The 2014 MaxPreps Holiday Classic is here

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — At last, it is here.

The 12th annual MaxPreps Holiday Classic, loaded with 148 teams, more than 2,000 players, 15 divisions, eight venues, 64 live streaks slam dunk and 3-point shooting contests, starts 9 a.m. Friday and will continue through championship games Tuesday night.

Co-Tournament Directors Wayne Merino and Rob Hanmer, along with the MaxPreps duo of host Chris Stonebraker and national Director of Photographer Todd Shurtleff, along with an army of volunteers, have left no stone unturned for this massive event that includes all levels of the game for boys and girls.

Go to MaxPreps Holiday Classic homepage for live scores and streaming

Beautiful state-of-the-art Rancho Mirage (Calif.) High School is the host and will feature two gyms. Competition and games are also being played at Cathedral City, Desert Christian Academy (Bermuda Dunes), Desert Chapel (Palm Springs), Palm Valley (Rancho Mirage), Palm Springs, SShadow Hills (Indio) and Xavier Prep (Palm Desert)

"We're ready," Hanmer said.

Said Merino, who started the tournament a dozen years ago said: "We've made improvements each and every year and I think that's reflected in the level of excellence that continues to rise here."

Defending MaxPreps national champion and four-time consecutive California champion Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) is the headliner, however it had its 46-game win streak snapped this week at the City of Palms Tournament.

Seeing how the Monarchs, coached by Gary McLeod, who recently surpassed the 1,000 win club, will respond is one of the five things that MaxPreps National Basketball Editor Jason Hickman listed as most anxious to see.

Here are his top five storylines heading into the first day of play.

1. First-round match-ups

"There are few first-round games that are as tough as you will see in any tournament in the country," Hickman said.

Hickman noted Etiwanda, Calif.) versus Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas) against Folsom (Calif.) and Damien (La Verne.) versus Pebblebrook (Mableton, Ga.). 

"Those are heavyweight match-ups," Hickman said. "It wouldn't shock me to see any of those make a deep run in the tournament provided they get through the first round."

2. How will Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) responds after City of Palms Classic?

Sierra Canyon dropped its first game at City of Palms, but responded nicely with three straight wins.

"Going 3-1 in Fort Myers has to be considered a huge success for such a young team," Hickman said. "They got really, really good wins over Ohio state championship contender Wayne and defending Pennsylvania champ Archbishop Carroll."

3. How will Mater Dei respond to two losses in City of Palms?

The Monarchs (7-2) had a 46-game win streak snapped with a 67-62 loss to Wesleyan Christian Academy (High Point, N.C.), which was followed by a 57-56 defeat to Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.). That dropped them from the Xcellent 25 rankings for the first time in a very long while.

"It's hard to imagine Mater Dei going into the New Year with three losses, but they face that possibility after dropping two at the City of Palms Classic," Hickman said. "It will be really interesting to see how the Monarchs respond. Despite the setbacks, they absolutely have the talent to take the first place trophy in Palm Springs."

4. Watch out for Folsom

No, we're not talking the football team which finished fifth nationally in the MaxPreps composite rankings, but the Bulldogs' quickly rising basketball team and program. They went 32-3 last season and are off to a 9-0 start thus far. They are led by one of the most dynamic junior guards in the state, if not the nation, in 6-1 lightning bolt Jordan Ford.

"I like they way they are positioned in this tourney," Hickman said of the defending Northern California Division I champions, which lost no players to graduation. "I think they will come in with a lot to prove."

5. Another Washington champion?

Last season, unlikely Jackson (Mill Creek, Wash.) was the first team outside of California to win the top division of the MPHC.

Issaquah (Wash.) (5-0), like Jackson, will definitely go in as a darkhorse, but the Eagles have a lot of pieces headed by senior guard Ty Gibson, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound senior guard who averages 22.2 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.

"He is a flat out stud," Hickman said. "Issaquah is a battle-tested outfit that knows the ropes in Palm Springs. The Eagles were here last year and have won 15 of their last 17 going back to 2013-14. "

Interestingly, Jackson went on to finish 25-2 but was derailed in the first round of the Washington 4A state playoffs by of all teams, Issaquah.

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For additional information, visit MaxPrepsHolidayClassic.com, like us on Facebook, follow on Twitter @MPHolClass or Instagram @maxpreps_holiday_classic.

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Players to Watch

Class of 2015
Djery Baptiste (6-10, C), Prestonwood Christian
Joe Binyoti (6-0, G), Rufus King
Gordon Gehan (6-5, G/F), Episcopal
Ty Gibson (6-2, G), Issaquah
Ty Hudson (6-2, G), Pebblebrook
Stephen Matthews Jr. (6-0, G), Sacramento
Trhae Mitchell (6-6, G/F), Pebblebrook
Nick Pallas (6-8, F/C), JSerra
La'Vette Parker (6-2, G), Mater Dei
Rex Pflueger, (6-5, G), Mater Dei – No. 59 in 247Sports Composite
Colin Russell (6-8, F), Folsom
Grant Troutt (6-2, G), Episcopal

Class of 2016
Brendan Bailey (6-5, G/F), American Fork
M.J. Cage (6-9, F/C), Mater Dei – No. 17 in 247Sports Composite
Shacquille Dawkins (5-8, G), Alemany
Tre Finch (6-1, G), Sacramento
Jordan Ford (6-0, G), Folsom
Oscar Frayer (6-6, F) Moreau Catholic – No. 37 in 247Sports Composite
Daron Henson (6-7, F), Alemany
Schnider Herard (6-11, C), Prestonwood Christian – No. 50 in 247Sports Composite
Jayce Johnson (6-10, C), JSerra Catholic – No. 60 in 247Sports Composite
Ben Kone (6-8, F), Archbishop Mitty
Brandon Lawrence (6-2, G), Moreau Catholic
D.J. McGee (6-0, G), Prestonwood Christian
Evan Peters (6-5, G), Prestonwood Christian
Devearl Ramsey (5-10, G), Sierra Canyon – No. 34 in 247Sports Composite
Veer Singh (6-6, F), St. Peter's Prep
Christian Terrell (6-4, G), Sacramento – No. 38 in 247Sports Composite
Jared Wall (6-1, G), Folsom
Solomon Young (6-7, F), Sacramento – No. 70 in 247Sports Composite

Class of 2017
Ira Lee (6-7, F), Sierra Canyon – MaxPreps Freshman All-American
Damari Milstead (6-1, G), Moreau Catholic – MaxPreps Freshman All-American
Jordan Poole (5-10, G), Rufus King
Cody Riley (6-8, F), Sierra Canyon – MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year
Trevon Ary-Turner (6-3, G), Issaquah