New coach at favorite Fairfax won a national championship at Chino Hills last season. But also watch out for Westchester, Narbonne, Crenshaw and Taft in the LA City Section boys basketball #MaxPrepsFab5.
Video: Mater Dei vs. Fairfax - Nike Extravaganza 2015
Check out some past footage of Fairfax playing a top opponent in a top event.
2016-17 Los Angeles City Section preseason boys basketball Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard
1. Fairfax (Los Angeles)Head coach: Steve Baik
2015-16 record: 30-5
Baik comes over from Chino Hills, where his team won a mythical national championship. He won't have the Ball brothers to work with but he'll inherent a squad that returns five players from last year's 12-man team, including sophomores
Robert McRae (6-foot-4) and
Ethan Anderson (6-1) and junior
Jamal Hartwell (5-11). Baik replaces longtime coach Harvey Kitani, who led the Lions to multiple city and state titles.
See the MaxPreps California boys basketball computer rankings presented by the Army National Guard2. Westchester (Los Angeles)Head coach: Ed Azzam
2015-16 record: 26-7
Westchester celebrated its 13th section title last season.
File photo by Nick Koza
The Comets graduated seven of 13 players off last year's squad that won its 13th section title and first in the Open Division with a 51-42 win over Narbonne. Azzam is the City's winningest coach with 822. Amongst others, he returns 6-2 senior
Darryn Everage.
See the MaxPreps California boys basketball stat leaders
3. Crenshaw (Los Angeles)Head coach: Ed Waters
2015-16 season: 19-13
The Cougars return second- and third-leading scorers
Chris Kendrick (15.1 points per game) and
Lamar Harris (10.8 ppg, 7.7 rebounds per game). Kendrick is a 5-9 point guard and Harris a 6-7 post.
See the MaxPreps California boys basketball photos4. Taft (Woodland Hills)Head coach: Derrick Taylor
2015-16 record: 26-8
Taylor, a longtime Southern California coach, won 26 games in his first season at Taft and with only six graduating from last year's 15-man roster, things look promising this season. Taft did lose four All-City performers, however.
See the MaxPreps California boys basketball playoff brackets
5. Narbonne (Harbor City)Head coach: Anthony Hilliard
2015-16 record: 25-8
The Gauchos have won at least 23 games each of the last three seasons with Hilliard and with six returning from last year's 15-man roster, they should be in good shape again.
