HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL ‘93-’94 : FOOTHILL LEAGUE

Burbank

‘92-93 RECORD:

OVERALL: 7-15

LEAGUE: 3-9

COACH: Jeff Davis

YEAR: 1st

TOP RETURNEES YR POS HT Brad Warner Sr. F 6-4 Willie Perryman Sr. F 6-4 Phil Cano Sr. C 6-6 Anthony Ngo Sr. G 5-7 Isiah Kearson Sr. G 6-0

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS HT Carlos Baker Jr. G 5-11 Brian Baker Sr. F 6-3 David Hunt Jr. C 6-5

OUTLOOK

Davis, former coach of Canoga Park, says the team has more talent than last season’s record indicates. “I guess they lost a lot of games in the fourth quarter,” he said. “My teams in the past have won a lot of close games because they were in better condition. Talentwise, (former Coach Fred Cook) left the cupboard full.” The prospect of seeing Warner, Perryman, Cano and Brian Baker on the floor at the same time could be frightening. Aside from being big, Burbank also is agile and quick enough to run the break and dog opponents with a variety of defenses.

Burroughs

‘92-93 RECORD

OVERALL: 11-13

LEAGUE: 7-5

COACH: Art Sullivan

YEAR: 3rd

TOP RETURNEES: None

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS HT Gil Quinones Sr. G/F 6-0 Scott Boldvich Jr. F/C 6-3 David Trejo Jr. F 6-1 Jess Rowland Sr. C 6-5 Armando Perez Sr. G 5-9 Chris Centeno Sr. G 5-7 Steve Talamantez Jr. G/F 6-0 Mike Barrett So. F 6-0

OUTLOOK

With a lack of size and scoring ability, the Indians appear to be facing a long season. To make matters worse, Burroughs can’t rely on experience to make up for disadvantages. The entire roster on last season’s second-place team consisted of seniors. The only hope is that Burroughs can disrupt the opposition by playing tough defense and not committing turnovers. Some players are overachievers. Most of them will be role players. “People had trouble scoring off us in the summer,” Sullivan said. “We held teams to the 40s. But sometimes we were in the 20s.”

Canyon

‘92-93 RECORD

OVERALL: 12-14

LEAGUE: 5-7

COACH: Greg Hayes

YEAR: 12th

TOP RETURNEES YR POS HT Charles Woodard Sr. F 6-6 Greg Minor Jr. G 6-3 James Manning Sr. G 6-3 Pat Backes Sr. C 6-3 Chad Phillips Sr. F/G 6-2

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS HT Kory Metcalf Sr. F 6-2 Larry Phillips So. G 5-9 Brian Connelly Jr. F 6-3 David Pratchard Sr. C 6-5

OUTLOOK

This is what it’s like when you’re loaded: three starters return from seasons in which they averaged 10 or more points, your starting five combined for 21.1 rebounds a game last season and your smallest player at tipoff is 6-2. Minor, who will start at point guard, averaged 15.6 points and four assists and was a first-team all-league selection as a sophomore. Suddenly, everybody wants to join the team. Pratchard, a newcomer to the program, brings a powerful frame and toughness on the boards, while power forward Woodard has grown two inches and become a complete player. “He used to be a one-dimensional shooter,” Hayes said. “But now he uses all facets of the game. He’s scoring from everywhere.”

Hart

‘92-93 RECORD

OVERALL: 18-8

LEAGUE: 10-2

COACH: Mike May

YEAR: 2nd

TOP RETURNEES YR POS HT Cody Patterson Sr. C 6-6 Eric Spindt Sr. G 6-0 Brian Ballew Sr. G 6-1

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS HT Ronnie Valenzuela Sr. F 6-5 Randy Roa Sr. F 6-4 Adam Dover Sr. C 6-6 Mike Posey Jr. G 6-2

OUTLOOK

The Indians have size and experience at key positions with the return of Patterson, a first-team all-Foothill League player, and Spindt and Ballew. But the squad lacks depth and forwards Valenzuela and Roa will need to produce. They have good size and have spent a year learning May’s system. Back-up center Dover sat out last season but brings a dominating force down low. “We’ll be more balanced this year,” May said. “We maybe have the potential of being a very good defensive team. We implemented a strict man-to-man defense last year and that takes time to implement.”

Saugus

‘92-93 RECORD

OVERALL: 6-17

LEAGUE: 3-9

COACH: Eric Olsson

YEAR: 2nd

TOP RETURNEES YR POS HT Mike Williams Sr. F 6-2 John Hernandez Sr. C/F 6-4 John Dell Sr. C 6-6 Jeff Rogers Jr. G 6-0 Mohamed Mostafa Sr. G 5-11 R.J. Hayes Sr. G 6-1

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS HT Ryan Berg Jr. C 6-5 Steve Rogers Sr. F 6-4 Tobi Nigh Jr. G 5-11 Marquez Johnson Sr. G 5-5

OUTLOOK

Olsson sees better days ahead and enters this season with a confession: “I started too many seniors out of loyalty last year when the younger players were better.” Now, those once-younger players will get the chance to shine. Two returning starters are Williams, a 210-pound banger who averaged 13 points and 6.5 rebounds last year, and Hernandez, who averaged 7.2 rebounds and had 65 blocks. But Hernandez will come off the bench this year while Dell, Berg and Steve Rogers move into starting roles to make Saugus a big team. The squad is bolstered by players from a junior varsity that finished second last season after winning its last six games. The Centurions were 15-7 in summer league.