Crenshaw-Riordan Finale Was Just Icing on an Exciting Holiday Cake

If it can draw teams like it did this season, the Chaminade basketball tournament will be among the state’s best attractions in coming years.

Crenshaw High won the title with an exciting 75-71 win over San Francisco’s Riordan before a full house Saturday night. The game, a potential preview of the State final in March, was a perfect capper to the fourth Chaminade tournament.

“I think it was a success,” Chaminade athletic director Bernie Kyman said. “One of the reasons is everyone enjoyed themselves. The other reason is the teams we had this year.”

The four teams who came from out of the area (Riordan, Amador Valley, Notre Dame, and Waiakea from Hawaii) will not return next year. Kyman is hoping to replace them with other teams out of Southern California.

“We haven’t drawn up any contracts yet, but Crenshaw said it would be back,” said Kyman, who added that Verbum Dei has tentatively agreed to return.

Kyman said the tournament grossed about $4,000 at the gate. “We’ll probably break even,” he said. “I’m not sure yet how we’ll do because I’m still figuring the bills.”

Chris Herrmann was the surprise of the tournament. The senior guard from Notre Dame scored 104 points in four games (an average of 26 a game) and was named to the all-tournament team.

“He wants to play some college ball,” Spruiell said. “Hopefully he got some exposure in this tournament.”

Even without John Williams, the two-time City player of the year now at LSU, Crenshaw is still loaded with talent. The Cougars, City 4-A champions seven of the last 14 years, won their first three tournament games by 39, 55 and 20 points. Their play inspired awe from some and anger from others.

The Cougars had people grumbling during their 90-35 win over Notre Dame because they kept their full-court press on the entire game. The press forced 40 Notre Dame turnovers.

Riordan Coach Ron Isola enjoys Disneyland so much he had his team stay in Anaheim and make the long drive to Canoga Park every day.

“I thought they were filming ‘CHiPs,’ ” Isola said after the tournament’s second night. That night it took the Riordan team an hour and forty-five minutes to reach Chaminade from their hotel. That was an improvement over the previous day when the Crusaders needed two hours and thirty-five minutes for the drive.

Said Isola: “It seems like there are at least two accidents on every freeway here.”

In the Chatsworth-Chaminade basketball game last week, Chatsworth’s Rob Hansen was called for a foul. Hansen then said to his coach, Gary Shair, “Coach I didn’t touch him.”

The official then slapped Hansen with a technical foul. “What for?” Chatsworth Coach Gary Shair asked the official. “Was he talking to you?”

After the official said, “Yes,” Shair shot back, “Is your middle name coach?”

NOTES

The honors continue to roll in for the stars of the football teams at Agoura, Camarillo and Canyon.

Agoura, the Desert Mountain Conference champion, placed three players on the Southern Section’s Division IV all-star team. Making the first squad were quarterback Steve Armstrong, running back Todd Silver and linebacker Curtis Schmidtberger.

Camarillo, the Coastal Conference Champion, and Canyon, the Northwestern Conference champion, each landed three players on the Division II team. From Camarillo: wide receiver Hugh Heath, offensive lineman Matt Hickman and quarterback Scott Cline. From Canyon: offensive lineman Brent Parkinson, defensive lineman Joe Zachariah and linebacker Randy Austin.

Other Valley players who made the Southern Section teams include: Rocky Palamara, Notre Dame defensive back (Division I); Mike Ford, Hart linebacker (Division II); Todd Bowser, Montclair Prep defensive lineman (Division IV); Scott Yurek, L.A. Lutheran linebacker (Division IV); Tim Stallworth, Montclair Prep defensive back (Division IV); and Reggie Smith Jr., Montclair Prep defensive back (Division IV)....Kennedy High led Valley teams with four players on the City 4-A’s first team. Running back Michael Pringle, offensive lineman Bill Schultz and linebackers Raymond Brackin and James Walton represented the Golden Cougars.

Granada Hills, the Valley 4-A League co-champion with Kennedy, placed wide receiver Greg Fowble and defensive lineman Darrell Williams on the first team. Desmond Cerceo, the Highlanders’ quarterback, made the team as a defensive back.

John Brazil, the quarterback for San Fernando, was also a first-team member.

Five Valley players made the combined 3-A and 2-A teams. On offense was Chatsworth’s Steve Tunnell and Myron Jones. Tunnell is a lineman, Jones a running back. The three remaining players, all defensive backs, were Taft’s Monty Gilbreath, Monroe’s Barry Thomas and Reseda’s Chris Coleman.