1989-90 BOYS’ BASKETBALL PREVIEW : Mater Dei Expected to Rebound From ‘Disappointing’ Season : The Teams: The Monarchs, who return four starters from last year’s 25-3 team, are the preseason choice to top the county’s rankings.

Where else but at Mater Dei High School would a coach term a 25-3 season as disappointing?

That’s disappointing, as in being upset by St. Monica, 69-66, in the quarterfinals of the postseason playoffs.

That’s disappointing, as in failing to win a Southern Section championship for the first time in six years.

And that’s disappointing, as in losing for only the second time in 28 playoff games since Gary McKnight became Mater Dei’s coach in 1983.

Ah, the expectations.

“The team exceeded my expectations by winning 25 games, but when you consider what other teams have done here in the past, it was disappointing,” McKnight said.

Now, more expectations.

Mater Dei, with four starters and nine players who made significant contributions last year returning, is The Times’ choice as Orange County’s top-ranked team.

There isn’t a player comparable to former stars Matt Beeuwsaert, Tom Lewis, LeRon Ellis or Mike Mitchell in the lineup, but McKnight thinks he could have four players who will eventually sign with Division I college programs.

“This is my most-balanced team,” he said. “It’s a very good team without a superstar.”

Last year, six county teams--Saddleback (5-AA), Capistrano Valley and Irvine (5-A), Corona del Mar and Trabuco Hills (3-A) and Orange Lutheran (2-A)--reached Southern Section championship games. Trabuco Hills advanced to the State Division III title game.

It’s considered another strong year for area teams, with the Sunset and South Coast leagues among the most competitive in the county. Here’s a look at The Times’ top teams:

1. MATER DEI The Monarchs will have two distinctly different looks as McKnight plans to employ a two-post offense or a four-guard lineup depending on the opposition.

Point guard Jason Quinn, the most valuable player in the Angelus League as a junior, averaged 6.6 assists and two floor burns per game last year. Quinn’s in-your-face style of defense is rare in an era of high-powered offenses.

“He’s one of the toughest players I’ve ever coached,” McKnight said. “We have players more talented than Jason, but no one works harder.”

The thin towers--6-foot-8 Derek Stone and 6-11 Mark Moneypenny--are the main supports of McKnight’s double low-post power game. Forwards Charlie Andres and David Boyle are proven starters who will be joined by Danny O’Neil, the school’s starting quarterback, in certain situations.

“The first nine games will tell the story,” McKnight said. “If we stay healthy, we could be a pretty good team come January.”

Mater Dei figures to get better in midseason, when Ocean View transfer Reggie Geary becomes eligible. Geary, a sophomore point guard playing on the junior varsity team, received recruiting letters from Nevada Las Vegas, Kentucky, Notre Dame and Southern Methodist this week.

2. LOS ALAMITOS Two victories over Mater Dei during the summer were encouraging, but the question of whether Los Alamitos can play with the county’s best teams could be answered in the Tournament of Champions next month at Ocean View.

Center Robert Conlisk is among three all-league players returning for Coach Steve Brooks. Conlisk, a 6-9 senior, was impressive during the second half of Empire League play and opened some eyes by scoring 30 points and getting 18 rebounds in a playoff victory over El Toro.

“He just continued to improve all summer,” Brooks said. “He’s a very good offensive player. He just needs to improve on his rebounding and defensive play.”

Junior point guard Todd Chesebro begins his third varsity season, and backcourt mate Mike Wilson averaged 15 points with his accurate outside shooting.

Jason Cunningham, younger brother of standout running back Erik Mitchell, is the most athletic player on the team. Cunningham is an excellent leaper with good quickness. He’s also a threat from three-point range.

“Potentially, this could be the best team I’ve ever had,” Brooks said.

3. CAPISTRANO VALLEY Last year’s top-ranked team in the preseason poll went on to win the 5-A division title despite repeated signs of immaturity by forward Scott McCorkle, who still believes he has never committed a foul.

McCorkle, the county’s best player, is often moody and selfish, but few can match his natural talent. McCorkle broke three scoring records by averaging 32.5 points per game in the Tournament of Champions and averaged 24.1 points for the season.

McCorkle shared the South Coast League’s most valuable player award with teammate Chris Kostoff, a six-foot guard who averaged 15 points and 8.4 assists per game. Both are excellent players who should score than than half of Capistrano Valley’s points between them.

“We have two very good players, but the rest of the players on the team are going to have to learn their roles,” said Mark Thornton, Capistrano Valley’s coach. Translation: Pass the ball to McCorkle or Kostoff and then get out of the way.

4. MARINA Last year, Marina Coach Steve Popovich said he would like to have the money colleges were spending for postage sending letters to 6-11 center Cherokee Parks. He also wanted some outside shooters to compliment Parks’ imposing inside game.

While six or seven letters a day continue to arrive addressed to Parks at the high school, Popovich found two outside shooters to take some of the pressure off Parks. Sean Haselrig and Mater Dei transfer Travis Boyd will keep opposing defenses honest.

Parks, who will be the most actively recruited player in county history next season, continues to improve while growing into his lanky body. Up to 222 pounds, Parks is stronger and more versatile.

“He’s improved his skill level to the point where he can go outside and hit the jump shot,” Popovich said.

5. EDISON Only the day-to-day status of center Bill Martineau keeps the Chargers from being ranked higher. Martineau, who averaged 12.8 points and 7.6 rebounds as a junior, has a sore back that kept him from playing in Edison’s scrimmage with Capistrano Valley.

Returning with Martineau from last year’s 15-13 team is guard Tom Tyler, forward Steve Thobe and swing man Todd Smyser. Brandon Jessie, son of former Ram wide receiver Ron Jessie, is an impressive newcomer.

“This could be the best team I’ve had at Edison,” said Coach Jon Borchert. “With Martineau, Thobe and Jessie, we are a very good rebounding team.”

6. HUNTINGTON BEACH The arrival of Savanna transfer Mustaphi Abdi could help ease the memory of eight football forfeitures and a lost league football championship.

Abdi was only the third player in 15 years to earn all-county honors as a sophomore when he averaged 17.7 points to lead Savanna to the Orange League championship. He was a force in two playoff games, scoring 65 points against Azusa and Trabuco Hills.

Abdi joins returning starter Stephan Lucas to give Huntington Beach one of the best forward tandems in the county. Dennis Callahan, who played two years at Mater Dei, is the team’s point guard. Callahan was the most valuable player on the Oilers’ junior varsity team that won the Sunset League title.

“The big question is how Mustaphi adapts to the Sunset League,” said Roy Miller, Huntington Beach coach.

7. OCEAN VIEW The fourth member of the Sunset League ranked among the top 10 teams lost the league’s most valuable player, Todd Norman, who has graduated, but returns another tall, talented cast of players led by point guard Greg Evans.

Evans averaged 10.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and three assists per game last year to help Ocean View to a share of the league title with Huntington Beach and Edison. He has signed a national letter of intent with Loyola Marymount.

Darren Ernst, a 6-6 senior, also started last season, and 6-5 Jim Gwaltney was a key reserve. Coach Jim Harris has five players on his roster standing 6-5 or taller, but his freshman son, Jim, broke his foot last week in a scrimmage against Palos Verdes.

8. FOOTHILL A tall front line and guard Mark Wilkinson should help the Knights shed the role of perennial runner-up in the Century League. Foothill has finished second in the league for five consecutive years.

Jamal Duff, a 6-7 center, has improved his shooting touch to the point where Coach Jim Reames said, “He’s almost a player.” Another bright spot is 6-6 forward Fred Amos, who led Foothill’s junior varsity to a league title.

Wilkinson, who has signed with Cal State Northridge, has improved his shooting range to 17 feet and takes on the added responsibility of playing the point this season.

“This is my biggest team,” Reames said. “If we had a legitimate point guard, we’d be dynamite.”

9. EL TORO Rob Johnson and Jeremy Hogue are still playing football, but El Toro should be strong once those two join Greg Everett and Kirk Riddle.

Johnson, one of the premier three-point shooters in the county, averaged 17.2 points as a sophomore despite often being asked to play point guard.

“I think Rob will be a more consistent and complete player who has the capability of becoming a great player,” Coach Tim Travers said. “But we’re going to start slowly without him.”

Everett, who signed with Creighton, is one of the top defensive players in the county. But it’s the play of Riddle, a 6-7 center, that has Travers smiling.

10. WESTERN No longer the best-kept secret in the county, Western won 26 games over the summer despite being without its second-best player, Tom Barraza, who was injured. “It was our best summer ever,” said Greg Hoffman, Western’s coach.

Point guard Sam Sabbara, the All-American kid with a 3.8 grade-point average and the student body president, is the school’s best player in the past 20 years.

“Everyone knows he’s good, so he’ll be harassed, chased and spit on all year,” Hoffman said. Center Robbie Shelton’s rebounding is the key if the Pioneers hope to live up to their preseason ranking.

Others to watch: Brea-Olinda, Fountain Valley, Irvine, Mission Viejo, Saddleback, Santa Ana, Savanna, Sunny Hills and Woodbridge.