Fairfax State Preview... Preview

There’s a growing sentiment that if you want to get in the door to see the state’s biggest high school basketball game of the season to date, you’re going to have to get to Cerritos College for the 8th annual James Samson Fairfax State Preview well before the scheduled 7 p.m. start time. Both Chino Hills and Torrance Bishop Montgomery dispatched their respective league opponents this week, setting up the match-up of the undefeated No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams in California, with Chino Hills also coming in as the top-ranked team in the country according to the media outlets that delve into national rankings. Chino Hills, led by the best point guard in the country in Lonzo Ball, is averaging 100.9 points per game in its 21 wins this season and are beating opponents by an average of 31.6 points per contest. While Bishop Montgomery is fully capable of scoring with Chino Hills with Ethan Thompson, Jordan Schakel, David Singleton and Gianni Hunt, the Knights’ bread-and-butter this season has been their defense. Bishop Montgomery is holding its opponents to 46 points per game in its 21 wins on the year. Admission for the Fairfax State Preview is $13 with tickets being sold exclusively at the door beginning with first game at 9:30 a.m. There is no re-entry upon leaving the gym; once you’re out, you’re out, unless you want to purchase another ticket (assuming there will still be room). If you’re unable or unwilling to make your way to Cerritos College, ballislife.com will be streaming the Fairfax/Windward and Chino Hills/Bishop Montgomery game here. Below is the complete schedule with a “Players to Watch” section for each team along with the teams’ HoopsByUgland.com SoCal Top 20 ranking: 9:30 a.m. El Segundo (10-11) vs. Rolling Hills Prep (12-2) Players to watch: El Segundo - G Chase Ali-Watkins (5-9, 155, Sr.), G Josh Hessing (5-11, 165, Sr.), G Jamal Howard (5-10, 170, Sr.), F Saleia Ahloo (6-2, 190, Sr.), F Mike Lynch (6-3, 180, Fr.); Rolling Hills Prep - F Matt Hererra (6-2, 185, Sr.), SF Austin Moe (6-1, 150, Jr.) 11 a.m. Calabasas (17-5) vs. Brentwood (8-12) Players to watch: Calabasas - SG Ryan Murphy (6-3, 180, Sr.), G Josh Ryngler (5-10, 165, Sr.), F Kevin Seyedan (6-3, 235, Sr.), F Zach Favaedi (6-3, 170, Jr.); Brentwood - SG Dylan Horn (6-4, 175, Sr.), C Nick Medavoy (6-8, 235, Sr., signed with NYU), PG Charlie Wadler (5-8, 145, Soph.), SF Bralee Albert (6-4, 180, Fr.) 12:30 p.m. L.A. Loyola (11-10) vs. Las Vegas Durango (14-4) Players to watch: Loyola - C Henry Welsh (6-9, 240, Sr., signed with Harvard), F Josh Lavergne (6-7, 200, Sr.), PG Khristion Courseault (6-0, 170, Jr.), F Benjamin Grunty (6-3, 185, Jr.), PG Josh Curls (6-0, 180, Jr.); Durango - F Jason Landsman (6-8, 210, Sr.), F Michael Diggins, (6-8, 215, Sr.), F Portuondo Jeremie (6-5, 195, Jr.), F Zyare Ruffin (6-5, 200, Jr.) 2 p.m. Gardena Serra (10-11) vs. No. 10 Santa Monica (19-2) Players to watch: Serra - G Kobe Smith (6-3, 165, Soph.), G E.J. Jackson (5-8, 160, Fr.), G Micah Dykes (6-2, 180, Sr.), Ray Knight, Jr. (6-1, 175, Jr.), F Terence Mitchell (6-3, 170, Jr.); Santa Monica - SG Jonah Mathews (6-3, 180, Sr., signed with USC), F Daniel Schreier (6-6, 220, Jr.), G Rip Economou (6-5, 175, Soph.) 3:30 p.m. No. 16 Orange Lutheran (17-4) vs. Oceanside Army-Navy Academy (16-6) Players to watch: Orange Lutheran - PF KaVaughn Scott (6-7, 205, Sr.), G Chris Williams (6-3, 175, Jr.), F Zac Jervis (6-5, 205, Sr.), PG Joseph Riley (5-10, 160, Jr.); Army-Navy - F Aziz Seck (6-7, 200, Sr., signed with Northern Arizona), SF Richard Polanco (6-7, 215, Jr.), PG Ed Fenzi (6-0, 170, Jr.) 5 p.m. No. 13 L.A. Fairfax (21-3) vs. L.A. Windward (7-12) Players to watch: Fairfax - SG Donald Gipson (6-3, 200, Sr., signed with Loyola Marymount), PG Jamal Hartwell (5-10, 155, Soph.), F Babacar Thiombane (6-7, 205, Sr., committed to Army), G Ethan Anderson (6-1, 170, Fr.), G Robert McRae (6-4, 175, Fr.); Windward - F Shareef O’Neal (6-8, 190, Soph), G/F Jules Bernard (6-5, 185, Soph.), G Payton Moore (6-4, 175, Soph.), PG Jalen Harris (6-1, 175, Jr.) 7 p.m. No. 1 Chino Hills (21-0) vs. No. 2 Torrance Bishop Montgomery (21-0) Players to watch: Chino Hills - PG Lonzo Ball (6-6, 175, Sr., signed with UCLA), SG LiAngelo Ball (6-6, 215, Jr., committed to UCLA), G LaMelo Ball (5-10, 150, Fr.), SF Elizjah Scott (6-5, 190, Jr.), C Onyeka Okongwu (6-9, 215, Fr.), G Cameron Shelton (6-0, 165, Soph.); Bishop Montgomery - SG Ethan Thompson (6-4, 170, Jr.), SF Jordan Schakel (6-5, 180, Jr.), SG David Singleton (6-3, 175, Soph.), PG Gianni Hunt (6-1, 160, Fr.), F Fletcher Tynen (6-5, 190, Soph.), G Josh Vazquez (5-11, 155, Fr.) 8:30 p.m. No. 3 Chatsworth Sierra Canyon (17-3) vs. Pasadena Maranatha (9-9) Players to watch: Sierra Canyon - PG Devearl Ramsey (5-10, 170, Sr., signed with Nevada), G Remy Martin (5-11, 170, Jr.), F Cody Riley (6-7, 225, Jr.), G Adam Seiko (6-2, 175, Jr.), G Terrance McBride (6-1, 155, Jr.), G/F Michael Feinberg (6-3, 175, Soph.); Maranatha - F/C Trevor Stanback (6-9, 220, Sr., signed with Stanford), G/F Terrance Lang (6-5, 250, Jr.), G Sean Romero (5-9, 165, Sr.)