The Classic at Damien headlines after-Christmas basketball tournaments

The Classic at Damien has become one of the Southland’s best tournaments of the high school boys basketball season.

The seventh annual event begins Tuesday, the day after Christmas, and concludes with the championship games on Saturday, Dec. 30.

There are 128 teams entered and will compete in eight divisions. The games will be played at Damien’s’ Athletic and Event Center, at  Bonita, San Dimas, Charter Oak and St. Lucy’s high schools, Ramona Middle School, Mt. SAC and Life Pacific University.

The Silver, Bronze, Green, Copper and Iron divisions will begin Tuesday, and the more prestigious Gold, Diamond and Platinum divisions start Wednesday.

The Platinum Division is for the best-of-the-best, and will include last years CIF-SS Open Division runner-up, St. John Bosco, which will open with a game against Clovis North of Fresno.

Also in the Platinum Division is host Damien, which will take on Arizona’s state Open Division runner-up last year, Sunnyslope of Phoenix, at 5:30 p.m., on Wednesday.

La Mirada, which defeated Damien in the championship game of the Sunny Hills tournament, is also in the Platinum Division and will take on Idaho’s Owyee at 2:30 p.m.

St. Paul is in the Diamond Division, which starts at Ramona on Wednesday. The Swordsmen will take on Canyon at 12:30 p.m.

Pasadena is in the Silver Division that opens at Damien’s Event Center on Tuesday. The Bulldogs will take on Albany at 6:30 p.m.

Bonita, Bosco Tech and Glendora also play Tuesday in the Bronze Division.

Former UCLA coach Jim Harrick, who led the Bruins to the 1995 national championship, will be honored at Damien’s Athletic Center on Wednesday night.

GLENDORA, COVINA TOURNAMENTS BEGIN

The 15th annual Glendora girls basketball tournament, which has a 16-team knockout bracket, begins on Wednesday and concludes with a championship game Saturday, Dec. 30.

Host Glendora (12-1) and undefeated South Pasadena (10-0) are on opposite sides of the bracket, and it would be a juicy championship game if they meet in the final.

Glendora opens with Garfield on Wednesday at 9 a.m., and South Pasadena opens against Summit at 4:30 p.m.

The 69th Covina Christmas boys basketball tournament is one of the oldest in the San Gabriel Valley. Bill Walton once competed in it.

There are eight teams in the tourney with two four-team pools.

Walnut won the tournament last season and is one of the favorites again.

Walnut opens Tuesday against Excelsior Charter at 4:30 p.m., while host Covina takes on Calvary Chapel at 7 p.m.

The championship game is Friday, Dec. 29.