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Southern Section basketball: Championship preview for each division

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Southern Section basketball: Championship preview for each division

The Southern Section high school basketball championships will take place this weekend at five sites around Southern California. Here’s a look at the games. Ticket information can be found here.

Boys

Friday at Cal Baptist

Open: Harvard-Westlake vs. Eastvale Roosevelt, 8 p.m. No game will have a better collection of top guards on the same court. Harvard-Westlake has Trent Perry (USC commit), Robert Hinton (Harvard), Christian Horry (UCLA). Roosevelt counters with highly recruited junior Brayden Burries, juniors Issac Williamson and Myles Walker, plus seniors Darnez Slater (Colorado State). If there’s one player who could be a difference maker, watch for 6-foot-8 Nikolas Khamenia of Harvard-Westlake.

Friday at Azusa Pacific

2AA: Rolling Hills Prep vs. St. Anthony, 8 p.m. Former Fairfax coach Harvey Kitani is going for another championship at Rolling Hills Prep. His young team has been led by junior guard Mateo Trujillo. St. Anthony is surging after routing highly regarded Heritage Christian in the semifinals and playing a tough schedule, making it out of the competitive Del Rey League.

5AA: Castaic vs. El Segundo, 4 p.m. El Segundo has been a different team since three transfer students became eligible at midseason, going 13-3. Castaic reached the final despite going 0-12 in the Foothill League.

Saturday at Ontario Toyota Arena

Division 1: Windward vs. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 8 p.m. This could be the best game of the weekend. These teams can shoot threes and score off fast breaks with the best. Both could have been Open Division teams. Windward relies on four talented juniors, led by point guard Gavin Hightower. Notre Dame has one of the best seniors in the state in Mercy Miller. You could be watching a future state champion.

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3AA: La Habra vs. St. Bonaventure, 2 p.m. La Habra is making its first final appearance. Junior Jaedon Anderson made five threes in the semifinals. St. Bonaventure is led by 6-foot-8 senior Dyan Benner, averaging 18 points. Coach Wolfgang Wood was an unsung Santa Margarita assistant until he was hired by St. Bonaventure in 2020-21. He is the son of the great Southern California player and NBA official Leon Wood.

4A: Covina Northview vs. Temecula Valley, 4 p.m. Senior guard Sam Osi leads Northview. Temecula Valley, at 18-14, got hot in the playoffs to reach the final.

Saturday at Edison

2A: Marina vs. Long Beach Poly, 3 p.m. The Jackrabbits are led by standout junior guard Jovani Ruff. Marina is surging with a nine-game winning streak and knocked off San Gabriel Academy and Cypress in its last two playoff games.

4A: YULA vs. Cerritos, 8 p.m. YULA upset Price in the semifnals. Cerritos went 10-0 in the 605 League.

Saturday at Colony

3A: Bosco Tech vs. Bishop Alemany, 6 p.m. Alemany made the playoffs by winning its final regular season game to go 15-15 and qualify for an at-large berth. The Warriors competed in the tough Mission League and have size and good guards, including Mike Lindsay, the nephew of Reggie Miller. Bosco Tech has been building up for this moment, led by veterans Jaden Erami, Ryan Osborne and Darius Benitez.

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5A: Big Bear at Lynwood Firebaugh, 2 p.m. Big Bear players are fighting hard to stay off the slopes so they can win a championship. The team is 24-5 and led by 6-foot-2 junior Aiden Brewer, averaging 16.3 points. Firebaugh has won eight of its last nine games.

Girls

Friday at Cal Baptist

Open: Etiwanda vs. Sierra Canyon, 6 p.m. It’s the game of the year in girls basketball, with elite players, elite coaches and an expected rematch looming in the regional playoffs. Last season, Sierra Canyon won this game but lost to Etiwanda in the regionals. Sierra Canyon’s big three of Mackenly Randolph, Jerzy Robinson and Izela Arenas are used to big games. So are McDonald’s All-American Kennedy Smith and center Grace Knox of Etiwanda. If anyone gets into foul trouble, that might help decide the game.

Friday at Azusa Pacific

5A: Antelope Valley vs. St. Pius X-St. Matthias, 2 p.m. Junior guards Niya Price and Jenesis Deering are both averaging above 20 points per game for Antelope Valley. St. Pius X-St. Matthias is a young team with freshmen contributors.

2AA: St. Anthony vs. Moreno Valley, 6 p.m. St. Anthony is trying to win boys and girls titles this weekend. Ryann Bennett, a 5-foot-9 senior, is averaging 16 points for St. Anthony. Moreno Valley is 28-4 and owns a 12-game win streak.

Saturday at Ontario Toyoto Arena

Division 1: Brentwood vs. Corona Santiago, 6 p.m. It’s been a historic season for Brentwood, which finally toppled nemesis Windward in league play. Lev Feiman and Jocelyn Pascual have been having standout seasons for Brentwood. Corona Santiago has been a powerhouse program in the Inland Empire and eliminated Harvard-Westlake in the semifinals.

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4AA: Rancho Cucamonga vs. Anaheim Canyon, 10 a.m. Rancho Cucamonga finished fourth in the tough Baseline League, which includes Etiwanda. The Comanches knocked off Newbury Park in the semifinals to advance to the final.

4A: Palos Verdes vs. Lancaster Eastside, noon. Palos Verdes won only three games last season. Freshmen Quinn Tamashiro and Katie Golden have been key contributors in the turnaround. Niela Marshall and April Medrano leads a 22-4 Eastside team.

Saturday at Edison

3A: JSerra vs. St. Margaret’s, noon. JSerra is having quite a rebound season after going 0-14 last year and losing games 73-8 and 72-5. At 22-9, the Lions are led by freshman Rosie Santos, who had 30 points in a semifinal win over Dana Hills. St. Margaret’s, which won Division 5AA last season, is back in the final. Sophomore Lila Wohlgemuth has been a major contributor.

3AA: Oak Park vs. Cerritos, 6:30 p.m. The hiring of coach William Burr from Viewpoint in 2022 has paid dividends for Oak Park. They went from winning one game to 5A champions. Now comes another championship bid. Sophomore Delaney White had 26 points in last year’s championship game. Cerritos is on an 11-game win streak.

Saturday at Colony

2A: Louisville vs. Lakewood, noon: Point guard Miye Kodama has been having the time of her life, helping the soccer team reach the championship game while playing simultaneously with the basketball team. Two rings in the same season would be more than impressive. Taylor Westbrook also has been a standout. Lakewood, the second-place finisher in the Moore League, presents a tough challenge. Junior Nyemah King is averaging 26.3 points.

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5AA: Adelanto vs. Colton, 4 p.m. Senior Nina Lacy is the top player for Adelanto. Colton is 23-6 and coming off a 43-42 win over La Mirada in the semifinals.

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Eli Manning fires back amid debate comparing ex-Giants star to Falcons great Matt Ryan

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Eli Manning fires back amid debate comparing ex-Giants star to Falcons great Matt Ryan

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Eli Manning retired in 2019 and missed out in his first year of Hall of Fame eligibility in 2025. He was passed over again earlier this year but still fired back at a fan who claimed one of his contemporaries was the better quarterback.

On Tuesday, a social media user floated a theory about former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan. Ryan, who now oversees football operations as the team’s president, last played in an NFL game in 2022. He announced his retirement in 2024, making him eligible for Hall of Fame consideration beginning in 2028.

“Matt Ryan was a better QB than Eli Manning… people just worship rings. Agree or nah,” the post read.

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New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning greets Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan after their game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Oct. 22, 2018. (Jason Getz/USA TODAY Sports)

Manning caught wind of the suggestion and weighed in, pointing to the two Super Bowl-winning teams he was part of during his standout run with the New York Giants.

“I will ponder this while I play with my rings…,” Manning wrote in a quote-tweet.

Ryan’s statistical production surpasses Manning’s, at least on paper. He was named NFL MVP in 2016, an honor Manning never earned. Ryan is also the most accomplished player in Falcons history and finished his career with more than 62,000 regular-season passing yards, compared with Manning’s 57,023.

NFC head coach Eli Manning leads a huddle during a practice session before the NFL Pro Bowl at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on Feb. 4, 2023. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)

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Both quarterbacks were selected to four Pro Bowls, but the key difference lies in championships. Manning won the Super Bowl in 2007 and 2011, while Ryan reached it once but fell short. Manning threw for a single season career-best 4,933 during the run leading up to the second Super Bowl title.

Ryan threw for 284 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions to help the Falcons build a 25-point lead in the championship game — a matchup remembered for the New England Patriots engineering the largest comeback in Super Bowl history.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan passes the ball against the Buffalo Bills during the second half at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., on Jan. 2, 2022. (Rich Barnes/USA TODAY Sports)

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The Falcons have reached the Super Bowl twice in franchise history, first in 1998, but the team is still chasing its first elusive championship.

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The Giants marked their 100th season in 2024, winning four Super Bowls over the franchise’s century-long history.

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Rams coach Sean McVay says Puka Nacua is ‘doing really well’ after rehab stint

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Rams coach Sean McVay says Puka Nacua is ‘doing really well’ after rehab stint

Star receiver Puka Nacua will fully participate in voluntary offseason workouts, the Rams are getting closer to another contract adjustment with quarterback Matthew Stafford, and coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead hope backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo decides to put off retirement and return for a third season and possible Super Bowl run.

McVay and Snead addressed those topics and the NFL draft on Tuesday during a videoconference with reporters.

Nacua led the NFL in receptions last season but also was involved in a string of off-the-field incidents the last few months, including an alleged biting incident that led to a civil lawsuit. Those situations put the brakes on any immediate discussion between the Rams and Nacua about a massive extension for the fourth-year pro.

In March, Nacua began a rehabilitation program in Malibu, but he was present for the first day of workouts on Monday.

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Nacua, 24, “looks great” and is “doing really well,” McVay said. McVay declined to detail discussions he’s had with the All-Pro, who was a finalist for NFL offensive player of the year.

“He and I have a great relationship,” McVay said. “Feel really good about kind of the direction we’re going.”

Stafford, 38, led the Rams to the NFC championship game last season and is the reigning NFL most valuable player. According to overthecap.com, he is due to carry a salary-cap number of $48.3 million this season.

But Stafford has no doubt demanded, and will receive, a raise and a possible additional year in a deal that the Rams acknowledged two years ago is essentially a year-to-year situation.

“Progress has been made,” Snead said of negotiations.

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There is no timeline, Snead said, “but don’t expect any drama, per se.”

Garoppolo, 34, has backed up Stafford for two seasons, and he has been invaluable.

Last year, with Stafford sidelined for training camp because of a back issue, Garoppolo ran the offense and prepped the defense with a skillset honed during a 12-year career that included a Super Bowl appearance. Stafford joined workouts before the season and remained healthy throughout, but Garoppolo was perhaps the most valuable insurance policy in the NFL.

Last season, Garoppolo played on a one-year contract and earned $4.5 million, according to overthecap.com.

McVay expressed confidence in fourth-year pro Stetson Bennett, but said he was hopeful that “when the time is right,” Garoppolo will “change his mind,” and return.

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“You leave the door open,” McVay said when asked if there was a point that Rams would press Garoppolo to return. “I don’t think you want to press. What you don’t want to do is ever force a guy to play if in his mind he’s ready to move on.

“But you don’t want to minimize that, ‘Hey, if you do decide you want to play, let’s make sure it’s here with us.”

The Rams have the 13th pick in the NFL draft, which begins Thursday in Pittsburgh. They have one pick in the second and third rounds, one in the sixth round and three in the seventh.

Receiver, offensive line and edge rusher are among the positions the Rams could address with their first top-15 pick since they selected quarterback Jared Goff with the No. 1 pick in 2016.

“There’s a lot of possibilities,” McVay said. “We don’t control what happens in those 12 picks before, and so what we’ve done is a lot of contingency planning and a lot of conversations, and feel really good about that.”

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PGA Tour signals new era with axing of Hawaii events from schedule

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PGA Tour signals new era with axing of Hawaii events from schedule

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The PGA Tour has announced that it will not be hosting an event in Hawaii during the 2027 season, ending a 56-year run of holding a tournament in The Aloha State. The change comes as the Tour and CEO Brian Rolapp have consistently teased a revamped schedule beginning next year.

The Tour was forced to cancel The Sentry at the start of the 2026 campaign due to the dying grass on the Plantation Course at Kapalua amid a local dispute with the company responsible for delivering water to the area. 

An aerial view of the golf course from over the ocean prior to The Sentry at The Plantation Course at Kapalua on December 31, 2023 in Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii. (Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR) (Ben Jared/PGA TOUR)

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With The Sentry being canceled, the Sony Open at Waialae Country on Oahu served as the Tour’s season opener in ‘26, which was won by Chris Gotterup. The event was in the final year of its sponsorship, although the Tour has shared that it is working toward making the event the opening event on the PGA Tour Champions circuit.

Chris Gotterup of the United States celebrates with the trophy on the 18th green after his winning round of the Sony Open in Hawaii 2026 at Waialae Country Club on January 18, 2026 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images) (Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)

The Tour’s removal of The Sentry and the Sony Open wipes out what has now turned into a traditional two-week stretch on the island to begin a new season.

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The PGA Tour did not share further details about the 2027 schedule upon its announcement about leaving Hawaii, but with Sentry reportedly being an event title-sponsor through 2035, it will need to find a new landing spot on the calendar. The logical stop would be Torrey Pines in San Diego, which checks the West Coast and great weather boxes, but the venue is also looking for a new sponsor, as its deal with Farmers Insurance ended in 2026.

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View of the 18th hole is seen during the final round of The Sentry at The Plantation Course at Kapalua on January 5, 2025 in Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii. (Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images) (Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)

The Tour’s decision not to begin next season in Hawaii makes sense, as there are plenty of venues in the lower 48 states that are much easier to operate from, but the departure will have a tremendous financial impact on the state.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports that The Sentry is estimated to have a $50 million annual impact on the community, while the Sony Open directly generates an estimated $100 million in revenue per year, plus another $1 million per year to Friends of Hawaii charities.

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