Southern California College Opens Season With Two Returning Starters

Southern California College, with two starters returning from a 19-10 team, will open its basketball season tonight at Cal State San Bernardino.

Robbie Lucas, a 6-foot 7-inch center from Santa Ana who started last season, is the Vanguards’ big man. He averaged 12.2 points and 5.3 rebounds last season. John Haar, a 6-4 senior, is Coach Bill Reynolds’ other returning starter. Haar averaged 13.2 points in the 1985-86 season.

Keith Watanabe, an all-league guard at Savanna High School and a transfer from the University of Redlands, may be a key player after he becomes eligible Dec. 30, Reynolds said.

Other key players in the backcourt include Tommy Congdon of El Dorado High School and Todd Dixon from Fountain Valley.

At the wings, Jeff Stephens of Huntington Beach, an all-league player at Orange Coast College, and Chris O’Felt of Tacoma, Wash., are considered to be good outside shooters. Mike Lightfoot, a 6-4 junior from Kamiah, Ida., and Randy Wynne, a transfer from Central Wyoming Junior College who averaged 17 points a game, also may contribute at forward.

Southern California, which has reached the NAIA District 8 playoffs in each of Reynolds’ five seasons, will play in a new conference this season--the Golden State Athletic Conference. Also competing in the conference are Azusa Pacific, Westmont, Point Loma Nazarene, Cal Lutheran and Fresno Pacific.