California Games : Some Events Better Late, Others Never

The San Diego Slam-N-Jam basketball team began its last tournament of the year Friday in the California State Games at Point Loma Nazarene College, but its opponent, Team Avia from Los Angeles, was more than 1 1/2 hours late.

At least it showed up. At other events, it was something akin to senior ditch day. The Los Angeles Slam-N-Jam basketball team failed to show for its scheduled opener with Team B-Ball. Also missing in action was the entire high school boys’ team handball competition. Seems four of the five teams skipped out and, well, a one-team round-robin isn’t much fun.

But back to San Diego Slam-N-Jam. Friday’s game against Team Avia was postponed twice before the Los Angeles squad arrived fresh from the freeway system and took the court sometime after 4 p.m. Maybe it shouldn’t have gotten off the bus. Well-rested Slam-N-Jam ran away, 93-71.

It was a typical outing--Slam-N-Jam has averaged more than 90 points while compiling a 15-3 record during spring and summer play.

“All I’ve tried to do is expose these kids to better competition in L.A. where all the scouts are,” said Art Clark, the head coach. “Now the scouts have seen some good players from San Diego. A few of them have even received letters from schools that wouldn’t have known about them if we hadn’t taken them up there.”

Added Tony Clark, Art’s son, “We had heard all the myths and stereotypes of Los Angeles players being better than San Diego players. But we took a bunch of players from San Diego no one’s ever heard of before and won. That felt really good.”

Clark has lately been the subject of a recruiting controversy. He has left Valhalla High and will attend Christian this year but has been ruled ineligible for sports by CIF Section Commissioner Kendall Webb because of charges that Christian broke rules in luring him.

Art Clark has retained a lawyer to try to get the matter straightened out. If he can’t, Tony, considered by many to be the top high school basketball talent in the county (he averaged 29.5 points last year at Valhalla) may be playing his last basketball until he enters college in another year.

That doesn’t seem to bother him.

“It hasn’t entered my mind at all,” he said. “I’m not even worried about it.”

WATER POLO

Chuck Snay scored three goals to lead San Diego over Bay Area A, 9-4. Snay later came back with a four-goal performance against Orange County, but it wasn’t enough to prevent a 10-8 loss. Orange County and Los Angeles are undefeated after one day at 2-0. San Diego and Central California are at 1-1.

CYCLING

John Waite of Redondo Beach took his second gold medal in as many days by finishing first in the senior men’s sprint. On Thursday, Waite won the kilometer event.