The Colleges : MacLean Begins Assault on Record Book

A notice to those who follow UCLA basketball: Keep your record books handy for quick reference during the next few seasons. Don MacLean, a former Simi Valley High standout, has served notice that he is ready to begin a rewrite.

MacLean averaged 18.6 points a game during the past season in becoming the first freshman to lead the Bruins in scoring since Bill Walton did it in 1972. MacLean, who scored in double figures in 29 of UCLA’s 31 games, finished with 577 points and set a Pacific 10 Conference freshman scoring record. The previous standard was held by Stanford All-American Todd Lichti, who scored 516 points in 1986.

In addition to his scoring records, MacLean grabbed 231 rebounds to establish another record for a UCLA freshman. And MacLean has company in his climb up the ladder.

Trevor Wilson is another former Valley-area high school player making his way into the high-rent district on Bruin career lists.

In three years, Wilson has 1,232 points--18th on the UCLA career chart--and 702 rebounds--11th best.

Wilson led the Pac-10 in rebounding with an average of 8.7 a game and was second on the Bruins in scoring with an average of 18.4 points. A repeat performance in his senior season would leave the former Cleveland High standout third on the career scoring list--behind only Lew Alcindor and Reggie Miller--and fourth in rebounding--behind Walton, Alcindor and David Greenwood.

Persevering with perspiration: Tim Nedin has found that pitching on the four-year level is really no sweat. At least, in terms of getting most batters out.

Nedin, however, says there is nothing cool about laboring for Florida State University in the humidity in Tallahassee, Fla.

“You have to get used to pitching and being soaking wet,” said Nedin, a junior left-hander from Hart High who was 15-4 last season at College of the Canyons. “It’s been a big change. A lot of places out here, they use ammonia baths to keep cool.”

Nedin, who will start Saturday against Mississippi State, is 4-3 with a 3.26 earned-run average for the Seminoles, ranked 15th and 18th, respectively, in this week’s Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball-ESPN polls.

Nedin earned his first win with seven strikeouts in seven innings during a relief appearance against Arizona State in a game nationally televised by ESPN.

The victory over the Sun Devils was especially sweet because Nedin’s college choice had come down to Arizona State and Florida State.

While pitching for a summer team in Kansas, Nedin called the Florida State coaching staff to tell them he was going to Arizona State. But when he called Tempe, Ariz., his pronouncement was met with less than enthusiasm.

“They said they had just got back from the College World Series and that they were going to have to wait to see if there was a scholarship available,” Nedin recalled. “So I had to call Florida State back and tell them I was coming.

“Against Arizona State, I knew I had to go out and prove myself. I also had a grudge.”

What a racquet: Moorpark College, which Tuesday dealt Pierce only its fourth conference loss since 1976, has a men’s tennis program on the rise.

Bud Davis, who formerly coached at Westlake High, is in his third year at Moorpark. The season before his arrival, the Raiders were 3-17. Last season they were 12-5. The convincing 7-2 victory over Pierce improved Moorpark’s record to 6-2 this season.

“I’ve expected great things from this group right from the beginning of the year,” Davis said after the victory. “Hopefully this proves the credibility of the program and we’ll get more of the real good local kids coming here instead of having them filter into the Valley.”

Moorpark’s top player is freshman Darrin Pleasant from Westlake High. He is ranked 42nd in the state, but Pierce Coach Paul Xanthos says that he is far better than that.

“He’s as good as anyone in the state, I think,” Xanthos said after watching Pleasant defeat Pierce’s Sang Kim, last season’s Western State Conference singles champion, in straight sets.

Late bloomer: Davis is one of the few tennis coaches around who never competed at a high level in college. His only collegiate experience came at Moorpark.

Davis, who grew up in New England, did not take up tennis until his mid-20s. But when he finally did, he did it in earnest.

“These guys,” he said, referring to his players, “they get tired after two hours on the court. I was a fanatic. My friends used to tell me I overtrained. They were right. I played all the time.”

Davis, who played No. 2 singles at Moorpark in 1982 and ‘83, is a former USPTA mixed and men’s doubles national champion.

“I did what I tell these guys to do,” Davis said. “I played in tournaments, played in pressure situations as much as possible, because after awhile it’s not a pressure situation anymore. It’s just another match.”

Hurricane conditions: Scott Sharts set a Southern Section record with 32 career home runs at Simi Valley High, but he’s still looking for his first at the University of Miami.

Sharts, a freshman pitcher/first baseman/designated-hitter, has played intermittently against left-handers and is batting .235 with three runs batted in.

“I’ve got a couple doubles off the wall that were just inches away from getting out,” said Sharts, who is also 0-0 with a 4.50 ERA and six strikeouts in four innings. “It’s not easy to sit so much after starting every game in high school, but I knew it would be a challenge to play at this level and I’m working real hard at it.”

Miami, ranked third and fourth, respectively, in this week’s Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball-ESPN polls, will hit the road for the University of Florida today having concluded a 22-game home stand Wednesday night.

“In a way it’s good, because you’re not missing school,” Sharts said in reference to some of the inherent comforts of playing before crowds of 4,500 at Mark Light Stadium. “But in another way you want to go out and travel a little bit. Sometimes it’s nice to have fans boo you.”

Fresh horses: Jeff Antoon, a freshman from Notre Dame High, is batting .271 with a team-high four home runs and 25 RBIs for UC Santa Barbara. Antoon has played catcher, first base and third base for the Gauchos, who will open play in the Big West Conference Friday at Nevada Las Vegas.

Greg Nealon, a freshman left-hander from Poly High, has made 11 appearances for the University of Hawaii and is 1-1 with an 8.18 ERA in 11 innings.

Staff writers Mike Hiserman, Gary Klein and Ralph Nichols contributed to this notebook.