Recruiters Take Heed of Greer’s Career

Last season was one of unfulfilled promise for Damon Greer, a season spent mostly on the sidelines watching teammates do the things he should have been doing.

Sidelined much of the time because of a broken right wrist, Greer watched and waited. While the stock of others on the Cleveland team rose, it didn’t look as rosy for Greer. Wrist injuries often take months to heal, and the clock was running on Greer’s career.

It turns out the injury has not decreased Greer’s salability a bit. At the Chaminade tournament last month, Michigan State Coach Jud Heathcote showed up to watch Greer wheel and deal during Cleveland’s third-round win over St. Patrick.

Heathcote, whose team was playing in the Fiesta Bowl Classic at the University of Arizona, was shopping for a point guard. It stands to reason that Heathcote can judge a guard when he sees one, since Magic Johnson played for him from 1977-79.

“He told me after the game that he was impressed,” Coach Bob Braswell said. “He wants to set up a visit for Damon.”

Greer, a 6-1 senior, has been playing for the varsity since he was the sixth man as a freshman and has started since his sophomore season. Cleveland has played in the City Section 4-A Division final each of the past two seasons. That’s no coincidence, according to Braswell.

“Damon’s a great athlete,” he said. “For a kid that’s 6-1, he really jumps. He can do a 360 dunk. With his experience, he’s the perfect guy to have running the team.”

Although Greer missed much of last season, by season’s end Braswell had him back in the lineup.

“He was probably only playing at about 60% of what he was capable of,” Braswell said. “But we needed him in there.”

Greer also is being courted by Cal State Long Beach, San Jose State and Weber State.

A Greer year: Greer might not attract as much attention as some other guards because Braswell substitutes liberally. Cleveland has several players capable of starting and, as a result, the statistics of many aren’t particularly eye-popping.

With all the talent, does Braswell encounter pressure to use players who might have a chance at a Division I scholarship?

“It’s tough. A lot of people don’t realize the decisions coaches have to make,” Braswell said. “You want the team to be successful and do well, and you want what’s best for the kids. It’s a tough call.”

At the guard position alone, Greer, who averages 9.5 points a game, shares time with Joey Manliguis (12.8) and Adonis Jordan (16.5). It will not get easier. Michael Gray, a guard who is perhaps the team’s best player, will rejoin the team next month after being academically ineligible for 10 weeks.

Parrots take flight: Things were looking grim for Poly at the beginning of the season--11 of 12 players from last season’s team had graduated and the Parrots were “playing with guys that are just B-sized,” according to Coach Al Uyemura.

They must have grown up fast. Poly is 7-3 and could be strong enough to finish in the top two in the East Valley League for the fourth time in as many years.

“We’re not that bad, but we’re not that great,” said Uyemura, apparently still unconvinced that his team is a contender.

Poly has been led by forwards Bobby Notoya--the only returning letterman--and Scott Cooper. Notoya, a 6-1 senior, is averaging 15.4 points a game and Cooper, a 6-1 junior, is second on the team at 12.2.

Although making it through the preseason with a winning record is an accomplishment, the big test comes the next two weeks when the Parrots play league rivals North Hollywood, Van Nuys and Grant.

“We play the three toughest teams in the league,” Uyemura said. “This could make or break us early.”

Needs an eraser: Oak Park Coach Steve Goldstein complains he has not used the same lineup in two consecutive games. All five starters have missed at least one game and Goldstein has been forced to use six different lineups.

Guard Jess Garner has missed the most games (8). He hyper-extended a knee, came back for one game, then caught bronchitis.

“I can’t fill out my score book without an eraser on my pencil,” Goldstein said.

Staff writers Chris J. Parker and Sean Waters contributed to this notebook.