SOUTHERN SECTION HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL PREVIEWS : Golden League

Antelope Valley

COACH: Skip Adams, 4th season

LAST SEASON: 17-9; tied for 1st in league, 8-2

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Senior guard Chris Walters (6-2), who averaged 16.4 points a game and has signed a national letter of intent to attend Texas El Paso, should do some high scoring in the high desert. “He’ll have his big games,� Adams said. The rest of the Antelopes won’t exactly be caddying for Walters. Forward Jabbar Briggs (6-3, 10 points a game) and center John Pletsch (6- 7 1/2, eight points) are seniors, returning starters and good shooters. Junior guard-forward Brock Chase (6-2) and senior point guard B. J. Petersen, who move to starting roles in their second varsity seasons, complete the starting five. “Our overall strength as a team is our depth,� Adams said. The bench is stocked. Senior guard Kevin Junior (6-0) “would start at point guard for a lot of Golden League teams,� Adams said. “I wish he was a junior.� Senior guard Bobby Piaz (6-0) averaged 15 points a game during the summer. Junior swingman Martine Stokes, a good jumper, was academically ineligible last season. “All our guys are leapers,� Adams said.

OUTLOOK: Versatility and depth are a tough combination to beat. “A lot of our guys could start on any other team, which is a nice dilemma for me,� Adams said. “We can really juggle things around to adjust to other teams’ weaknesses and strengths.� Hence, the Antelopes are the consensus team to beat for the league crown. And that’s how Adams wants it. “That’s what we worked for,� he said, “to be in this position.�

Canyon

COACH: Greg Hayes, 8th season

LAST SEASON: 8-14; 5th in league, 3-7

PLAYERS TO WATCH: All-league senior guard Jermaine Nixon (6-3), who averaged 10 points and five rebounds, will emerge as the Cowboys’ top offensive threat. Third-year forwards Clint Beauer (6-3) and Jon Civita (6-6) are healthy after hobbling through much of last season. Beauer, the Valley’s leading receiver in football this fall, entered the gym last December with a severely swollen ankle. Civita battled ankle, back and groin injuries. Junior guard Lance Moore (5-11), a transfer from Ridgecrest Burroughs, scored 14 points--12 in the second half--and sank a last-minute basket to defeat Canyon last season. “He just fired some money shots,� Hayes recalled. Junior forwards Joe Hancz (6-2) and Reggie Haggans (6-2) each saw limited action last season. Many eyes are sure to be focused on senior center David Wiggins (6-10, 225), who averaged 11 rebounds and six points for the junior varsity. “He has the size,� Hayes said. “And he’s getting better and better.� Also up from the junior varsity is junior guard Tom Boobar (5-11), “one of the quickest players I’ve ever coached at Canyon,� Hayes said

OUTLOOK: Improvement seems imminent as long as the Cowboys remain healthy--and hang tough in the fourth quarter. Canyon lost seven games by three points or less last season. “We had some good moments too,� Hayes said. “But we’re a lot stronger this season.�

Palmdale

COACH: Gary Phelps, 10th season

LAST SEASON: 11-11; 3rd in league, 6-4

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

As senior John Johnson (6-3) and junior Jason Grimes (6-7) go, so will the Falcons. “The team should revolve around those two guys,� Phelps said. Johnson, an all-league forward, averaged 12.8 points and nine rebounds. Grimes, who returns at center, averaged 12 points and six rebounds. “He’s definitely going to be a major-college prospect,� Phelps said of Grimes. Three returning guards--seniors Pierre Jeanty (5-10) and Eric Hines (6-0), and junior Chris Tampoya (5-9)--will compete for the two starting jobs. Jeanty is the probable point guard, Tampoya the team’s best three-point shooter. “I’m not one to fire up the three-pointer,� Phelps said, “but it might be a key part for us.� Junior forward Chris Deglopper (6-4) transferred from Hart after moving from Wisconsin last year. “He’s a big, strong kid and he boards real well,� Phelps said. Senior swingman John Wosnak (6-2) sat out last season after starting as a sophomore. Guard Tyrone Payton (6-1), who averaged 10 points with the junior varsity, and forward Zeke Bell (6-1) are “promising juniors.�

OUTLOOK: The Falcons rival Antelope Valley in depth but perhaps not in talent. “We’ve got a good solid seven,� Phelps said. Palmdale, however, might lack a prolific long-distance shooter. Expect a lot of “penetration and dishing off,� Phelps said. “We like to get the ball up the floor, but I don’t know if we’ll be as quick this year.�

Quartz Hill

COACH: Don Moore, 23rd season

LAST SEASON: 11-13; 4th in league, 5-5

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Senior forward Gabe Higa (6-6, 195), a four-year starter, should be one of the Valley’s top offensive weapons. Higa, who has signed to attend UC Irvine next season, averaged 24 points and 11 rebounds a game and was the league’s MVP. He also shot 62% from the field and made 43 of 67 three-point shots, according to Moore. “I really encourage the three-point shot,� Moore said. “We’ve kind of played better since we put that in.� Three other starters also return. Senior forward Brent Beardmore (6-3) averaged 11 points and seven rebounds. Junior guard Chris Young (5-11) averaged 11 points and seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Danny Prince (5-11) started seven games last season. “He’s the only freshman--outside of Higa--in 37 years to start for me,� Moore said. Prince earned the starting job over senior Robin Graham (5-9), who will come off the bench this year. Junior forward Cyril Franklin (6-3), a transfer from Las Vegas, was impressive during summer league. Sixth man John De La Rosa (6-6) will be a backup inside player. Junior guard Jerry Gaines (5-10) was the MVP of last season’s league-champion junior varsity. Junior forward Denny Klein (6-3) also has been promoted from the junior varsity. Junior forward Eric Poch (6-4), who transferred last year from Texas, should see plenty of action.

OUTLOOK: Quartz Hill was 18-5 in summer competition and won the Palm Springs tournament. “We don’t know how good we really are,� Moore said. “We haven’t played anybody yet.� If Higa finds himself in double figures often enough, the Rebels will find themselves in the playoffs.

Saugus

COACH: John Clark, 7th season

LAST SEASON: 2-19; 6th in league, 1-9

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Youth abounds, painting a bright picture for the future but perhaps another dim one for the present. Eight of the Centurions’ top 10 players are juniors. “All my guys are young,� Clark said. “I have to be patient with them.� Only two starters return. Senior swingman Aaron Volpe (6-2), who averaged 10 points and three rebounds, is the squad’s only starting senior and best outside shooter. Junior center Greg Yumbar (6-5, 180), who averaged eight points and four rebounds, gained 20 pounds in the off-season and relishes the inside game. Junior guard-forward Geoff Dains (5-10), a good outside shooter, played sparingly last season. Juniors John Harris (5-10) and Jason Riggio (5-10) will start in the backcourt and fire away. “I think we’ll shoot outside more than usual,� Clark said. Junior forward Jeromy Smith was an offensive leader for the junior varsity last season. Senior forward Ben Wunderle (6-5), also up from the junior varsity, provides size off the bench. Senior forward Donovan Green (6-2), a transfer from Fremont, Calif., is a good jumper.

OUTLOOK: The Centurions may be out of diapers, but they’re not out of the woods as far as inexperience goes. “Last year, we were babies,� Clark said. “This year, we’re just a young team.� Consequently, Clark is stressing ball-control and high-percentage shooting.