NOTEBOOK : On Paper, Ganesha Gridders Look So-So, but Looks Can Be Deceiving

David Huey, coach of the Ganesha High football team, will be first to admit that his team’s record may be a little deceiving.

On paper, the Giants have a so-so 3-3 record.

But they haven’t exactly played powder puffs.

Ganesha’s losses have been to three CIF division finalists from last year: Fontana, Claremont and Diamond Bar.

Claremont won the Eastern Conference last year, Diamond Bar captured the Southeastern Conference and Fontana was second in the powerful Big 5 Conference, and the three have a combined record of 16-2 this season.

“There are going to be a lot of teams that will take us lightly because of our record,” Huey said. “But we’re not a 3-3 football team.”

Except for its 41-0 loss to Fontana, ranked No. 1 in the Big 5, Ganesha stayed close in the defeats. The Giants lost to Claremont, No. 2 in the Eastern Conference, 24-15, and were edged 17-15 by Diamond Bar, No. 2 in the Southeastern. And Ganesha had chances to win both games.

The good news for Huey and the Giants is that they won’t see the likes of those teams again this year--at least until the CIF playoffs in November.

And the Giants, who face lightly regarded Ontario, Etiwanda, Montclair and Garey the rest of the way, figure to be there.

Two San Gabriel Valley players are mentioned on two preseason high school basketball All-American squads.

Center Scott Williams (6-10) of Wilson (Hacienda Heights) and forward Stacey Augmon (6-8) of Muir (Pasadena) are in the Sporting News top 75 and on the Street & Smith team.

Williams, All-CIF as a junior, is listed No. 11 by the Sporting News, and Augmon, All-Pacific League last year, is No. 28. Both were accorded high honorable mention on the Street & Smith squad.

Williams averaged 16 points, 11 rebounds and 5 blocked shots a game last season. Augmon averaged only 10 points per game as a junior but tossed in about 20 points a game during the summer basketball season.

Two valley basketball players received honorable mention on the Street & Smith Girls High School All-America Team.

Center Pauline Jordan, a 6-2 senior from Muir, and center Rachel Norris, a 6-5 sophomore from San Gabriel, were listed among the top 20 players in the West.

Jordan, a two-time All-CIF performer and three-year starter, averaged 15 points and 10.7 rebounds a game to lead the Mustangs to second place in the CIF 4-A Division. Norris started as a freshman for a strong San Gabriel team.

After six weeks of the prep football season, Charter Oak continues to be the runaway scoring leader in the CIF Southern Section.

The Chargers have scored 294 points, an average of 49 a game. If Charter Oak reaches the CIF Southeastern Conference championship game, Diamond Bar’s state record of 639 points last season could tumble. Charter Oak is on a 672-point pace for the season.

The next highest scoring teams in the San Gabriel Valley are Bishop Amat, which has scored 201 (33.5 average), and Muir with 183 (30.5 average).

Charter Oak also is the valley leader in fewest points allowed, surrendering only 26 in six games (4.3 average). The Chargers are followed by Montview League rival San Dimas with 25 points in five games (5.0), Diamond Bar with 38 in six games (6.3) and Bishop Amat with 40 in six games (6.6).

South Pasadena has been the worst offensive team in the valley and Bassett the worst defensive team this season. South Pasadena has scored only 7 points in six games and Bassett has allowed 235 in six games, an average of nearly 40.