More Martin Luther King Classic coverage

Here's the MLK Classic via Ben Enos, Kyle Bonagura and Chace Bryson and the Contra Costa Times:

No. 1 Salesian beats No. 2 Newark Memorial at MLK Holiday Classic
Ben Enos
Contra Costa Times
1/18/2010

Desmond Simmons is used to being the go-to guy when top-ranked Salesian High needs a big play late in a game. To get an opportunity against No. 2 Newark Memorial on Monday, though, Simmons needed some help from someone much younger.

Simmons, a senior who's headed to Washington next season, sealed Salesian's 47-37 victory in the nightcap of the Martin Luther King Holiday Classic at Berkeley's Haas Pavilion by going 6-for-6 from the foul line in the fourth quarter en route to a 17-point effort. But the play of freshman guard Mario Dunn also helped the Pride in the battle between the pacesetters in the Bay Area News Group-East Bay boys basketball poll...

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and

De La Salle High School upends Fairfax-Los Angeles at MLK Holiday Classic at Haas Pavilion
Chace Bryson
Contra Costa Times
1/18/2010

After a rare league loss on its home floor on Jan. 5, the De La Salle High basketball team took a hard look at itself. And then it went back to work.

The Spartans have now reeled off five straight wins, including Monday's 45-38 victory over Fairfax-Los Angeles in the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Classic at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley.

"Playing hard has been a main focus point for us (since that loss)," De La Salle senior John McArthur said. "The staple of De La Salle basketball has always been about playing hard, and we realized that we hadn't really done that. We did some soul searching and made it a point to get back to playing hard..."

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and

Castro Valley prevails with late charge
Kyle Bonagura
Oakland Tribune
1/18/2010

With each game, Castro Valley High is developing more of reputation for being a second-half team, and coach Nick Jones can't figure out why.

Jones was just as perplexed after the Trojans' latest second-half charge pulled out a 69-61 boys basketball victory against Oakland in the feature game Monday of the inaugural Martin Luther King Jr. "I Have a Dream" Classic at Cal State East Bay.

"People think I must be giving great halftime speeches, but that's not it." Jones said. "I don't say much at the half..."

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