SOUTHERN SECTION HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL PREVIEWS : Golden League

Antelope Valley

COACH: Skip Adams, 4th season

LAST SEASON: 17-9; tied for 1st in league, 8-2

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Senior guard Chris Walters (6-2), who averaged 16.4 points a game and has signed a national letter of intent to attend Texas El Paso, should do some high scoring in the high desert. “He’ll have his big games,” Adams said. The rest of the Antelopes won’t exactly be caddying for Walters. Forward Jabbar Briggs (6-3, 10 points a game) and center John Pletsch (6- 7 1/2, eight points) are seniors, returning starters and good shooters. Junior guard-forward Brock Chase (6-2) and senior point guard B. J. Petersen, who move to starting roles in their second varsity seasons, complete the starting five. “Our overall strength as a team is our depth,” Adams said. The bench is stocked. Senior guard Kevin Junior (6-0) “would start at point guard for a lot of Golden League teams,” Adams said. “I wish he was a junior.” Senior guard Bobby Piaz (6-0) averaged 15 points a game during the summer. Junior swingman Martine Stokes, a good jumper, was academically ineligible last season. “All our guys are leapers,” Adams said.

OUTLOOK: Versatility and depth are a tough combination to beat. “A lot of our guys could start on any other team, which is a nice dilemma for me,” Adams said. “We can really juggle things around to adjust to other teams’ weaknesses and strengths.” Hence, the Antelopes are the consensus team to beat for the league crown. And that’s how Adams wants it. “That’s what we worked for,” he said, “to be in this position.”

Canyon

COACH: Greg Hayes, 8th season

LAST SEASON: 8-14; 5th in league, 3-7

PLAYERS TO WATCH: All-league senior guard Jermaine Nixon (6-3), who averaged 10 points and five rebounds, will emerge as the Cowboys’ top offensive threat. Third-year forwards Clint Beauer (6-3) and Jon Civita (6-6) are healthy after hobbling through much of last season. Beauer, the Valley’s leading receiver in football this fall, entered the gym last December with a severely swollen ankle. Civita battled ankle, back and groin injuries. Junior guard Lance Moore (5-11), a transfer from Ridgecrest Burroughs, scored 14 points--12 in the second half--and sank a last-minute basket to defeat Canyon last season. “He just fired some money shots,” Hayes recalled. Junior forwards Joe Hancz (6-2) and Reggie Haggans (6-2) each saw limited action last season. Many eyes are sure to be focused on senior center David Wiggins (6-10, 225), who averaged 11 rebounds and six points for the junior varsity. “He has the size,” Hayes said. “And he’s getting better and better.” Also up from the junior varsity is junior guard Tom Boobar (5-11), “one of the quickest players I’ve ever coached at Canyon,” Hayes said

OUTLOOK: Improvement seems imminent as long as the Cowboys remain healthy--and hang tough in the fourth quarter. Canyon lost seven games by three points or less last season. “We had some good moments too,” Hayes said. “But we’re a lot stronger this season.”

Palmdale

COACH: Gary Phelps, 10th season

LAST SEASON: 11-11; 3rd in league, 6-4

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

As senior John Johnson (6-3) and junior Jason Grimes (6-7) go, so will the Falcons. “The team should revolve around those two guys,” Phelps said. Johnson, an all-league forward, averaged 12.8 points and nine rebounds. Grimes, who returns at center, averaged 12 points and six rebounds. “He’s definitely going to be a major-college prospect,” Phelps said of Grimes. Three returning guards--seniors Pierre Jeanty (5-10) and Eric Hines (6-0), and junior Chris Tampoya (5-9)--will compete for the two starting jobs. Jeanty is the probable point guard, Tampoya the team’s best three-point shooter. “I’m not one to fire up the three-pointer,” Phelps said, “but it might be a key part for us.” Junior forward Chris Deglopper (6-4) transferred from Hart after moving from Wisconsin last year. “He’s a big, strong kid and he boards real well,” Phelps said. Senior swingman John Wosnak (6-2) sat out last season after starting as a sophomore. Guard Tyrone Payton (6-1), who averaged 10 points with the junior varsity, and forward Zeke Bell (6-1) are “promising juniors.”

OUTLOOK: The Falcons rival Antelope Valley in depth but perhaps not in talent. “We’ve got a good solid seven,” Phelps said. Palmdale, however, might lack a prolific long-distance shooter. Expect a lot of “penetration and dishing off,” Phelps said. “We like to get the ball up the floor, but I don’t know if we’ll be as quick this year.”

Quartz Hill

COACH: Don Moore, 23rd season

LAST SEASON: 11-13; 4th in league, 5-5

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Senior forward Gabe Higa (6-6, 195), a four-year starter, should be one of the Valley’s top offensive weapons. Higa, who has signed to attend UC Irvine next season, averaged 24 points and 11 rebounds a game and was the league’s MVP. He also shot 62% from the field and made 43 of 67 three-point shots, according to Moore. “I really encourage the three-point shot,” Moore said. “We’ve kind of played better since we put that in.” Three other starters also return. Senior forward Brent Beardmore (6-3) averaged 11 points and seven rebounds. Junior guard Chris Young (5-11) averaged 11 points and seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Danny Prince (5-11) started seven games last season. “He’s the only freshman--outside of Higa--in 37 years to start for me,” Moore said. Prince earned the starting job over senior Robin Graham (5-9), who will come off the bench this year. Junior forward Cyril Franklin (6-3), a transfer from Las Vegas, was impressive during summer league. Sixth man John De La Rosa (6-6) will be a backup inside player. Junior guard Jerry Gaines (5-10) was the MVP of last season’s league-champion junior varsity. Junior forward Denny Klein (6-3) also has been promoted from the junior varsity. Junior forward Eric Poch (6-4), who transferred last year from Texas, should see plenty of action.

OUTLOOK: Quartz Hill was 18-5 in summer competition and won the Palm Springs tournament. “We don’t know how good we really are,” Moore said. “We haven’t played anybody yet.” If Higa finds himself in double figures often enough, the Rebels will find themselves in the playoffs.

Saugus

COACH: John Clark, 7th season

LAST SEASON: 2-19; 6th in league, 1-9

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Youth abounds, painting a bright picture for the future but perhaps another dim one for the present. Eight of the Centurions’ top 10 players are juniors. “All my guys are young,” Clark said. “I have to be patient with them.” Only two starters return. Senior swingman Aaron Volpe (6-2), who averaged 10 points and three rebounds, is the squad’s only starting senior and best outside shooter. Junior center Greg Yumbar (6-5, 180), who averaged eight points and four rebounds, gained 20 pounds in the off-season and relishes the inside game. Junior guard-forward Geoff Dains (5-10), a good outside shooter, played sparingly last season. Juniors John Harris (5-10) and Jason Riggio (5-10) will start in the backcourt and fire away. “I think we’ll shoot outside more than usual,” Clark said. Junior forward Jeromy Smith was an offensive leader for the junior varsity last season. Senior forward Ben Wunderle (6-5), also up from the junior varsity, provides size off the bench. Senior forward Donovan Green (6-2), a transfer from Fremont, Calif., is a good jumper.

OUTLOOK: The Centurions may be out of diapers, but they’re not out of the woods as far as inexperience goes. “Last year, we were babies,” Clark said. “This year, we’re just a young team.” Consequently, Clark is stressing ball-control and high-percentage shooting.