ORANGE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL ALL-STAR BASKETBALL GAMES : South Rises to Favorite as North Loses Players

When the rosters were announced for the 22nd Orange County All-Star boys’ basketball game two months ago, the North team was generally considered the favorite.

The team featured LeRon Ellis, Mater Dei High School’s 6-foot 11-inch center, who was named the state’s player of the year by Cal-Hi Sports of Sacramento. It also had Rancho Alamitos’ one-two scoring punch of Craig Paquette and Randy Morales, the leading scorers in Orange County.

But the talented trio won’t be playing for the North team when it takes the floor in UC Irvine’s Bren Center at 7:30 tonight.

Ellis decided to skip the game so he could attend freshman orientation at the University of Kentucky. Paquette passed on the game, deciding to play in the county’s all-star baseball game. Morales missed two practices this week and cannot play because he did not participate in the required 10 practice sessions.

All of which has left the once-favored North team a big underdog.

North Coach Steve Brooks of Los Alamitos said, “Most of the kids believe that if they scrap for every loose ball and play aggressive defense, we have a chance.”

The North’s chances rest on the play of Katella center Richard Lucas (6-8) and Valencia forward Dennis Burbank (6-5). They are the only physical players on the squad and figure to play most of the game against a taller, stronger South team.

“My biggest concern is inside defense,” Brooks said. “You’re always concerned about getting a good effort in an all-star game, and I feel good about this team. Win or lose, this is a great group of kids.”

The South features seven players who have signed with Division I colleges, including four who couldn’t crack the starting lineup. How talented is the South team? Consider that Rog Middleton of Tustin won’t start. He scored 45 points against North starting forward Mo Warner of Los Alamitos last season.

South Coach Steve Popovich of Marina plans to use a fast-break offense, figuring his team will control the boards with Marina center Mark Georgeson (6-10) and Ocean View forward Ricky Butler (6-6) on the front line.

“We’ll play an up-tempo game,” Popovich said. “I hope my players are ready to play hard. I haven’t seen too many players diving for loose balls and doing the little things it takes to win a game.

“The North team figures it has nothing to lose, and I know they’ll be going all-out to prove that they’re better than nine-point underdogs.”

The game will feature two 20-minute halves with a 30-second shot clock. There will also be three-point shots from 19 feet 9 inches, and Jeff Herdman of Mission Viejo has shown he can consistently hit the shot.

The South leads the series, 12-9, but the North has won three consecutive games since Mater Dei was moved to the North by the sponsoring Coast Mesa Kiwanis Club. The North won last year’s game, 95-90.

All-Star Notes

The game will be broadcast live on KPZE (AM-1190) with Rob Halvaks calling the play-by-play and former UC Irvine Coach Tim Tift doing color commentary. . . . Adohr Farms presented scholar-athlete awards to Dennis Burbank of Valencia and Lasse Glassen of University. Glassen will attend the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business in the fall. . . . North guard Chris Martin of Whittier Christian said he will attend Rancho Santiago College. . . . The annual media game at 1:30 will have former Cal State Fullerton players Leon Wood and Kevin Henderson playing for one team and former UC Irvine stars Kevin Magee and Scott Brooks playing on the other.