LAKEPORT — Basketball season officially opens at Clear Lake High School on Friday when the inaugural Paul Larrea Memorial Tournament tips off in Lakeport.
The varsity and junior varsity boys round-robin tourney runs through Saturday. Varsity teams are host Clear Lake, Vacaville Christian, Bay School (San Francisco) and Bentley (Lafayette). JV teams are Clear Lake, Fort Bragg, Bentley and Vacaville Christian.
Teams play once on Friday and twice on Saturday. Friday’s action begins at 3 p.m. with the Fort Bragg-Bentley JV game. Saturday’s schedule opens at 9 a.m. with the Bentley-Vacaville Christian game.
The Paul Larrea Memorial Tournament replaces the old Clear Lake JV Tournament. It honors the memory of the late Clear Lake teacher, counselor and coach who dedicated nearly 40 years of his life to public education. A Paul Larrea Inspirational Award will be presented to the student-athlete who best exemplifies sportsmanship, enthusiasm and dedication to the team’s success above his own.
The tournament also will honor the memory of the late Mark Elsa and Ryan Mayer, who were Clear Lake High teammates in the early 2000s and actually shared the North Central League I most valuable player award in 2002. The Larrea Tournament MVP will be honored with the Ryan Mayer MVP Award while the winner of the tournament’s 3-point contest will receive the Mark Elsa 3-point Champion Award.
The tournament, a fundraiser for Clear Lake High School boys basketball, is sponsored by the CLHS Sports Foundation and the Pomo of Upper Lake Habematolel. Admission prices are $5 for adults and $3 for kids each day. A concession stand will be in operation throughout the tournament.
The tournament schedule is as follows:
Friday — Fort Bragg JV vs. Bentley JV, 3 p.m.; Vacaville Christian JV vs. Clear Lake JV, 4:30 p.m.; Bay School vs. Bentley, 6 p.m.; Vacaville Christian vs. Clear Lake, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday — Bentley JV vs. Vacaville Christian JV, 9 a.m.; Fort Bragg JV vs. Clear Lake JV, 10:30 a.m.; Bentley vs. Vacaville Christian, noon; Bay School vs. Clear Lake, 1:30 p.m.; 3-point contest JV and varsity, 2:45 p.m.; Fort Bragg JV vs. Vacaville Christian JV, 3:15; Bentley JV vs. Clear Lake JV, 4:45 p.m.; Bay School vs. Vacaville Christian, 6:15 p.m; Bentley vs. Clear Lake, 7:45 p.m.
