HIGH SCHOOLS : BASKETBALL PREVIEWS : SMALL SCHOOLS : Oakwood Guarding Its Title

Oakwood High is again the class of the Liberty League. That comes as no surprise because the Gorillas have 6-foot-6-inch guard Mitchell Butler for one more season. Butler, who is heading to UCLA next year, will continue to be the focal point of the offense--but there is a major difference.

Butler, who played mostly in the low post last season, has been switched to point guard. “Last year we had to pass it 25 times to him, but this year he will also be creating the action,” Oakwood Coach Roz Goldenberg said.

Goldenberg also made the change to help Butler develop his ballhandling skills for college competition.

Goldenberg said that she can afford to move Butler to point guard because the team has improved its inside game. According to Goldenberg, senior center Jon Mark, junior forward Jim Cossman and sophomore forward Telly Roberts are fine post-up players, even if they are not tremendously tall. All 3 barely exceed 6 feet, 2 inches.

Oakwood has been moved to the 1-A Division for the playoffs, so the Gorillas will be unable to repeat their Small Schools Division championship.

Holy Martyrs finished second to Oakwood last season in league play. The Armens will try to dethrone the Gorillas without their best player from last year, 6-foot forward Armen Abramians.

Abramians averaged 20 points a game last season and held Butler to 13 points on one occasion. “I don’t have anybody to go against Butler this year,” Holy Martyrs Coach Varant Vartabedian said.

The Armens will challenge the Gorillas without a great deal of height. Only one Holy Martyrs players is taller than 6 feet. Instead, the Armens will rely on depth, according to Vartabedian.

WESTSIDE LEAGUE

The Hawks are the favorites to win the league title--either the Hawks of Highland Hall or the Hawks of Grace Community. Even though the teams finished in a tie for third place last season, they both have a shot at first.

South Bay Lutheran and West Valley Christian, last season’s first- and second-place teams, have lost nearly all of their key players. All of South Bay Lutheran’s starters are gone and West Valley Christian lost 5 players.

Highland Hall, on the other hand, has its entire front line back. The Hawks will rely on junior power forward Craig Ernst (19 ppg last season).

Another valley school, Oak Hill, has won only 2 games in the past 2 years. The team’s fortunes will be determined by senior Phil Freed, a 6-1, 200-pound center.

Among Oak Hill reserves is the only girl in the league, Jeanine Davis, a 5-6 sophomore guard.

HERITAGE LEAGUE

According to coaches in this league, a non-Valley school should win the title.

Viewpoint Coach Jon Gonce likes the talent at Pilgrim in Los Angeles. Ventura County Lutheran Coach Rob Biesendorfer said he believes that Ribet Christian of La Canada will finish first.

Last season Viewpoint and Ventura County Lutheran tied for last place. Both Gonce and Biesendorfer say they’re hoping for .500 seasons.