Rockfish Basketball Coach to Take Over Reins at Crossroads

David Benezra, who coached the Los Angeles Metropolitan Rockfish of the Slam ‘n’ Jam League to a national basketball championship last summer in the AAU Junior Olympics, is going to another winning program.

Benezra will replace Elliot Turret as head basketball coach at Crossroads School in Santa Monica, announced Chuck Ice, Crossroads athletic director.

Turret resigned last March after the Roadrunners lost the state Division III championship game to Vanden High School of Travis Air Force Base. Twice named The Times’ Westside coach of the year, he is seeking a job as a college assistant coach.

In 1982, Crossroads won its first CIF-Southern Section basketball championship in the Small Schools Division. At the time, Turret was assistant to Head Coach Rick Makoff, who was also the school’s athletic director. When Makoff left to become headmaster of another school, Turret became head coach.

Including the 1982 season, Crossroads has made five straight appearances in CIF finals with Turret at the helm, winning the 1-A championship this year, Small Schools titles in 1982 and 1983 and Southern California Regional titles in 1983 and this year.

Ice said Benezra is in his 30s and coached for two years at St. Bernard High School and one year at Fairfax High.