Local teams head out of state for holiday tourneys

In the final week of 2008, local prep basketball teams will be involved in holiday tournament action.

The Huntington Beach boys’ team leaves today for Orlando, Fla., to compete at the KSA Holiday Boys Tournament, which begins Friday and runs through Tuesday. The trip marks the first time that Coach Fabian Luna has taken the Oilers to the Sunshine State, although the program did compete at the tournament (2004) before Luna’s arrival.

Last year, his team went to Hawaii and won the Spaulding Invitational.

Huntington opens tournament play Friday, taking on Cocoa High of Florida in the Abraham Lincoln bracket.

“These trips really allow our kids to bond as a team right before we start league,” Luna said. “They provide our players a great experience and opportunity to get away and get know one another. I really enjoy taking my teams on these types of events.”

Marina’s boys will be in Arizona, 90 miles north of Phoenix, competing at the Alvarez Holiday Classic. Tournament play begins Monday and runs through New Year’s Eve.

“We have never been to the tournament in Arizona before and are really looking forward to it,” said Marina Coach Roger Holmes, whose Vikings play two games Monday. They open against Perry High of Gilbert, Ariz., and later meet Pueblo, a Tucson-based school.

In other boys’ holiday play Friday, Edison and Fountain Valley both will be in the Estancia Tournament and Ocean View is in the Orange Holiday Classic.

In addition to the Larry Doyle Orange County Championships girls’ holiday tournament Friday and Saturday at Marina High and Monday and Tuesday at Edison High, Fountain Valley opens play Friday at the Costa Mesa Tournament and Ocean View is at the Whittier Christian Tournament.

— Mike Sciacca