Boys' basketball: Season begins next week with big games

The boys' basketball season begins next Monday, and what a great opening week. We'll know who the No. 1 team in the Southland is after the first week.

For planning purposes, there are two terrific tournaments at Westchester and at Redondo.

Here's the Nov. 30 schedule for Westchester: Peninsula vs. Reseda, 3 p.m.; Crenshaw vs. Birmingham, 4:30 p.m.; Compton Centennial vs. West Torrance, 6 p.m.; Westchester vs. King Drew, 7:30 p.m. The Dec. 1 schedule: Morningside vs. Windward, 3 p.m.; Leuzinger vs. Community Charter, 4:30 p.m.; Washington vs. Horizon, 6 p.m.; Taft vs. Carson, 7:30 p.m.

The championship game is set for Saturday, Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m.

At Redondo, the Nov. 30 schedule: Gardena vs. Gardena Serra, 3 p.m.; Compton vs. Lynwood, 4:20 p.m.; Cathedral vs. Palisades, 5:40 p.m.; Harvard-Westlake vs. Bishop Montgomery, 7 p.m.; Pacific Hills vs. Redondo, 8:30 p.m. On Dec. 1: Long Beach Poly vs. Locke, 5:40 p.m.; Fairfax vs. Bakersfield, 7 p.m.; Mayfair vs. Santa Monica, 8:30 p.m. The final is on Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m.

-- Eric Sondheimer

Boys' basketball: Westchester is ranked No. 7

Westchester is ranked No. 7 in the preseason boys' basketball national rankings by Maxpreps.com. Woodland Hills Taft is No. 12 and Santa Ana Mater Dei No. 15.

In the girls' rankings, Mater Dei is No. 1, Brea Olinda No. 5 and Long Beach Poly No. 8.

-- Eric Sondheimer

Boys' basketball: St. Patrick is coming to town

If you want to know what Woodland Hills Taft will be up against when the Toreadors face St. Patrick from Elizabeth, N.J., on Feb. 6 in the Nike Extravaganza at Mater Dei, take a look at this story about Duke-bound Kyrie Irving, the top player for St. Patrick, expected to be a contender for No. 1 in the nation.

-- Eric Sondheimer

Boys' basketball: Watch out for Palisades guard

Palisades guard Garrett Nevels has the green light to shoot from anywhere on the court this season. "He shoots it from deep," Coach James Paleno said.

The 6-foot-3 Nevels, an all-Western League pick as a junior, has improved his strength, and Paleno expects him to be a terrific three-point shooter.

"He had a great summer," Paleno said.

But will he be as good as ex-Palisades standout Chip Engelland, who averaged 31 points a game in 1979, before there was a three-point line.

"Engelland was open when he walked through the door into the gym," Paleno said.

Palisades returns eight players from a 17-12 team and could be a challenger to Westchester and Fairfax in the Western League.

Also on the Dolphins is 6-6 sophomore Kahlil Johnson, the brother of Oregon State's Omari Johnson.

-- Eric SOndheimer

Boys' basketball: Westchester-Taft early test

If you can't wait for the regular basketball season to begin, Westchester and Woodland Hills Taft, the likely top two teams in the City Section, are scheduled to scrimmage at 5 p.m. on Thursday at Westchester.

Of course, the two schools are also favored to meet in the championship game of the Westchester tournament on Dec. 5. And you can probably count on a third meeting in the City Division I final at USC's Galen Center in March. And maybe a fourth meeting in the Southern California Regionals.

-- Eric Sondheimer

Boys' basketball: Football players join teams

Basketball coaches are always keeping their fingers crossed during football season that players won't get injured, and those football teams eliminated from playoff consideration on Friday helped out lots of basketball coaches who had players playing multiple sports.

Two basketball programs who should benefit most from early football exits are Encino Crespi and Los Angeles Loyola. Crespi's basketballl team could get as many as eight varsity football players out for practice this week. Loyola should pick up tight end John Young, a UCLA football commit.

Coaches with lots of basketball players on the football team usually delay their season openers as long as possible. Crespi doesn't open its season until Dec. 7. Most teams begin the week of Nov. 30.

-- Eric Sondheimer

The newest NBA star: Brandon Jennings

Former Compton Dominguez guard Brandon Jennings has become the talk of the NBA and a prime candidate for rookie of the year after scoring 55 points Saturday night for the Milwaukee Bucks against the Golden State Warriors.

He's the fifth rookie in NBA history to score at least 55 points in a game.

-- Eric Sondheimer

Boys' basketball: The newest way to announce college choice

Leave it up to basketball standout Harrison Barnes to come up with a new way to announce his college choice. Waving the winning school hat in front of a TV camera is so old. Barnes used Skype to telephone North Carolina Coach Roy Williams of his decision.

There are lots of college coaches who don't even know what Skype is, but they better learn fast. It's an Internet phone service.

Here's the story about Barnes pulling it off.

I can't wait to learn the next 21st Century way of letting people know their college decision.

-- Eric Sondheimer

Boys' basketball: SFV tournament has 32 teams

The San Fernando Valley Invitational tournament is set for Dec. 18-23 with 32 teams, the largest tournament in Los Angeles. The final four and championship game will be held at Granada Hills Kennedy Dec. 22 and 23.

-- Eric Sondheimer

Boys' basketball: L.A. Cathedral forward signs

Frankie Eteuati, a 6-foot-9 forward from Los Angeles Cathedral, has signed with Cal State Northridge. He showed lots of improvement during the summer after averaging 10 points last season. The Phantoms are expected to be a top small schools team and are set to play in the Redondo tournament against the likes of Los Angeles Fairfax and Santa Monica.

-- Eric Sondheimer