1 day until MaxPreps Holiday Classic: 1 Open champion to be crowned

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — It's one day until the 13th annual MaxPreps Holiday Classic, the 117-team, 11-division tournament that runs Dec. 26-30 in beautiful Coachella Valley.

And when the entire event, which features some of the nation's top teams and players, a spectacular slam dunk contest and massive 3-point shooting contest, ends, only one champion will be crowned champion in the top 16-team Open Division.

Here is a capsule look at the 16 teams that will participate in this absolutely loaded field.

See MaxPreps Holiday Classic landing page



We'll look from top to bottom according to the MaxPreps national computer rankings, presented by the Army National Guard.

Chino Hills (Calif.) (9-0)
National rank: 3 (No. 1 in MaxPreps Xcellent 25 national human rankings).
Saturday's first-round game: Seattle Prep, 6:30 p.m.
Skinny: Led by the Ball brothers — Lonzo Ball, LiAngelo Ball and LaMelo Ball — the Huskies are coming off a championship at the City of Palms Classic on Wednesday. They are surely the team to beat.

Capital Christian (Sacramento, Calif.) (5-2)
National rank: 41
Saturday's first-round game: Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), 5 p.m.
Skinny: The defending Northern California Division IV champions lost decisively to Bishop Gorman last season, but hope to rebound behind one of California's top senior guards in Tiegen Jones. Both of Capital Christian's early losses have come to national No. 4 Sacramento (10-0).

Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.) (7-2)
National rank: 42
Saturday's first-round game: Folsom (Calif.) 8:15 p.m.
Skinny: The Sea Hawks won the 64th Annual Pacific Shores Tournament title with a 64-49 over Long Beach Poly. Already with losses to two teams in the Division, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) 63-58, and Prestonwood Christian (80-70). Led by one of California's top senior guards in Leland Green (14.0 ppg) and junior guards Ryse Williams (12.0). Leading scorer is Morgan Means (16.8).

Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) (7-2)
National rank: 53
Saturday's first-round game: Capital Christian (Sacramento), 5 p.m.
Skinny: The Gaels are led by two of the nation's best, 6-10 senior center Zach Collins and 6-4 junior guard Chuck O'Bannon Jr. Both losses have come by two points, to Overland (Aurora, Colo.) 58-56 and 76-74 to Corona del Sol (Tempe, Ariz.). Battle tested, Gorman is seeded third in the bracket.

Bentonville (Ark.) (5-1)
National rank: 96
Saturday's first-round game: St. Petersburg (Fla.), 8 p.m.
Skinny: Everyone knows about the Tigers' top draw, Kentucky bound Malik Monk, a 6-3 wing ranked the No. 6 player in the country. Coach Jason McMahan has a superb supporting cast as shown in its state finals' appearance last season and 21-10 record. Bentonville, the second seed, already has a Crabtree Tournament title, but lost to Missouri power Chaminade (St. Louis) 76-57 two weeks ago, its last tune-up before St. Petersburg.



Folsom (Calif.) (7-1)
National rank: 128
Saturday's first-round game: Redondo Union, 8:15 p.m.
Skinny: The Bulldogs have been knocking on the door of a state title the last two years and with one of the nation's top-ranked guards, Jordan Ford, a St. Mary's College commit, they have a chance again. The team is coming off its only defeat, an 83-81 triple-overtime thriller to Freedom (Oakley, Calif.) in the finals of the Roy Ghigerri Invitational. Ford is averaging 24.7 points per game and Jared Wall, a fourth-year starter, is at 11.0.

De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) (6-0)
National rank: 150
Saturday's first-round game: Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas), 9:30 p.m.
Skinny: The famed football school is awfully good in basketball also, with two state titles under its belt. The Spartans' first one was helped by AJ Kuhle, who is now the team's coach, taking over for longtime leader Frank Allocco, now an assistant at USF. Led by USF-bound Jordan Ratinho and Nikhil Peters, a pair of four-year starters. Haven't played top flight schedule yet, but has outscored opponents 436-216.

Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) (7-2)
National rank: 159
Saturday's first-round game: King (Milwaukee), 12:30 p.m..
Skinny: The Eagles open the Open Division's action with a tough first-round matchup. Both of the team's losses have been by two points, 58-56 to Bishop Montgomery and 54-52 to St. Augustine in the finals of its own Christmas Classic. Led by Kaden Rasheed (17.6 ppg) and Adrease Jackson (13.4), both juniors. Senior Noah Rasheed (11.4 ppg, 5.1 assists pg) runs the show.

Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas) (15-5)
National rank: 284
Saturday's first-round game: De La Salle (Concord, Calif.), 9:30 p.m.
Skinny: The Lions, coached by Chris Lovell, are led by arguably the tournament's top big man, 6-10 senior Schnider Herard, the No. 43 senior recruit in the country, according to 247Sports. Have had a very busy non-league season, and dropped two of four games at the Jerry Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas, including 67-51 game to Centennial (Corona, Calif.).

Moreau Catholic (Hayward, Calif.) (6-1)
National rank: 297
Saturday's first-round game: Alemany, 3:30 p.m.
Skinny: After opening the season with a 60-59 win over current No. 6-ranked Sierra Canyon, the Mariners lost in the finals of the Lahainaluna Maui Classic 70-66 to Lee (Huntsville, AL.). on Monday. Led by top recruits Oscar Frayer, a 6-6 wing, 6-3 point guard Damari Milstead, and Fresno State-bound Brandon Lawrence, Moreau was previously ranked No. 21 in the country.

Alemany (Mission Hills, Calif.) (7-2)
National rank: 692
Saturday's first-round game: Moreau Catholic, 3:30 p.m.
Skinny: The Warriors are coming off a 76-55 loss to sixth-ranked Sierra Canyon in the finals of the Sierra Canyon Invitational. They have a 66-63 win over Lee (Huntsville, Ala.) which beat Moreau Catholic in the finals of the Lahainaluna Maui Classic. Led by one of the state's top senior guards in Shacquille Dawkins.

Jonesboro (Ga.) (7-2)
National rank: 804
Saturday's first-round game: Windward, 2 p.m.
Skinny: The two-time defending Georgia 4A champion is led by reigning MaxPreps National Sophomore of the Year, 6-5 junior guard James Walker, jr. The Cardinals and Walker are currently 7-2, but winners of seven straight after losing the first two games to powers Norcross (70-65) and Wesleyan Christian Academy (52-51) at the Atlanta Hardwood Jam Fest. Those two squads opened the season a combined 16-2. Walker had 36 against Norcross. Under coach Daniel Maehlman, Jonesboro has won back-to-back state titles and gone a combined 67-9 since 2013-14. Walker is currently averaging 22.6 points, 6-3 senior Eric Lovett is at 12.6 per game and 6-foot senior Tariq Jenkins averages 10.3.



King (Milwaukee, Wis.) (6-0)
National rank: 1,076
Saturday's first-round game: Santa Margarita, 12:30 p.m.
Skinny: Led by one of the country's top juniors Jordan Poole (14.7 ppg), the Generals actually are led in scoring by another junior Virshon Cotton (17.7). Longtime coach James Gosz has led King to 20-win seasons four of the last five years, including 22-3 last year.

St. Petersburg (Fla.) (7-2)
National rank: 1,247
Saturday's first-round game: Bentonville (Ark.), 8 p.m.
Skinny: The Green Devils are led by one of the top guard tandems in the tournament in Darius Banks, a 6-4 junior, and 6-3 senior Travis Bianco. Won six of seven before a 58-50 loss to Lakeland at City of Palms Classic. Coach Chris Blackwell led team to three-straight 20 win seasons before going 17-8 last year.

Seattle Prep (Seattle, Wash.) (3-2)
National rank: 3,460
Saturday's first-round game: Chino Hills, 6:30 p.m.
Skinny: The Panthers have a close defeat to Washington's No. 21 team Franklin (68-65) and a 22-point loss to the state's No. 4 squad Garfield (89-67). Have posted 20-win seasons three of the last five seasons under coach Michael Kelly.

Windward (Los Angeles, Calif.) (3-4)
National rank: 4,686
Saturday's first-round game: Jonesboro (Ga.), 2 p.m.
Skinny: A traditional California small-school power, the Wildcats have struggled in the early going, but are coming off a 63-51 win over Centennial (Bakersfield, Calif.). Led by one of the country's top juniors Jalen Harris, a 6-1 guard, and sophomore Shareef O'neal, son of former NBA great Shaq O'Neal.