Lineup announced for 18th MaxPreps MLK Classic hosted by De La Salle

BASICS
WHAT: 18th Annual MaxPreps Martin Luther King Jr. Classic hosted by De La Salle High School
WHERE: University of California's Haas Pavilion
WHEN: Monday, Jan. 19, 2015


ADMISSION INFO

Pre-sale tickets are available at DLS Tuesday to Friday (1/12 -1/16) in the bookstore 7:30am - 2:30pm or available online at - https://prepmo.com/events/5

Pre- Sale Ticket Prices

1.      General Admission bleacher seating - $7/Adults, $5/students, seniors, children
2.      Reserved Chair back Seating - $15 - includes all day in/out access

Game Day Ticket Prices

1.      General Admission bleacher seating - $10/Adults, $5/students, seniors, children
2.      Reserved Chairback Seating - $20 - includes all day in/out access
3.      Courtside - $30 for each game - includes all day in/out access


BROADCAST INFO

The MLK Classic will be streamed live at www.delasalletv.com.


GAMES
Berkeley vs. El Cerrito, 10:30 a.m.
Franklin (Elk Grove) vs. Newark Memorial (Newark), 12:15 p.m.
Salesian College Preparatory (Richmond) vs. St. Mary's (Stockton), 2 p.m.
Sacramento vs. Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco), 3:45 p.m.
Chaminade (West Hills) vs. De La Salle (Concord), 5:45 p.m.
Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) vs. Moreau Catholic (Hayward), 7:30 p.m.

PAST
All-MLK Jr. Classic Team 1998-2013
2014 results/video

BERKELEY, Calif. — Many of the state's top boys basketball players on many of the state's top teams headline the 18th MaxPreps Martin Luther King Jr. Classic hosted by De La Salle at Haas Pavilion on the campus of Cal.

The all-day six-game California extravaganza is scheduled for Jan. 19 and will serve as a precursor to the CIF State Championships also held at Haas for the first time March 27-28.

The pairings were announced this week by De La Salle athletic director Leo Lopoz.

One of two premier games is Chaminade (West Hills), the defending state Division III champion, against host De La Salle (Concord), a two-time Division I state champion coached by 2014 McDonald's All-American West coach Frank Allocco Jr.

Chaminade lost just four seniors from its 27-6 team that dominated Drake (San Anselmo) 71-51 in the state finals. The Eagles return one of the Southland's top returning guards in 6-2 senior Michael O guine, who scored 26 in the state finals. He got Chaminade to the state finals with a 25-foot buzzer-beater to eliminate Santa Margarita in the regional final.

With an extremely young team, De La Salle went 21-9 last season, losing all but two games by single digits. Five of the losses were by 3 points or less. The Spartans figure to be led by a trio of juniors, Nikhil Peters, Devin Asiasi and Jordan Ratinho, all of whom have been either starters or big contributors since the ninth grade.

The other top game pits two-time state champion Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) (27-5 last year) against the arguably the most talented young team in Northern California, if not the country, Moreau Catholic (Hayward) (27-7).

Mitty, which won back-to-back state crowns in 2011 and 2012 with Aaron Gordon, features a junior post some have compared to the NBA's 2014 No. 4 draft pick. Ben Kone, a 6-foot-8, 235-pound junior, improved immensely from his freshman to sophomore seasons and at times dominated play on a largely guard-oriented team. Teammate Dakari Monroe, a 6-2 senior guard, is one of Northern California's top all-around athletes.

Moreau Catholic won a Northern California Division IV title despite the fact 17 of its 18 players were either freshmen or sophomores. The Mariners are led by junior 6-6 forward Oscar Frayer, who has already committed to Cal, along with 6-2 sophomore guard Damari Milstead, who made the MaxPreps third-team freshmen All-American team.

The four other games feature teams that have a legitimate shot playing at Haas in March, and players who have excellent shots to play in college. 



Berkeley (22-5 last season) vs. El Cerrito (28-5)
Adrian Rico is a 5-10 senior who can score from about anywhere for Berkeley while senior teammate Asa Allen plays much bigger than his 6-4 frame. Tyrell Alcorn, a 6-foot senior guard, is a fourth-year starter for El Cerrito who averaged 16.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.6 steals per game last year. Teammate Sayeed Pridgett is a 6-5 junior who is climbing recruiting charts.

Franklin (Elk Grove) (20-9) vs. Newark Memorial (Newark) (25-8)
Christian Allen, a 6-3 senior guard, led Franklin in scoring (13.5 ppg) last year, while Newark Memorial returns a pair of promising juniors in Reginald Pugh and Donald Banford.

Salesian (Richmond) (24-15) vs. St. Mary's (Stockton) (27-2)
It took a couple of months for perennial small-school power Salesian to find its groove last year but the Pride did behind super shooting guard Bernard Ward, now a senior, and one of Northern California's top freshmen Marquel Johnson, now a sophomore. Saint Mary's is led by of all people Lance Coleman II, a 6-6 senior forward, who transferred from Salesian after his sophomore season. Coleman averaged 13.9 points and 7.2 rebounds last season.

Sacramento (23-6) vs. Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco) (19-12)
Sacramento seemed on a state final path until rugged and high-flying 6-7 post Solomon Young (18.8 ppg, 8.8 rebounds per game) hurt his knee late in the season. Young is the nation's No. 97 junior according to 247Sports. SHC is led by a pair of sophomores, 6-6 forwards Alfred Hollins and Ramzi Carter, and 6-2 senior guard David Parsons.