Junior forward Michael King scored 29 points and added eight rebounds and five assists as No. 5 Lake Clifton (6-0) cruised past Forest Park (2-4), 107-73, and into today's 3:30 p.m. championship of the Mervo Holiday Tournament.
Eric Evans chipped in with 21 and five assists and Donte Lemmon added 16 for the Lakers, who will meet Mervo in the final.
Mervo (3-1) defeated Northwestern (1-3), 68-64, in the other semifinal, as Jamon Bailey and Roderick Farr each scored 16.
Lake Clifton was to play No. 4 Southwestern in the first round in the first matchup of Top 5 teams this season, but the Sabers backed out.
Tournament coordinator and Mervo coach Woody Williams said that on last Friday Southwestern coach Terry Leverett told him his team wouldn't participate in the tournament if it had to play Lake Clifton in the first round.
"He didn't like the matchup in the tournament so he pulled his team out and I later got a confirmation from the principal and the athletic director on a fax," said Williams.
Leverett could not be reached for comment.
* Pleasantville (N.J.) 70, St. Frances 60: Mark Karcher scored a game-high 20 points but No. 2 St. Frances (9-2) lost in the first round of the Slam Dunk at the Beach Tournament in Lewes, Del. The Panthers play the loser of Southern-B and St. Mark's for third place tomorrow at 2:15 p.m.
* Mount St. Joseph 72, Cape Henry (Va.) 56: Daniel Whye scored 19 points to pace No. 13 Mount St. Joseph (5-1) to a first-round victory over Cape Henry in the Atlantic Shores tournament in Virginia Beach, Va.
* St. Paul's 52, Carver 40: Simeon Wharton and Tiano Brown combined for 20 points as visiting and No. 18 St. Paul's (7-0) won.
* Aberdeen 69, St. Mary's 53: Todd Collins scored 14 of his team-high 21 points in the fourth quarter as Aberdeen registered 30 of the game's final 37 points to lift No. 12 Aberdeen (4-1) past St. Mary's (4-5) in the Westminster Invitational.
The Saints had led most of the way, and Danny Marohl (26 points) sparked a 9-2 run for a 46-39 lead with 1:39 left in the third quarter. But Collins then scored 12 in a 24-4 run.
