COMMUNITY COLLEGE STATE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT : Rancho Santiago’s Hunter Turns Loss of Position Into Winning Situation

As a potential game-winning shot rolled off the rim, Rancho Santiago College forward Mike Hunter grimaced, not trying to hide his disappointment.

He had the same look a moment later, when his opponent’s shot fell and he was defeated. Hunter snatched his shirt off the floor, still upset about the outcome.

But Hunter hadn’t lost a game of any real importance, it was just a one-on-one against teammate Matt Lien before a recent practice.

“I’ve always been very competitive,” Hunter said. “I don’t like to lose, no matter how small a thing it is. That’s just the way I am.”

Hunter’s sophomore season started with a big loss--his starting position. But, now as one of the first players off the bench for the Dons, he has helped them to a 29-3 record and a place in the quarterfinals of the state tournament. Rancho Santiago plays American River at 7 o’clock tonight at UCI’s Bren Center.

Hunter came to Rancho Santiago last season from Edison High School and was in the starting lineup most of the season. He averaged 6.4 points and a team-high 5.2 rebounds a game.

Hunter remained in the starting lineup during the summer league, but in the fall he was no longer a starter.

“We asked him to make the supreme sacrifice,” Rancho Santiago Coach Dana Pagett said. “But he handled it well and worked to contribute all he can. He is a great competitor, that is his best characteristic as a player.”

Hunter was replaced in the starting lineup by Corie Blount, a 6-foot-9 forward. Lien, a 6-10 sophomore center, also moved into the lineup.

That left Hunter, 6-4, as the short man out.

“I was disappointed at first,” Hunter said. “But both guys are Division I players so I can understand it. I just wanted to do whatever I could to help. This is the best team I’ve ever been on.”

Hunter has started twice this season when teammates were ill and scored 22 and 14 points in those games, his best two totals of the season.

He finished the year averaging 6.8 points and 3.1 rebounds a game.

“I used to be on the court when the game starts and I liked that a lot,” Hunter said. “Now, I just try and fire up the guys on the bench and watch the clock. When there about 16 of 15 minutes left, I know I’m going in.”

Here’s a look at today’s quarterfinals:

Moorpark (23-10) vs. Chabot (24-7), 3 p.m.--Moorpark is led by guards Sam Crawford and Roger Thomas. Crawford set a Moorpark single-game scoring record with 49 points earlier this season. He averages 22.4 points and a state-leading 12 assists a game. Thomas averages 15 points a game.

Neither team has a starter over 6-foot-6. Chabot is led by guard Tony Asundsen who averaged 22 points and four assists a game.

El Camino (23-10) vs. West Valley (29-2), 5 p.m.--El Camino upset Santa Monica, Los Angeles City and Cypress to get to the quarterfinals. The Warriors are led by guards David Keeter (13.2 points a game) and Frank Beatty (11.3).

West Valley’s Keith Gibbs, a 6-5 swingman, averages 21 points a game and has signed to attend Loyola Marymount next season.

Rancho Santiago (29-3) vs. American River (24-12), 7 p.m.--American River has the most losses of any of the eight teams, but pulled the biggest upset of the playoffs to get here. The Beavers defeated Skyline, the top-ranked team in the state, 93-92, in overtime last Saturday.

Rancho Santiago center Matt Lien, who has signed to play at California, averages 17.8 points a game. Forward Gene Altamirano adds 15 points a game.

Imperial Valley (32-1) vs. Merced (22-10), 9 p.m.--Imperial Valley starts five sophomores and is clearly the tournament favorite. The Arabs are led by guard Phil Clark, an all-state player as a freshman, who averages 20 points. Imperial Valley center Ralph Bellamy led the team with 7.5 rebounds a game.

Guard Keith Weatherby leads Merced with 17 points a game and has made 78 three-pointers. Sophomore Malcolm Person, an all-state player last season, averages 16 points and nine rebounds a game.

Community College Notes

Tickets for each day are $6 for general admission, $4 for students. . . . Orange County will be well represented in the state all-star game Saturday at 5 p.m., prior to the 7:30 p.m. championship game. Cypress guard Vince Hizon, Fullerton forward Rashone Lewis and Golden West center Alex Kreps are among the nine players already selected to play for the the south. The south team will be coached by former Fullerton Coach Ezra Van Horn.