Camper, Watson Are Players of Year Among South Coast Preps

Lakewood High School senior Brian Camper has been named the South Coast boys prep basketball Player of the Year.

Camper, who has signed with Arizona State, averaged 20.3 points a game and was the most valuable player in the Moore League.

The girls Player of the Year is Lynwood junior Linda Watson. A Parade magazine first-team All-American, Watson averaged 22 points, 9.5 rebounds, five assists and three steals. She also set a CIF record with 72 three-point shots.

Bill Odell of Millikan High School was named boys Coach of the Year. Despite having only two returning lettermen, Odell led the Rams to the CIF Southern Section 5-AA title. He also won his 300th game during the season, his 18th year at Millikan.

Margaret Bos of St. Joseph High School in Lakewood is girls Coach of the Year. Bos’ team was 21-7 this season and went to the 3-A semifinals.

The selections were announced at The Times’ annual basketball awards breakfast Sunday at the Anaheim Hilton.

In the Southeast area, the Players of the Year are junior Ed O’Bannon of Artesia High, who averaged 29 points a game, and sophomore Brenda Pantoja of Bell Gardens High, Co-MVP of the Whitmont League.

The top coaches are Bob Brown, who led the Whittier Christian boys team to the CIF 2-AA title, and Ken Popkin and Gilberto Limon, co-head coaches at Bell Gardens High. Bell Gardens went through the Whitmont League undefeated for the second straight season.