LEAGUE PREVIEWS : Simi Valley’s Pillar of Power Leaves Tall Order to Fill for the Opposition : MARMONTE

Last season, he was considered the best sophomore in the area. This season, he is considered one of the best juniors in the state, and next year, he may be considered one of the best seniors in the Free World.

He is Don MacLean, Simi Valley High’s man-child, who at 6-9 led the Pioneers (27-3, 11-1 in league) to the Southern Section final last season.

He averaged 21.7 points and 13.9 rebounds a game last season as part of a super-sophomore duo that included teammate Shawn DeLaittre, a 6-5 forward.

This season, MacLean is 6-10, and the All-Southern Section center is one big reason Simi Valley is favored to win the Marmonte League title and perhaps make another appearance in the Southern Section 4-A final where the Pioneers lost last season, 58-55, to Muir at the Sports Arena.

Gone from last year’s Pioneer team is guard Todd Johnson, who fed MacLean last season, averaging a team-high 6.7 assists a game, and fellow starters Mike Hankins and Tippy Wilcox.

Despite the losses, Coach Bob Hawking still has the two juniors and remains optimistic.

“We started preparation last May and we played 50 games over the summer,” Hawking said. “We’re anxious to get this thing started.”

If the Pioneers are the odds-on favorite to win the Marmonte League title, Westlake is the odds-on favorite to knock them off.

Coach Roy Gilmore has three seniors who started last season, five who lettered, and eight players who, he said, will play regularly. All but two of the Warriors are seniors.

At center, Dave Hickmann looks like the one league player who can challenge MacLean. Hickmann, a 6-8 senior, led the Warriors in rebounding last season with an average of eight a game.

He was named second-team all-league and was an all-tournament player in both the Beverly Hills and Hart tournaments.

For Thousand Oaks, Jon Walker, a 6-8 senior center and second-team all-league player, is back. He led the Lancers in rebounding last season and has improved, Lancer Coach Ed Chevalier said. The Lancers’ major strength is depth.

“We’ll be able to substitute without hurting ourselves,” said Chevalier, whose Lancers have been to the playoffs four times in the past seven years.

CAMARILLO

LAST SEASON: 13-11, 5-7 in league

THIS SEASON: Gone is all-everything center/forward Mitch Parrott, who averaged 22.3 points and 9.3 rebounds a game while shooting 58% from the field. With Parrott, the Scorpions managed a mediocre 13-11 record last season. Even if he had a player of Parrott’s caliber, first-year Coach Greg Ropes may still be apprehensive. “We’ll be a good ballclub,” Ropes said. “The only problem is that there is a couple of excellent teams in our league.” At center, senior Tim Cregor (6-5) is back as a starter. At the forwards, junior Tom Carrillo (6-4), and junior Bill Bell (5-11) will try to take the pressure off Cregor. Bruce Bushman, a 5-10 senior, who also played football, is competing for a forward or guard position. Junior Sean Young (5-9) played on the junior varsity last season, and is very quick.

NEWBURY PARK

LAST SEASON: 4-17, 2-10 in league

THIS SEASON: Saying a team is in a rebuilding year is cliche, but Coach Ken Barone is hopeful the Panthers won’t have a cliche year. Barone’s hopes lie in two starters from last year: Dan Ryan and Donovan Lyles. Ryan, a 6-4 senior forward, led the Panthers in scoring (13.5) and rebounding (8). Dave Pessin, a 6-3 senior who played JV last season, will start at center. Competing for the other forward spot are Rob Hanmer (6-2) and Wayne Cook (6-3), son of Panther football Coach Ken Cook. Senior Glenn Harrick (5-9), the son of Pepperdine Coach Jim Harrick, will play guard. “We lost eight games last season by three or less points,” Barone said. “So I think we’re on our way up.”

ROYAL

LAST SEASON: 11-11, 6-6 in league

THIS SEASON: There’s not too much to know about Royal, a team that lacks experience and size under a new coach. Roger Greene, who since September has been catching passes for the Highlander football team, started last year. Royal’s probable starting lineup includes two juniors: Darius DeMaio (6-0) and Chris Noyes (5-10). The other starter most likely will be Will Reilly, a 6-0 senior. At 6-7, Aaron Pugh adds height to a small team. Gone from the team is Brent Tapia, an all-league performer who last season averaged 18 points a game, and seniors Manny Escobar and Ralph Blanks, who started last year but chose not to play this season.

SIMI VALLEY

LAST SEASON: 27-3, 11-1 in league

THIS SEASON: Coach Bob Hawking is anxious to find out who will start--besides the two juniors. Several players are competing for three positions. Travis Bice, a 6-3 1/2 senior who played in a reserve role, is competing for a guard spot. Scott Sharts (6-5) and Rich Murphy (6-6) are candidates for forward. Darren Aurand (6-2) and Butch Hawking, 6-1 and son of the coach, are competing for the other guard spot. “We had a great year last year,” Hawking said. “But that is no guarantee we’ll be given that trip again. We’ll have to earn it.”

THOUSAND OAKS

LAST SEASON: 10-14, 6-6 in league

THIS SEASON: Jon Walker, a 6-8 senior center who shoots left-handed, will match up against the Don MacLeans and Dave Heckmanns. John Schlossman (6-3) started last season and will play forward opposite Bruce Watson (6-4), who performed well in a reserve role last season. Junior Kevin Martin (6-0) will start at one guard and Robert McLaughlin (6-2), an honorable mention all-league forward last season, will be the other guard. Seniors Carl Swanson (6-3), Brian Agranoff (5-10), Rob McKinnon (6-3) and Derrick Tadlock (6-0) add strength to a team that may be second only to Westlake when it comes to depth.

WESTLAKE

LAST SEASON: 18-8, 8-4 in league

THIS SEASON: Leading Westlake will be all-league forward/guard Paul Keenan, a 6-4 1/2 senior who is a two-year letterman. He was the Warriors’ leading scorer last season, averaging 14.8 a game, and was named to the All-Ventura County team. Senior guard Rick Welch (6-0) started last season and was the team’s second leading scorer, averaging 14.2 points a game. “He is the best guard in Ventura County,” Coach Roy Gilmore said. “A good player who can do it all.” Dave Heckmann (6-8), who is up to 235 pounds after an extensive off-season weight-lifting program, returns at center. Forward Jim Henderson, (6-2) and guard Charlie Cangolois (6-0) will round out the starting five. Returning letterman Darrin Forster, a 6-3 forward, is making the transition from football to basketball and may end up starting. Said Gilmore: “I think depth will be our biggest strength. If we want to beat Simi Valley, we’re going to have to have it.”