HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL ‘93-’94 : <i> Valley Pac-8 Conference</i> : EAST VALLEY LEAGUE : Grant

‘92-93 RECORD

OVERALL: 9-14

LEAGUE: 5-6

COACH: Howard Levine

YEAR: 8th

TOP RETURNEES YR POS HT Rick Forscutt Sr. C 6-8 Sean Hackett Sr. G 6-0 Chi Chen Sr. G 6-0 Tommy Showalter Sr. F 6-3

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS HT Ron Patterson Jr. G 6-0 Ali Karimian Sr. F 6-2 Jimmy Lewis Sr. F 6-4 Alvin Castro Sr. F 6-2 Don Patterson So. F 6-1 Ruben Jimenez Sr. G 5-8

OUTLOOK

Last year, Grant suffered through its first losing season since Levine took over the program. Levine does not plan to repeat the forgettable season. “The reason (we lost last year) is we were very young and we weren’t that good,” Levine said. “Talent-wise, we’re up a level. I think people are going to have to guard us outside.” The Lancers will anchor their game around two returning starters, Forscutt and Hackett. Forscutt, who has grown two inches and gained 20 pounds, averaged eight points and six rebounds a year ago and has improved. Chen, who averaged a team-high 9.5 points last season, is a three-point shooter and will be an off-the-bench spark.

North Hollywood

‘92-93 RECORD

OVERALL: 25-2

LEAGUE: 11-0

COACH: Steve Miller

YEAR: 9th

TOP RETURNEES YR POS HT Damon Ollie Sr. C 6-5 Fantasia Johnson Sr. G 6-0 Michael Poole Sr. G/F 6-1 Arthur Lee Jr. G 6-0

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS HT Mike Delano Jr. F 6-5 Chris Niblett Sr. F 6-4 Nelson Saenz Sr. F 6-4 Mo Shivers Jr. G 5-7 Terry Smith-Harris Jr. F 6-4 Eric Jones Sr. G 6-1

OUTLOOK

The Huskies are clear-cut favorites to win the league title and should again make a serious run at the 4-A title. North Hollywood is 51-4 the past two seasons, but failed to make the finals in each of those years. Once again, North Hollywood has the size, speed and experience to be a contender. Ollie and Johnson, both Division I recruits who averaged 16 points each last season, will lead the way inside and out, respectively. Although three starters return, Miller said the Huskies are still getting to know each other on the court. “My last two teams started out good and sort of leveled off,” Miller said. “This team might go farther because they have further to go. The chemistry of this team could be tremendous.”

Sherman Oaks CES

‘92-93 RECORD

OVERALL: 2-17

LEAGUE: 1-10

COACH: Ed Weathersby

YEAR: 2nd

TOP RETURNEES YR POS HT Jeff Cannon Sr. F 6-3 Arthur Rodgers Sr. F 6-2 Jeff Nishimoto Jr. G 5-8 Aaron Grayson Sr. F 6-0 Oscar Castillo Sr. G 5-9

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS HT Charles Lee Jr. G 5-9 Terrance Jenkins So. F 6-3 Nathaniel Willis Jr. G 5-8 Tony Brimer Jr. F 6-1 Sal Raphael Fr. G 5-10 Stanley Wright Jr. G 5-8

OUTLOOK

Weathersby’s first season at the 4-A level was tough. And although three starters return, the Knights have a long way to go to compete at this level. The goals are to finish the season closer to the .500 mark, drop to the 3-A for the 1994-95 season, and build from there. The Knights certainly have the youth to rebuild. Non-seniors make up more than half the team. “That’s what is giving us hope (for the future),” Weathersby said. Problem is, most are under 6-feet tall. What the Knights lack in team height, they make up for in numbers. The team will be anchored around the inside play of Cannon.

Van Nuys

‘92-93 RECORD

OVERALL: 8-15

LEAGUE: 5-6

COACH: Ken Lee

YEAR: 5th

TOP RETURNEES YR POS HT Stefan Kelly Sr. G 5-9 Ricardo Hernandez Jr. G 5-10

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS HT Ben Birken Jr. F 6-2 Chris Dames Sr. F 6-2 Carl Lesueur Jr. F 6-0 Kenneth Nakata Jr. G 5-10 Michael Carter Sr. G 5-10 Jamar Brooks Sr. C 6-3 Shon Brame Sr. F 6-0

OUTLOOK

No starters return for Van Nuys. What’s worse, Kelly and Hernandez were brought up from the junior varsity in the middle of last season and have relatively little playing experience. But Lee remains optimistic. “We’re fairly quick in the front court and strong in the post,” Lee said. Post play will be handled by Brooks, who has never played organized basketball, and Birken and Dames. If North Hollywood lives up to its billing, the race for second place will be between Van Nuys and Grant, both 5-6 in league last season.