Annual Times Basketball Ceremonies : Twins, Fairfax Star Share Prep Awards

Crossroads School coaches Elliot Turret and Larry Weiner, Sean Higgins of Fairfax High and twins Kathleen and Marianne Dixon of Santa Monica High received top honors for the Westside at The Times’ annual basketball awards program.

The ceremony, at a breakfast Saturday at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, saluted 200 prep all-star boys and girls from 10 Southern California areas.

Turret, 32, was named coach of the year for boys basketball and Weiner, 30, was selected as the outstanding coach in a girls program. Higgins was boys player of the year, and the Dixons were co-players of the year among the girls.

It was the second such award for Turret, whose team reached the state Division III finals this season and in 1983. His Roadrunners lost the state championship both times, but they did not lose often in his five years as a Crossroads coach.

Always in Playoffs

His teams made five straight appearances in CIF-Southern Section title games and won a 1-A championship this year, Small Schools Division titles in 1982 and 1983 and Southern California Regional championships in 1983 and 1986.

After losing in this year’s state final to Vanden of Travis Air Force Base, Turret announced his resignation, saying “it was time to move on.” He said that he is looking into the possibilities of becoming a college assistant coach.

In Weiner’s four years as Crossroads head coach, his girls posted a 67-24 record. In the last three years his teams have won Delphic League championships, each time with a 10-0 league record. This year his team was 21-2, the best record on the Westside.

Chuck Ice, Crossroads athletic director, said Weiner “has done a really outstanding job, taking a program that was not outstanding and really building on it through his hard work and dedication.”

Higgins received wide acclaim as one of the best juniors in the state and the nation. Among his many honors was selection as a third-team Parade magazine All-American.

Last year Higgins helped Fairfax win the 3-A Los Angeles City championship, and this year he and the Lions moved up to 4-A competition and tied Cleveland High for the Valley League title. At 6-8 1/2, he has played every position and this year averaged nearly 26 points and 8.6 rebounds, along with two assists and more than one steal a game.

The Dixons are identical twins and had nearly identical seasons--both sensational. Both ranked among the CIF’s top 10 scorers, and Kathleen was also among the CIF’s top 30 rebounders. Marianne averaged 25 points and 10 rebounds, Kathleen 23 and 13.1.

This was their first year at Santa Monica High, coming from Billings, Mont. It has been a year for Santa Monica sports fans to remember because the Dixons have also starred in volleyball, softball and--when they can take time out from softball--in track, where both are high jumpers and shot-putters.

Pepperdine basketball Coach Jim Harrick, whose teams have won NCAA tournament berths in four of the last five years, was the speaker at the awards breakfast. All-star players and their guests were welcomed by Glenn Davis, Times director of special events, and his assistant, Will Kern.

Members of the 1986 All-Westside girls team besides the Dixons are Jennifer Blinderman of Crossroads, Krystall Cade of Hamilton, Demetrice Davis of Fairfax, Missy Kurt of Notre Dame Academy, Cathy McNamee of Marymount, Nina Revoyr of Culver City, Emilza Tielemans of Hollywood and Stacie Washington of Palisades.

In addition to Higgins, members of the boys team are Carrick DeHart and Keith Harris of Santa Monica, Derek Drain of University, Earl Duncan and Jason Matthews of St. Monica, Andre Gougis of Daniel Murphy, Chris Mills of Fairfax, Marvin Nelson of Culver City and Marc Rudolph of Crossroads.