Eastvale Roosevelt boys, Mater Dei girls scheduled to compete at The Throne national basketball showcase in New Jersey

California Open Division boys basketball state champion Eastvale Roosevelt, along with Mater Dei – a semifinal program in the Open Division Southern California Regional girls basketball state playoffs – are both scheduled to compete Thursday at the third annual The Throne event at The Rink at the American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, N.J.

Eastvale Roosevelt, competing as the Mustangs, won last year’s eight-team, single-elimination boys tournament with a 53-50 victory against Columbus from Florida.

Brayden Burries averaged 27 points and eight rebounds in the three victories last year to earn MVP honors for Roosevelt, which is scheduled to compete at 9:40 p.m. EDT in Thursday’s quarterfinals against the Cardinals from New Jersey, representing Plainfield High in New Jersey.

Burries, scheduled to also compete April 1 in the McDonald’s All-American game at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., had 44 points and 12 rebounds March 15 in an 80-60 victory for Eastvale Roosevelt against Archbishop Riordan in the Open Division state final at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.

Other boys teams scheduled to compete in the three-day event, with the boys championship game scheduled for 4 p.m. EDT Saturday, are Long Island Lutheran from New York, Texas programs Brennan and Allen, Virginia entries John Marshall and Highland, in addition to Grayson from Georgia.

Roosevelt, which lost only twice in 37 games, might have a potential opportunity to atone for one of the setbacks against Brennan, which prevailed by a 67-64 margin Nov. 30 against the Mustangs at Duncanville High in Texas.

Mater Dei, competing as the Lady Monarchs, is scheduled to compete at 1:20 p.m. Thursday in the quarterfinals of the eight-team, single-elimination showcase against Bishop Ireton from Virginia.

Mater Dei girls basketball team | Photo courtesy of Mater Dei

Kaeli Wynn, who returned to competition March 8 against Etiwanda in the Southern California regional semifinals of the Open Division state playoffs after suffering a dislocated right kneecap Jan. 25 against Rancho Christian, is expected to play for the Monarchs.

Addie Deal, a McDonald’s All-American selection for Mater Dei, is also scheduled to compete for the Monarchs.

Other girls entries at the three-day event, which concludes with the championship game at 2 p.m. EDT Saturday, are Morris Catholic of New Jersey, Bishop McNamara from Maryland, Sidwell Friends of Washington D.C., Princess Anne from Virginia, Palm Bay of Florida and Christ the King from New York.

Hebron Christian from Georgia, last year’s winner of the girls title at The Throne, did not return this year.

Mater Dei secured back-to-back victories Dec. 18 and 19 against Christ the King and Bishop McNamara in the Joe Cannizzaro Division of the Nike Tournament of Champions in Mesa, Ariz.

The Monarchs won 29 of 33 games, only losing to California opponents Etiwanda, Archbishop Mitty and Ontario Christian.

The winner of both the boys competition and the girls event, each receive a $10,000 prize.