JERRY MARTINEZ scored 28 points for Garden Grove High vs. Westminster High on Friday. His Argonauts will host Ocean View Tuesday night in a battle for first place in the Golden West League (OC Tribune photo).

Now that league play is underway, crucial league title showdowns are already popping up. For local high school hoops fans, one is scheduled for Tuesday night as the Garden Grove High School boys’ basketball team hosts Ocean View High.

The Argonauts are 2-0 in the Golden West League and 14-6 overall. The Seahawks are 2-0 in the GWL and 12-8 overall.

Grove, under new head coach Brian Girard, is led by Jerry Martinez and Miguel Ortega, who scored 28 and 17 points, respectively, in Friday’s game against a scrappy Westminster team. Ocean View is coached by Brendan Holmes. Against Western on Friday, the Seahawks got 18 points from Ahmad Hammouri and 15 from Brian Gil. Marcus Johnson added 14.

Segerstrom is also 2-0, but with an overall record of 6-13, the Jaguars are not considered to be at quite the same level as Grove and OV.  The Argos will test Segerstrom this Friday and the Seahawks will face off on Tuesday.

Regardless of who wins on Tuesday, the two teams will get another crack at each other on Friday, Oct. 31 in a Halloween showdown in the Seahawk gym.

Looking at the GWL girls’ race, Garden Grove is atop the league with a 2-0 mark. Other contenders are Segerstrom, Westminster and Ocean View.

Off to a fast start in the Garden Grove League boys’ race are Bolsa Grande (2-0, 6-14 overall) and Los Amigos (2-0, 11-7). They will meet at the Lobo gym on Tuesday, Oct. 21.

On the girls’ side in the GGL are Santiago (2-0, 8-9) and La Quinta (2-0, 9-9). Their showdown is Friday at the Aztec home court.

Early morning stars of the hardwood

After one week’s play in the new year, here are some outstanding scoring performances for local high school basketball players.

Boys

• Ahmad Hammouri (Western) scored 29 points Thursday.
• Jerry Martinez (Garden Grove) scored 28 points Friday vs. Westminster.
• Malek Maluel (Orangewood Academy) scored 24 points Saturday vs. Fairmont Prep.
• Matthew Brookins (Westminster) scored 21 points Friday vs. Garden Grove.
• Miguel Ortega (Garden Grove) scored 17 points Friday vs. Westminster.

Girls

• Sydney Gandy (Orangewood) scored 22 points Saturday vs. West Torrance.
• Madison Copeland (Edison) scored 19 points Saturday vs. La Quinta.

Pollsters don’t like our boys’ hoopsters

This week’s new polls from the CIF-SS for winter sports aren’t demonstrating much love for boys’ basketball teams serving our area, although some props were given to other sports. Here are how locals were ranked this week.

Boys’ basketball

• Division 5A: Los Amigos is ranked ninth.

Girls’ basketball

• Open Division: Orangewood Academy is listed.
• Division 2AA: Orangewood is ranked first.
• Division 5A: Magnolia is seventh, Los Amigos is 10th, Loara is tied for 14th and Orange is 16th.

Boys’ soccer

• Division 1: Edison is 10th.

Girls’ soccer

• Division 1: Pacifica is ninth.
• Division 7: Loara is first.

Girls’ water polo

• Divisions 1 and 2: Huntington Beach is 22nd.
• Division 5: Garden Grove is eighth.
• Division 6: Marina is second, Loara is ninth.
• Division 7: Rancho Alamitos is seventh, Westminster is eighth, La Quinta is 10th.

Prep Sport Spotlight is posted on Tuesdays during the high school academic year.