HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL PREVIEWS : SAN FERNANDO VALLEY LEAGUE : New League Boasts Load of Talent

If the revamped Santa Fe League was packaged like a box of laundry detergent, an appropriate bright, shiny label would read “new and improved.”

The fledgling San Fernando Valley League, with Santa Fe leftovers Bell-Jeff, Chaminade, Harvard and St. Genevieve, and former Del Rey League power Notre Dame, promises to be a better package for the basketball consumer--satisfaction guaranteed.

“It’s going to be competitive,” Bell-Jeff Coach Joe Dunn said.

Said Chaminade Coach Mike Lynn: “This will be the toughest year to make the playoffs.”

Consider: The Santa Fe mainstays are the best of what was an above average 1-A league. Bell-Jeff, which tied Cathedral for the league title last year, played for the Southern Section championship, losing to Beaumont, 80-66.

Chaminade, Harvard and St. Genevieve posted a combined 38-30 record. And while Cathedral was 21-7, La Salle, Salesian and Pater Noster--all still with the Santa Fe League--posted a combined record of 7-53.

Shoring up the new league is former 5-A Division Notre Dame, the league’s fifth and final team. And the favorite according to coaching consensus.

“Everyone has pretty much told us that Notre Dame has a lock,” Dunn said.

Notre Dame is capable of stepping in and stuffing its new competition. The Knights are the proud possessors of possibly the league’s two best players--seniors Brian Jones and Ken Hicks.

Jones, a 6-foot, 3-inch guard, averaged 19.4 points and 4 assists a game last year. He is being recruited by Northwestern, among other Division I colleges.

Hicks, a 6-foot, 4-inch forward, averaged 16 points a game and already has signed on the Division I dotted line, soon to be delivered to Stanford.

“He’s a great defender,” Notre Dame Coach Mick Cady said of Hicks. “He’s covered some of the better players in Los Angeles.”

Notre Dame’s toughest competition likely will be Bell-Jeff. Returning for the Guards are 3 integral members of last year’s team--seniors Nick Sanderson, Greg Dunn and Chris Dyer.

“I have a lot of faith in us,” Dunn said. “But it’s a numbers game. We have 250 boys in our school. Notre Dame has 1,000.”

At Chaminade, where eighth-year Coach Mike Lynn must rebuild with only 2 returning players--seniors Chris Bruckner and Pete Miller--a seventh playoff appearance in Lynn’s tenure will be difficult to achieve.

At Harvard, fourth-year Coach Greg Hilliard also must rebuild

around returning players Jeff Given, a senior, and juniors Rick Osterloh and Brian Domyan.

First-year St. Genevieve Coach Scott Smith is most concerned with competing. “We know it’s going to be a very strong league,” he said. “But I think we’ll do fine if we throw our weight around.”

The Valiants have 2 bulky ballhandlers up front with seniors Marc Colon (6-2, 220) and Ron Nielsen (6-4, 225).

Bell-Jeff

COACH: Joe Dunn, 11th season

LAST SEASON: 19-7 overall; tied for first in league at 12-2

PLAYERS TO WATCH: The Guards are virtually intact. “Everyone’s back, except one player,” Dunn said. Seniors Nick Sanderson (6-4, 175, 17.7 points a game), Greg Dunn (6-0, 175, 14 points), the coach’s son, and Chris Dyer (6-1, 180, 10.7 points) all averaged in double figures last year. Sanderson is a forward-center, Dunn and Dyer are guards. “Those three guys are the ones who take us where we’re going,” Dunn said. Don’t forget about guards Ray Witt (6-1, 165) and Matt Corse (5-11, 155), the team’s best defensive player. Forward David Bowman (6-0, 165), the first man off the bench, and backup guard Mike Lattanzio (6-1, 180), who is recovering from a broken leg he suffered during football season, round out the returning seniors. Newcomers include junior forward D’Artagnan Phinnessee (6-4, 180) and freshmen Inacio Castro (5-11, 160) and Brian Lee (6-2, 165), both reserve forwards.

OUTLOOK: Don’t expect the Guards to lie down and play dead against Notre Dame. “I have a lot of faith we’ll be competitive,” Dunn said.

Chaminade

COACH: Mike Lynn, eighth season

LAST SEASON: 15-10 overall; tied for third in league at 9-5

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Lynn says that he has never had to deal with as much inexperience. “We’re going to have a tough time in this league,” he said. “We’ve got 2 kids back. Everyone else is brand new.” Seniors Pete Miller (5-11, 155, 8.5 points, 4 assists a game) and Chris Bruckner (6-5, 185, 8 points a game) are the returnees. Miller is a point guard, Bruckner a forward. The remaining players will battle it out for playing time. Junior guard Colin Havert (5-11, 195), a tailback on the football team, joined the varsity late last season and started in the playoffs. “This kid can really get off the ground,” Lynn said. Senior Nick Sicliano (6-2, 185), who has not played basketball since his freshman year, is the probable center. Junior forward Charlie Fei (6-1, 180) averaged 15 points a game for the junior varsity. Brother Richard Fei (6-0), a freshman, probably will begin the season as a starter. “He holds his own,” Lynn said. “He’s just a pure basketball player.

OUTLOOK: The Eagles began last season 6-1, then tailed off, losing 4 of their final 7 games. But Chaminade still made the playoffs for the 7th time in 8 years. “This year, it’s going to be a lot tougher to make it,” Lynn said. “I just don’t feel I have any depth.”

Harvard

COACH: Greg Hilliard, fourth season

LAST SEASON: 11-10 overall; tied for third in league at 9-5

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Contribution is the buzz word in the Harvard gym. “I don’t expect to have a real high scorer,” Hilliard said. “But a lot of guys will contribute. We’re very balanced, very deep.” Forward Rick Osterloh (6-3, 180), who averaged 11 points and 5 rebounds a game, was an all-league selection as a sophomore last season. Center Brian Domyan (6-5, 220), another junior, averaged 6 points and 6 rebounds a game. Senior guard Geoff Given (6-1, 185) averaged 8 points a game. Hilliard is excited about senior forward Mike Beckwith (6-1, 165), who averaged 11 points a game after graduating from the junior varsity late last season. Beckwith averaged 15 rebounds a game for the junior varsity. “He’s a jumper and a rebounder,” Hilliard said. Junior point guard Matt Clark (6-4, 180) also joined the varsity late in the season, averaging 10 points and 4 assists.

OUTLOOK: The Saracens will attempt to move the ball quickly in an endeavor to keep pace with talented league competition. “We’ll definitely have our hands full with Notre Dame,” Hilliard said. “But I’m really anxious because everything is new.”

Notre Dame

COACH: Mick Cady, third season

LAST SEASON: 13-10 overall; second in league at 9-3

PLAYERS TO WATCH: The Knights have two of the Valley’s best players in seniors Brian Jones and Ken Hicks, both All-Del Rey League guards last season. Jones (6-3, 180) averaged 15.2 points and 5 rebounds a game. “He really took over a lot of games this summer,” Cady said. Hicks (6-4, 175) averaged 16 points a game. “He’s an excellent athlete,” Cady said. Junior guard Errol Small (6-3, 190) who is recovering from a shoulder injury, averaged 22 points and 8 assists with the junior varsity last season. Senior guard Mike Rimkunas (6-1, 185), will shoot more this year, Cady said. Senior forward Reggie Dominique (6-4, 175), a good defensive player, also returns. Senior Oscar Sandoval (5-10, 167) is a 3-year varsity guard. The most promising newcomer is junior forward Paul Hewitt (6-5, 160), who averaged 17 points a game with the junior varsity. Senior forward James Borella (6-5, 200), also up from the junior varsity, is a “great rebounder,” Cady said.

OUTLOOK: What’s all this fuss about Notre Dame? “I don’t know, either,” Cady said. “I guess everyone is talking about our good shooters coming back.” Hicks and Jones will carry the Knights far, almost assuredly into the playoffs. But beware, Cady warns. “Instead of being hunters, we’ll be the hunted,” he said.

St. Genevieve

COACH: Scott Smith, first season

LAST SEASON: 12-10 overall; fifth in league at 8-6

PLAYERS TO WATCH: “As for weight,” Smith said, “We can throw a little around.” Senior forward Marc Colon (6-2, 220), a tight end on the football team, and senior center Ron Nielsen (6-4, 225), who averaged 15.9 points a game last year, will work the ball inside. Meanwhile, senior guard Mike Cassidy (5-9, 150) will pass it around. Cassidy averaged 9.5 assists a game last year to go with his 8-point scoring average. “We expect good leadership from Mike,” Smith said. “He runs the big guys. He can shoot, though.” Three-sport athlete Roland De La Maza (6-0, 185), who averaged 4 points a game last year, will play small forward. Senior fifth man Dara Kagari (6-1, 165) was the junior varsity’s best player. Senior Paul Zamora (5-10, 160) another football player, also graduates from the junior varsity. “He’s got a good three-point shot,” Smith said. “If it’s there, we’ll take it.” Backup forwards Carlos Gonzalez (6-0, 175) and Dominic Muller (6-1, 170) will see plenty of action.

OUTLOOK: Size and speed is where the Valiants rest their hopes. “We’ll just have to be quick on the ball and move it around,” Smith said. “I think we’ll do fine.”