No.1 Rancho Santiago Lives Up to Coach’s Billing

Before the season, Dana Pagett, men’s basketball coach at Rancho Santiago College, figured he would have a good team.

Pagett, normally reserved about his team’s chances of success, wasn’t so hesitant this time. He simply said this could be his best team.

So far, the Dons have done little to undermine their coach’s expectations.

Rancho Santiago is 11-0 and the top-ranked team in the state coaches’ poll. It’s the first time in Pagett’s eight seasons that the Dons have been ranked at the top of the state poll.

“Like any coach, I would like to be No. 1 at the end of the season instead of now,” Pagett said. “But it’s a nice honor because it means others recognize and respect your program enough to rank it that high.”

Rancho Santiago has been led by sophomore Matt Lien.

Lien, a 6-foot-10 center, already has signed to attend California next fall. He leads the Dons in scoring with an average of 19.4 points and he’s averaging 6.2 rebounds a game. Lien also is shooting 57% from the field and 80% from the free-throw line.

Rancho Santiago has only two others--forwards Corie Blount and Gene Altamirano--averaging in doubles figures. Both are at 13.8 points a game.

Rancho Santiago normally plays at least 10 people in a game, so it’s hard for anyone to build up individual statistics.

The Pasadena tournament this week will be the Dons’ toughest test so far this season. They will play Ventura (12-3), ranked 12th in the state, at 5 p.m. today in the first round. Rancho Santiago could face El Camino in the second round. The Warriors, who won the state title two seasons ago, are 9-1 and ranked fourth in the state.

“It’s a good time to talk to me about being ranked No. 1,” Pagett said, jokingly. “After this week, we might not be.”

What about the others: Rancho Santiago isn’t the only program off to a good start. Cypress is 8-1, Orange Coast 10-2, Golden West 8-4 and Fullerton 6-4.

Riverside (5-6) and Saddleback (3-7) are the only two Orange Empire Conference teams under .500.

Although the conference season doesn’t start until Jan. 3, the coaches already are realizing they have difficult tasks ahead.

“We’ve been off to this kind of start before,” Orange Coast Coach Tandy Gillis said. “The conference is just so darn tough, each game takes a lot out of your team.”

Orange Coast was 15-4 going into conference play last season, only to finish 5-7 and tied for third.

Golden West and Fullerton each had 15 victories as well before conference play last year, and also finished 5-7 in the conference.

Wrestling: Five local wrestlers earned All-American status last weekend at the state championships in Fresno. The top four finishers in each weight class receive All-American honors.

Sam Lopez finished third at 118 pounds, Doug Haring was fourth at 142 and Greg Monteith was fourth at 167 pounds for Cypress.

Pat Kinney was fourth at 126, and Ryan Owings was fourth at 158 pounds for Rancho Santiago.

Community College Notes

Fullerton running back Jeff Andrews was voted his team’s most valuable player on offense and linebacker Mahe Liavaa was the Hornets’ most valuable defensive player. Liavaa and Rancho Santiago linebacker Fred Soares were selected the most valuable defensive players in the Central Division of the Mission Conference. . . . Scott Wood, Rancho Santiago quarterback, was voted his team’s player of the year.