STATWATCH : El Camino Real’s Lofton Keeping His Game on an Even Keel

The numbers seemed strangely consistent, but when Jeff Davis added individual statistics, some were so familiar that it was eerie.

Over the weekend, Davis, an assistant at El Camino Real, calculated the seasonal statistics of forward Brent Lofton. Sure, Lofton had great success in pre-league games, scoring and rebounding in prolific fashion. But how would Lofton fare in the Valley League, where teams such as Fairfax, Cleveland--both ranked in the state’s top 10--Taft and Kennedy reside?

Lofton has done well. In fact, his league play looks like an instant replay of his performance in nonleague games. “It’s scary,” Davis said. “I knew he was having a real consistent season, but this kid is Mr. Consistency.”

Lofton, a 6-5 junior, is averaging 11.3 rebounds a game overall and 11.1 in league play. He is shooting 62% (140 of 227) overall and 61% (85 of 140) in league play. He has made 50 of 61 (82%) free throws overall and 32 of 39 (82%) in league play.

Best of all, however, Lofton is averaging 22 points overall and 25.3 points in league play. Only 6-7 All-American Chris Mills of Fairfax is averaging more points in league competition with 32. Lofton, who has scored 30 or more points four times this season, reminds El Camino coaches of 1987 graduate Sean Davis, who now attends San Jose State.

Davis was named to all-league and Times’ All-Valley teams after scoring 218 points in 12 league games last year. Lofton has 202 points in eight games--he missed one league contest and has three games remaining.

“And Sean was a senior,” Davis said. “Brent’s going to break all of his records.”

Lofton totaled 46 points and had 27 rebounds last week in league games against Kennedy and Reseda.

“Brent could be the best player to ever come out of this school if he keeps improving and keeps the right attitude,” Davis said. “He’s certainly the best junior we’ve ever had.”

Scoring: Don MacLean, Simi Valley’s All-American center, scored 66 points in two games last week to move into eighth place on the Southern Section career scoring list. MacLean, a senior, has 2,044 points--100 behind seventh-place scorer Bill Boyd, who played at Foothill and Crescenta Valley from 1968-71. Leon Wood is the all-time leader with 2,693 points while playing at St. Monica from 1977-79. Wood currently plays for the San Antonio Spurs.

If he continues at his current pace of nearly 34 points a game and the Pioneers advance to the 4-A final, MacLean would finish fifth on the list. He would overtake Joe Hillman (Hoover and Indiana) and Wayne Carlander (Ocean View, El Toro and USC). At that pace, MacLean would also break into the top 10 on the single-season scoring list with nearly 1,000 points. . . . Grant’s Troy Mcleod was nearly perfect last week. The 6-4 junior center made 8 of 10 field-goal attempts and 12 of 13 free throws in the Lancers’ two victories. Mcleod also grabbed 23 rebounds, including 15 in a 71-53 victory over Sylmar on Friday. . . . California Christian’s Steve Anderson is shooting 44% (46 of 105) from three-point range. . . . Senior guard Quincy Watts of Taft is shooting 60% (161 of 270) from the field and averaging 20.1 points and 5.6 rebounds a game.

Although Harvard (10-6, 8-2) is challenging for the Santa Fe League title, Charles Patton (12.1 points a game) is the only Saracen averaging in double figures. Four of his teammates, however, are averaging between 7.1 and 8.4 points a game.

Calabasas shot 62% from behind the three-point line (8 of 13) in its 76-71 win over Agoura on Friday. Sean Obusek made 4 of 5 three-point attempts. The Coyotes shot only 68% from the free-throw line (15 of 22) and missed the front end of four one-and-ones in the fourth quarter.

Extra points: Newbury Park, after a 4-2 start, has lost 11 consecutive games, including all seven in the Marmonte League. . . . Last week’s Marmonte League games were decided by an average of 23 points. Toss out league curve-breaker Simi Valley, and the average was still 18.3 points. . . . Campbell Hall committed 70 turnovers in its losses to Crossroads and Faith Baptist last week. In the Vikings’ other game last week, a 50-47 victory over Bel-Air Prep, Campbell Hall had only 11 turnovers. . . . Taft’s Dedan Thomas is averaging 4.7 steals a game.