Los Angeles Times 1988 ALL-STARS : Multitalented Girls Chosen for Times’ All-Southeast Prep Girls Basketball Team

The all-star boys and girls teams, each consisting of 10 members, their coaches and parents will be guests of the Times at 9 a.m. Sunday, May 1, at the annual Times High School Basketball Awards Brunch where all-star teams from 12 circulation areas will be honored at the Anaheim Hilton. The featured Speaker will be Loyola Coach Paul Westhead. The players and coaches of the year from each area will be announced.

The teams were chosen on the basis of a poll of area coaches, who are asked to fill out ballots nominating their own players and opponents, plus the observations of college scouts and sportswriters. Each player will receive the traditional Times golden basketball plaque and award certificate.

“She’s a one-man gang!”

The remark is by a coach of a rival team and amicably aimed at Francine La Vogue, the El Rancho High School superstar of three sports who today is honored for basketball prowess.

La Vogue and nine others are on The Times’ 1988 All-Southeast team, derived primarily from an opinion poll of the area’s coaches.

Team balloting invites coaches to nominate players who competed against them. La Vogue, however, was not the only all-star to receive raves from rival mentors.

For example, here are some words on the other all-star selections:

Jeanne Amos, Bell Gardens High: “A whiz on offense, especially inside.”

Kris Ballesteros, Schurr High of Montebello: “An all-around star.”

Highly Competitive

Bridgette Eaves, South Gate High: “You might tie her but never beat her on competitiveness.”

Apryl Garnett, Gahr High of Cerritos: “She can beat you on speed and quickness.”

Shannon Gray, St. Paul High of Santa Fe Springs: “A Division I prospect if I ever saw one.”

Patrice Hall, Pius X of Downey: “Unusually skillful inside.”

Nena Leyva, Pioneer High of Whittier: “She’ll score and rebound you dizzy.”

Taikeasha Williams, Bellflower High: “Only a sophomore, but plays like a senior star.”

Tonya Zwagerman, Valley Christian of Cerritos: “With all-out hustle, she’ll steal you blind and spark the team to victory.”

Ballesteros, Eaves, La Vogue, Leyva and Zwagerman are seniors and plan to continue playing basketball in college.

Leyva already has picked Whittier College. Biola University’s got Zwagerman. Alabama is interested in Eaves. La Vogue and Ballesteros are undecided where they will be in the fall.

Eaves and Amos, a junior, are repeaters. Each made the 1987 Times’ team.

More on the players:

Amos--Just as she exhibited as a sophomore, this 5-8 performer once again used agility, speed and finesse to go places on the court. Her contributions to a champion Bell Gardens High season were averages of 14.5 points and 12.5 rebounds over 24 games. The co-Most Valuable Player in the Whitmont League also excels at tennis and track and field.

Ballesteros--The 5-7 do-everything player sparked her team to an undefeated league year for the Foothill championship. She had solid averages in scoring, assisting and stealing over a 20-6 Schurr High season.

Eaves--Another three-sport star is this teen-ager, who competes at track and volleyball besides basketball. Her South Gate High season on the floor was stunning as she racked up averages of 19.3 points and 22.0 rebounds to solidify her all-star status not only for The Times’ team but all-Los Angeles City. She was all-City as a junior.

Garnett--She is 5-11 and moves around center with exceptional agility, speed and quickness. Already she plays during the off-season on AAU all-star teams. Her jump shot, they say, is as good as the A grades she scores in the classroom. Her season for Gahr High resulted in averages of 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Gray--Although on a losing team, the play of this 5-9 junior did not go unnoticed as she performed for St. Paul High in the tough Angelus League. She averaged 20.1 points and 14.0 rebounds over 19 games.

Hall--The 5-8 junior forward earned co-MVP in the Angelus League. That is tip-top recognition for being on a third-place team. She averaged 17.1 points and 16.0 rebounds for Pius X.

La Vogue--Fans and coaches think of her as one of the finest girl athletes the way she plays softball (All-Southern Section), volleyball and basketball. She bats over .500 as a softball shortstop. Her basketball average for El Rancho High this past season is comparable--23 points. Her high game was 38 points.

Leyva--The 5-9 center broke Pioneer High records in her third and final starring year on the court. Her 403 points and 262 rebounds set school marks. In one game, Leyva attacked the boards for 23 rebounds. She scored more than 20 points in each of nine games.

Williams--The center of attraction for Bellflower High’s championship season was this 6-foot sophomore. Her averages were 11 points and 12 rebounds. Scouts, they say, already have an eye on Williams.

Zwagerman--She sparked Valley Christian to the final four of the Southern California regional playoffs. A school record was set in one game with 15 steals. Her season averages were 18 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and six steals. Zwagerman also stars at volleyball.

GIRLS PREP TEAM Name: Jeanne Amos School: Bell Gardens Year: Junior Height: 5-8 Average: 14.5 Name: Kris Ballesteros School: Schurr Year: Senior Height: 5-7 Average: 14.0 Name: Bridgette Eaves School: South Gate Year: Senior Height: 5-10 1/2 Average: 19.3 Name: Apryl Garnett School: Gahr Year: Junior Height: 5-11 Average: 13.0 Name: Shannon Gray School: St. Paul Year: Junior Height: 5-9 Average: 20.1 Name: Patrice Hall School: Pius X Year: Junior Height: 5-8 Average: 17.1 Name: Francine La Vogue School: El Rancho Year: Senior Height: 5-6 Average: 23.0 Name: Nena Leyva School: Pioneer Year: Senior Height: 5-9 Average: 16.1 Name: Taikeasha Williams School: Bellflower Year: Sophomore Height: 6-0 Average: 11.0 Name: Tonya Zwagerman School: Valley Christian Year: Senior Height: 5-9 Average: 18.0