball action, Edison tuned up for Sunset League play Tuesday with a 55-48 home victory against Trabuco Hills. The Chargers, who also made a trip to Hawaii in late-December to compete at the Maui Invitational, got 23 points from Kyle Boswell and 11 from Nick Capriccio.

Edison opens Sunset play Friday, hosting Newport Harbor.

Ocean View launched its Golden West League schedule Tuesday with a 67-53 road victory at Costa Mesa. Takeshi Clifford scored 16 points and JB Brown had 11 for the Seahawks.

Huntington Beach claimed the consolation championship of the Estancia Coast Classic by routing Foothill, 56-37, in the consolation final. Nick Becker scored 21 points, Nick Nesser scored 13, Randy Guite grabbed 13 rebounds and Trevor Carroll was named to the all-tournament team for the Oilers.

After falling 68-58 to Del Sol of Las Vegas in the tournament’s opening round, Huntington reeled off victories over Laguna Hills (57-46), Magnolia (61-38) and Foothill in consolation-round play.

Previously, the Oilers handed Laguna Beach just its second loss in 13 games by defeating the Breakers, 70-63, at the Orange County North-South Challenge at El Toro High. Becker led all scorers with 24 points, Zachary Kimber scored 15, Carroll and Nesser had 12 apiece and Guite finished with eight assists and five steals.

The Oilers begin Sea View League play Friday at Trabuco Hills.

In girls’ basketball:Huntington won four consecutive games to cruise to the Palm Desert Winter Classic title.

Tournament MVP Jasmine Erving chipped in 13 points and nine rebounds and Jade Viloria racked up 11 points, eight rebounds, four steals and four assists in a 41-30 win over Indio in the tournament final.

Huntington also scored easy tournament wins over host Palm Desert (69-22), Redlands (54-27) and Rancho Cucamonga (54-40).

The Oilers, who take an eight-game winning streak into tonight’s Sea View League opener at Trabuco Hills, previously had won the Green Division title of the Nike Tournament of Champions in Phoenix.

In the seventh-place game of the Larry Doyle Orange County Championships, Magnolia hit a last-second shot to send the game into overtime and then went on to beat host Edison, 51-42. Mary Madden and Victoria Lokhorst each scored eight points for the Chargers, who rallied in the fourth quarter to get back into the game.

Edison began the tournament with a 56-41 win over Pacifica, then lost consecutive games to Foothill (60-46) and Sunset League rival Esperanza (48-45).

In the tournament’s 13th-place game, Marina, which co-hosted the event with Edison, topped Pacifica, 59-54. Rita Sitivi scored 21 points to lead the Vikings.

Marina opened the tournament with losses to Hart (45-31) and Capistrano Valley (51-41), then defeated Thousand Oaks (46-37) before beating Pacifica.

At 7 p.m. tonight, the Sunset League race commences with Edison playing at Newport Harbor and Marina at Los Alamitos. Also tipping off tonight is the Golden West League schedule, which has defending-champion Ocean View playing at Costa Mesa.