Prep Review : Servite’s Seven Defects Find New Basketball Programs to Their Liking

They’ll be remembered as the Servite Seven--the seven basketball players who defected from Servite High School last summer for reasons ranging from philosophical differences with Friar Coach Larry Walker to financial problems to transportation problems.

They all left what is considered one of Southern California’s finest prep athletic programs and a highly regarded academic program.

Today, they’re scattered about several area high schools. Six of the seven still are playing basketball--four on varsity teams and two on junior varsity. Three still are attending Orange County schools. Two have suffered injuries this year.

But the group, as a whole, seems to be managing just fine.

Jamie Cardriche and Mitch Brown, the two most prominent departing players who started for Servite last year, are starting for St. Anthony’s varsity team in Long Beach.

Cardriche--a 6-foot 8-inch, 315-pound junior center whose family moved from Buena Park to Cerritos so he would be eligible, under CIF rules, to compete on the varsity level--is averaging 13 points and 8 rebounds a game for Saints, who are 4-2 in the Camino Real League and 9-5 overall.

Brown, a 6-2 senior guard, is averaging 8 points and 5 assists a game. He became eligible when he moved to the Long Beach area to live with his father, who last year had filed for a divorce.

“I don’t regret leaving at all,” Cardriche said. “I love St. Anthony’s. I knew a lot of people at the school, friends I went to junior high with. The team needed a center--someone who could rebound, score and give nice outlet passes--so I fit in perfectly. I’m still in contact with my Servite friends. I see them at some games, and there’s always the telephone.”

Rob Burrer, a 6-4 junior who started about 10 games for the Friars last year, transferred to Troy High. He lived in the Troy district (in Yorba Linda) while he was attending Servite, but the family did not change its residence when Rob left the school, so Burrer was not eligible to play on the varsity this season.

Both Troy Coach Mike Williams and Burrer felt that there wasn’t much to gain by playing on the JV team, so Burrer is sitting out the season. He practices daily with the Warrior varsity and keeps statistics during the games.

“He’s definitely a talented player, but there’s no use in talking about what he can do this year, because he’s ineligible,” Williams said. “But he’s helped our team prepare for league. In practice, he plays the opponent’s best player. He’s doing what he can to help us, and I’m real happy with the way things have worked out.”

Baron Coenen, a 6-3 forward who started on Servite’s JV team a year ago, is averaging 10 points a game and providing good, all-around play for the Edison varsity team, which is 2-1 in the Sunset League and 10-6 overall. Coenen’s family had moved to Huntington Beach prior to the school year.

Steve Balstad, whom Walker called one of his best junior varsity players last year, is a starting forward for St. John Bosco’s varsity team in Bellflower. He was averaging 14 points a game before he sprained his ankle two weeks ago. He is expected to return to the lineup this week. Balstad’s family lives in Cerritos.

Kent Solomon was starting for the Friars’ varsity team in summer tournaments just before he left the school, but the junior point guard has to play on the Diamond Bar JV team this winter. His family has not moved from Diamond Bar after Kent’s transfer.

“He probably could play on the varsity, but I’m not sure how much playing time he’d have,” Brahma Coach Bill Murray said. “It’s better that he play JV and learn our system.”

Solomon hurt his ankle in a pre-Christmas tournament and didn’t return to the team until last week.

Mike Meyers had attended Marina for three days last year before transferring to Servite, but he’s back at the Huntington Beach school this year. The 6-1 sophomore is averaging 16 points a game for the Viking JV team, which is 3-0 in league. Marina Coach Steve Popovich said Meyers “will definitely play varsity next year.”

According to Walker, Cardriche and Brown left for personal reasons. Burrer had academic problems, Meyers (who lives in Seal Beach) had transportation problems and Balstad had financial problems.

“Coenen and Solomon . . . I don’t have an answer for. They just disappeared,” he said last summer.

And whatever became of Servite? The Friars struggled through a 4-8 nonleague season but are 2-1 and in second place in the Angelus League after their 56-45 win over Bishop Amat Friday night.

Returnable: Few people around Santa Ana Valley were expecting Alonzo Jamison to recover from a broken leg in time to contribute to the Falcon basketball team this winter.

But Jamison has surprised his coaches, trainers, and even himself, by coming back from the football injury and having a sizeable impact on Santa Ana Valley’s league basketball season.

Following his first, brief appearance in the Falcons’ final nonleague game, Jamison, a 6-5 junior, has scored 100 points in five league games, including 30 in the opener against Villa Park, to help Santa Ana Valley to a 2-3 record.

“I didn’t think I’d be back,” said Jamison, a wide receiver who was injured in the second game of the football season against Mater Dei. “The doctors said if I worked hard in therapy, I might be able to come back. In each leg test, it was getting stronger and stronger. So, I decided to give it a try.”

Said Falcon Coach Tom Riach: “It’s really amazing. I didn’t expect him back, but he worked very hard. He adds height to our team, and he’s an enforcer. He’s a threat inside, so now teams can’t gang up on our other players. He’s been a pleasant surprise.”

Jamison said that he’s been playing football in high school “just to pass the time away” until basketball and baseball seasons. But he was still the Falcons’ top receiver until he suffered the season-ending injury last September.

Jamison, running a post pattern, came across midfield and leaped for a pass that was out of his reach. As the ball went past him, a Mater Dei defensive back, charging from the opposite side, speared Jamison just above the knee and broke his femur bone.

Jamison spent several months with his leg in a cast, which was removed shortly before the basketball season opened. His therapy consisted of weight training and riding a stationary bicycle, and now, Jamison can see the results of his work.

“It’s great to be back,” he said. “It was tough watching the team at the beginning of the season. I’d always be wondering what I would do in certain situations. But now, I can really help the team.”

Outnumbered: The Rancho Alamitos junior varsity team finished its Garden Grove League game against La Quinta Friday night with only two players. Coach Terry Munson had six players available, but his fourth starter, Craig Paquette, fouled out with 45 seconds remaining.

Even outnumbered, five-to-two, Rancho Alamitos junior Roy Rambayon managed to score on a baseline jumper with 10 seconds left in the Vaqueros’ 82-62 loss.

After Munson’s second player, Mark Flores, fouled out with 2:30 to play, La Quinta Coach Mike Anderson told Munson that he could insert his disqualified players back into the lineup, so that the Vaqueros could finish with five.

Munson, however, declined the offer. “I thought we might be able to finish with four guys, not two,” he said.

Prep Notes

Former California Angel pitcher John Verhoeven is hosting the third Canyon High celebrity golf tournament on Feb. 8 at Anaheim Hills Golf Course. Players from the Angels, Dodgers and Rams and other professional teams will compete along with members of the Rams cheerleaders. Proceeds from the tournament will support the athletic program at Canyon and reservations can be secured by telephoning tournament director Martyn Temple at 974-7226. . . . Capistrano Valley shotputter Brian Blutreich visited the University of Nebraska last weekend.