This is the final full week of the regular season in Orange County boys basketball leagues.
Here is a look at some of this week’s important games and top matchups:
La Habra at Crean Lutheran, Crestview League, Tuesday
The teams are tied for first place with 5-1 league records. La Habra defeated Crean Lutheran 69-56 at La Habra on Jan. 9. Key players: Acen Jimenez, La Habra, G, Sr.; Chadrack Mpoyi, Crean Lutheran, C, Sr.
Pacifica Christian at Fairmont Prep, San Joaquin League, Tuesday
Pacifica Christian is 2-0 in league, including a win over San Gabriel Academy. Fairmont Prep is 1-1 in league with the loss to San Gabriel Academy. Key players: Michael Noel, Pacifica Christian, G, Sr.; David Abisogun, Fairmont Prep, G, Sr.
El Dorado at Sonora, Freeway League, Tuesday
El Dorado is 6-0 in the five-team league and flying high at 22-2 overall. Sonora is 3-2 in league. Key players: Noah Barker, El Dorado, F, Sr.; Tyler Holmquist, Sonora, G, Sr.
Portalo at Northwood, Pacific Coast League, Tuesday
Portola is 6-0 in the eight-team league. Northwood is third at 4-2. A league tournament starts Thursday. Key players: Max Paulsen, Portola, F, Sr.; Sam Alegre, Northwood, G, Sr.
Santa Margarita at Mater Dei, Trinity League, Wednesday
Orange County’s top-ranked team, Santa Margarita, and No. 5 Mater Dei are tied for second place with 2-1 league records. Mater Dei will need a near-flawless effort to beat the Eagles. Key players: Kaiden Bailey, Santa Margarita, G. Sr.; Zain Majeed, Mater Dei, F., Sr.
Western at Los Amigos, Coast League, Friday
Los Amigos is in first place at 5-0, with Western second at 4-1. Los Amigos beat Western 50-46 in overtime at Western on Jan. 16. Key players: Omar Flores, Western, G, Sr.; Los Amigos, Mekhi Belote, G, Sr..
NOTES
The CIF Southern Section boys basketball playoff brackets will be released Feb. 7 at noon. Computer rankings will be used to place teams into playoff divisions and seed them in those divisions. …
The most recent CIF-SS boys basketball rankings, distributed this past Wednesday, have Sierra Canyon at No. 1 among the section’s 516 boys basketball teams. The highest-ranked Orange County team is Santa Margarita, at No. 5. Corona del Mar is at No. 10 and could be placed in the elite Open Division for the playoffs if the Open Division has 10 to 12 teams in it. …
Three other Orange County teams are in the CIF-SS top 20: Crean Lutheran at No. 12, JSerra at No. 15 and Los Alamitos at No. 19. …
The Trinity League has a league tournament that runs Feb. 2-4. The league’s top teams in the standings going into the tournament get first-round byes. The first round on Feb. 2 has the league’s No. 3 team vs. No. 6, and No. 4 vs. No. 5 at Concordia University followed by a second round of games on Feb. 3 at Hope International University and the finals on Feb. 4 at Concordia. …
Capistrano Valley Christian senior guard Michael Ahern had a school-record 10 steals in the Eagles’ 58-40 win over Lakeland (Idaho) in the Nike Extravaganza at Mater Dei. Ahern scored 24 points.