High School Basketball Playoffs : Crescenta Valley Draws Tall Order for Opener

The following is a preview of Glendale-area teams that have qualified for postseason play:

SOUTHERN SECTION

BOYS’ 4-A

Crescenta Valley at Simi Valley, Friday at 7:30 p.m.--Crescenta Valley has made the playoffs 17 of the past 20 seasons, but this time it took the disqualification of Muir for the Falcons to earn a postseason berth. Crescenta Valley (14-10, 6-4) finished third in the Pacific League and will face the Southern Section’s top-ranked 4-A team and a pair of the Southern California’s best players in the first round. Simi Valley (22-3, 12-0) is led by senior center Don MacLean and senior forward Shawn DeLaittre. MacLean, 6-10, is averaging 34 points and 13 rebounds a game. DeLaittre is averaging 21 points and eight rebounds. “It’s going to be a great challenge,” Crescenta Valley Coach John Goffredo said. “We haven’t played Simi since those kids got there. They have two Division I players on their team and we have none. And they still can shoot the outside shot. “ The majority of Simi Valley’s outside work is handled by senior guard Butch Hawking, who averages 12 points and 8 assists a game. Crescenta Valley has been led this season by Brad Adam, a 5-9 senior guard who has a 22 point average. Center Marc Schrobilgen is averaging 15 points and 10 rebounds and 6-6 forward Mike Harrison averages 12 points. Senior guard Ben Somera and either Eric Anderson or Joel Larson at forward round out the starting lineup for Crescenta Valley. “I don’t think that we’re a tremendously talented team and we know it,” Goffredo said. “We’ve done well because they work very hard.”

Hoover at Ramona, Friday at 7:30 p.m.--Ramona (21-5, 10-0) won the Ivy League behind the strong inside play of Thomas Ware, Paul Barton and Geoff Gorham. Ware, a 6-5 senior center, is averaging 16 points and 12 rebounds a game. Barton, a 6-6 senior forward, averages 20 points and 8 rebounds and Gorham, a 6-7 junior forward, is averaging 18 points and 6 rebounds. Hoover (13-10, 7-3) finished second in the Pacific League and relies mostly on outside shooting. Guard Joe Velasquez led the Tornadoes in scoring at 18 points per game and backcourt mate Vigen Serop averages 15 points. Hoover Coach Kirt Kohlmeier said that his team will need to improve its inside shooting and rebounding against Ramona. Forward Ramon Velasquez (6 points and 5 rebounds), center Joe Ferguson (7 points and 7 rebounds) and forward Sean Regan (10 points and 5 rebounds) will be charged with containing Ramona’s inside game. “We’re not the kind of team that runs off a lot of quick points,” Ramona Coach Tony Masi said. “We start slowly and run them down. Sometimes it’s scary to me.” Ramona, which has won 12 games in a row, lost to Simi Valley in the second round of the playoffs last season.

Wild-card winner at Glendale, Friday at 7:30 p.m.--Glendale (20-4, 8-2) won its first Pacific League title since 1985, when the team finished 28-0 and won the Southern Section 4-A title. Glendale, which will play the winner of Wednesday’s Charter Oak-Irvine game, is led by guard Jeff Sofro. The senior point guard averages 21 points. Forwards Dan Johnson and Justin Lord are averaging 15 and 11 points, respectively. “Sofro is an excellent player and shooter,” Glendale Coach Bob Davidson said. “We’re real strong inside with Dan Johnson and Justin Lord has really stepped it up.” Center Rod Cassidy is averaging 6 points and 5 rebounds and senior guard Kevin Kowalski is averaging six points a game. “Simi is the heavy favorite,” Davidson said. “But of all the other teams, it’s whoever gets the breaks and gets the little things done. We can play with anybody. But if we have a poor game, we can lose to anybody.”

2-A

Keppel at La Canada on Friday at 7:30 p.m.--La Canada (13-2, 10-0) has a height advantage with brothers Chad and Greg Givens standing 6-7 and 6-4, respectively. Keppel’s tallest player is 6-1 center Steve Hua, who is averaging eight rebounds. Paul Akahoshi is Keppel’s leading scorer with a 14-point average. Akahoshi, who has taken 100 more shots than any of his teammates, will be guarded by Greg Givens, who is regarded as La Canada’s top defensive player. La Canada Coach Tom Hoffman expects Keppel to utilize a full-court press and play tenacious defense. “If we don’t make the turnovers, we should be able to control the game with our size,” Hoffman said. Chad Givens, a center, leads La Canada in scoring at 22 points a game. Greg Givens, a forward-guard, is averaging 10 and guard Chris Jones has a 12-point scoring average. La Canada won its first Rio Hondo League title since 1982. Keppel finished third in the Mission Valley League.

GIRLS’ 4-A

Hoover at Compton, Saturday at 7:30 p.m.--For the past few years, the story has been much the same for Hoover High. The Tornadoes finish third in the Pacific League behind Pasadena and Muir and then face a first-place team to open the playoffs. Last season it was top-ranked Buena. This season it is Compton. “The third-place team is kind of the sacrificial lamb in CIF competition,” Hoover Coach Bob Henry said. “You play a first-place team on their home court. You have to be just super to hang in there.” Compton (13-8) won the Moore League championship and defeated top-ranked Long Beach Poly. Hoover guard Maria Kim has been consistent, averaging seven points and directing the offense. Hoover (17-5,6-4) has been hindered by the losses of center Rose Conner and forward Michelle Ahnstedt, who have recently returned from injuries. Conner has played the last four games, averaging seven points. Last season she averaged 10 points and 10 rebounds. Ahnstedt is averaging eight points per game. Forward Jennie Pritchard is the team’s leading scorer with a 13-point average and guard Julianna Holmstrom is averaging eight points. Henry believes the outcome will be determined by Hoover’s ability to break the press. “If we get through the press, we’ll be fine,” Henry said.

CITY SECTION

GIRLS’ 3-A

Venice vs. Marshall at Eagle Rock, Friday at 7:30--Marshall (13-3, 9-1) has twice beaten Venice (13-6, 8-3) this season, winning a close early season scrimmage and defeating the Gondoliers by more than 20 points in the Westside Christmas tournament. “But these are the playoffs and anything goes,” Marshall Coach Beth Ercek said. “Our basic weakness is that our intensity hasn’t been as sharp as it was at the beginning of the year. It’s easy to take things for granted. We need to focus on intensity and teamwork.” Marshall, which won the 3-A Northern League title for the first time in the past six seasons, has relied on a balanced attack. Marshall’s three most consistent players have been 5-9 center Rena Winter (10 points and 8 rebounds), 5-4 guard Laura Oki (13 points and 5 rebounds), and 5-5 forward Maile Seig (13 points). The other Marshall starters are 5-3 guard Denise Wong and 5-6 forward Lauren Ota. Ercek said she expects a very physical game with an emphasis on inside play by Venice, which finished third in the City West League. Venice is led by center Angela Shorts, point guard Carol Ishioka and forward Renata Souza.

San Fernando at Eagle Rock on Friday at 5 p.m.--Eagle Rock last played San Fernando (7-7, 7-3) in the City 3-A playoffs in 1986, defeating the Tigers in the first round. The Eagles this season limited their league opponents to an average of 33 points while averaging 45 points. Last week, Eagle Rock (15-4, 8-2) was narrowly defeated by Northern League champion Marshall, losing in double-overtime, 45-41. San Fernando finished second in the Pac-6 League. “That league in general is not too disciplined,” Eagle Rock Coach Ivan Simon said of the Pac-6. “They have some talent but I think we can win through patience and good fundamentals.” Eagle Rock has been led by forward Ashlee Tonimoto, who is averaging 11 points and 6 rebounds a game. Center Karen Murdock is averaging 10 points and 9 rebounds and forward Donna Perry is averaging 8 rebounds, 5 points and 4 steals. Guard Vivian Alger (8 points and 4 assists ) and Maya Taylor (8 rebounds and 6 points) complete the starting lineup. “Eagle Rock may not have the most talent but each player has a role and they know what to do with that role,” Simon said.