MaxPreps Holiday Classic Official Site
Look for live blog updates, daily features, notes and photos throughout the tournament.
TORREY PINES, Calif. - National powerhouse St. Patrick of Elizabeth, N.J., highlights a field of 70 teams representing seven states and Canada at this year’s MaxPreps Holiday Classic at Torrey Pines, that tips off today and runs through Wednesday.
“With MaxPreps' help, we have one of the elite teams in the country in St. Pat’s, which is the crown jewel of an outstanding bracket in what will be the National Division,” tournament director and Torrey Pines High School head coach John Olive said.
Kevin Boyle, St. Patrick
Photo by Jim Redman
The Celtics are coming off a 30-3 season and Tournament of Champions title in New Jersey. Under the direction of head coach Kevin Boyle, who has coached the likes of Samuel Dalembert, Corey Fisher and Al Harrington at the school, St. Patrick features elite players in both the senior and junior class.
Senior guard Kyrie Irving is No. 19 in MaxPreps’ 2010 Top 100, while junior wing Michael Gilchrist is the top-rated player in the class of 2011.
St. Patrick won the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C., last December.
The Classic always features a strong contingent of California powers. Ten of the top 50 teams in MaxPreps.com’s final state rankings from the 2008-2009 season will be in the event, including No. 4 Fairfax (Los Angeles), No. 5 McClymonds (Oakland), No. 6 Eisenhower (Rialto) and No. 7 Taft (Woodland Hills).
“It’s fabulous to have Harvey Kitani and his Fairfax program. They are always highly-respected and well coached, along with Taft, who will be a first-timer,” Olive said. “McClymonds from Oakland, along with Bishop O’Dowd and St. Joseph-Notre Dame, gives us three of the best Bay Area teams and that is very exciting.”
Defending state champions will include St. Patrick, California Division V titlist Windward of Los Angeles and Washington 3A kingpin Franklin of Seattle.
The field will feature 12 MaxPreps Top 100 performers from the classes of 2010 and 2011, including 7-footer Fabricio de Melo of Sagemont in Weston, Fla. Melo, a Brazilian native, has already given a verbal commitment to Syracuse.
Washington’s Bellevue High School captured the 2008 Holiday Classic title, defeating Eisenhower in the final behind 18 points and five assists from tournament MVP Aaron Bright.
2009 MaxPreps Holiday Classic Field
Arizona
Catalina Foothills (Tucson)
Cienega (Vail)
Desert Vista (Phoenix)
Ironwood Ridge (Tucson)
Mesa
British Columbia Canada
Cowichan (Duncan)
California
Bakersfield Christian (Bakersfield)
Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland)
Brea Olinda (Brea)
Campbell Hall (North Hollywood)
Carlsbad
Cathedral (San Diego)
Chaparral (Temecula)
Community Charter (Lakeview Terrace)
Compton
Centennial (Corona)
Eisenhower (Rialto)
Fairfax (Los Angeles)
Faith Lutheran (La Verne)
Flintridge Prep (La Canada)
Folsom
Foothills Christian (El Cajon)
Hercules
Horizon (San Diego)
Huntington Beach
Jordan (Long Beach)
La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad)
La Jolla
La Jolla Country Day
Logan (Union City)
Los Alamitos
Los Osos (Rancho Cucamonga)
Maranatha Christian
Mayfair (Lakewood)
McClymonds (Oakland)
Miramonte
Newark Memorial
Oakland
Pacific Hills (Los Angeles)
Palm Desert
Parker (San Diego)
Perris
Ponderosa (Shingle Springs)
Poway
Price (Los Angeles)
Rancho Bernardo
Ribet Academy
Rim of the World
Santa Margarita
Simi Valley
St. Joseph
St. Joseph-Notre Dame (Alameda)
St. Mary’s (Stockton)
Taft (Woodland Hills)
Temecula Valley
Temescal Canyon
The Rock
Torrey Pines
Van Nuys
Vista del Lago (El Dorado Hills)
Westview (San Diego)
Windward (Los Angeles)
Yucaipa
Florida
Sagemont (Weston)
Nevada
Desert Oasis (Las Vegas)
Spanish Springs (Sparks)
New Jersey
St. Patrick (Elizabeth)
Texas
College Park (The Woodlands)
Washington
Franklin (Seattle)
Roosevelt (Seattle)
MaxPreps Top 100 Participants
Class of 2010
No. 8 Fabricio de Melo, 7-0, 270, F – Sagemont (Committed to Syracuse)
No. 19 Kyrie Irving, 6-1, 175, G – St. Patrick
No. 31 Bryce Jones, 6-5, 175, G – Taft
No. 42 Allen Crabbe, 6-4, 175, G – Price (Committed to California)
No. 49 Kendall Williams, 6-3, 170, G – Los Osos
Class of 2011
No. 1 Michael Gilchrist, 6-7, 185, W – St. Patrick
No. 36 Kori Babineaux, 6-3, 190, G – Folsom
No. 42 Jahii Carson, 5-10, 170, G – Mesa (Committed to Oregon State)
No. 44 DeAndre Daniels, 6-7, 185, W – Taft (Committed to Texas)
No. 67 Wesley Saunders, 6-5, 175, W – Windward
No. 88 Rod Days, 6-7, 200, F – Sagemont
No. 100 Gelaun Wheelwright, 6-0, 170, G – Corona Centennial
Class of 2012 Notables
Rio Adams, 6-3, 170, G – Franklin
Brandon Ashley, 6-6, F – Bishop O’Dowd
Sam Beeler, 6-9, F – Poway
Landon Drew, 5-9, 145, G – Taft
Xavier Johnson, 6-6, 180, W – Chaparral
Joe Rahon, 6-1, 165, G – Torrey Pines
Matt Shrigley, 6-5, F – La Costa Canyon
Jamaree Strickland, 6-9, 245, F - McClymonds
