1990 ALL--STARS : Meet the Kings and Queens of the Court : Talented Muir Trio Leads the Way

The all-star boys and girls teams, each consisting of 10 members, their coaches and parents will be guests of the Times at 9 a.m. Sunday, April 1, at the annual Times High School Basketball Awards Brunch where all-star teams from 12 circulation areas will be honored at the Anaheim Hilton. The players and coaches of the year from each area will be announced.

The teams were chosen on the basis of a poll of area coaches, who are asked to fill out ballots nominating their own players and opponents, plus the observations of college scouts and sportswriters. Each player will receive the traditional Times golden basketball plaque and award certificate.

It was a season of firsts for the girls basketball team at Muir High School in Pasadena.

The Mustangs won their first CIF Southern Section title with a 56-49 victory over Ventura in the 4-AA Division and their initial regional title with a 39-35 decision over Pt. Loma in Southern California Division II.

Muir also advanced to the state championship for the first time before falling to San Ramon Valley of Danville by a 47-44 score in the final.

So it is not the least bit surprising that the Mustangs, who finished with a 29-6 record, lead the way with three players on the 1990 Los Angeles Times All-San Gabriel Valley All-Stars.

The Mustangs, the only valley team to win a division title this season, are represented by forwards Karin Banks (5-10) and Melinda Armstrong (6-1) and guard Rose Jong (5-1).

Other team members are forward Tristin Alfred (5-10) of Walnut, center Ingrid Dixson (6-3) of West Covina, forward Kelley Figueroa (5-9) of South Hills, guard Lillian King (5-3) of Pomona, center Natalie Kramer (6-0) of San Dimas, forward Kim Rice (5-9) of Pasadena and guard Lisa Sloan (5-6) of West Covina.

Banks and Dixson are repeaters from last year’s team. All of the players are seniors.

Alfred was the most experienced player on a surprising Walnut squad, which finished with a 21-5 record and reached the second round of the 4-AA playoffs before losing to Edison.

A two-time All-Valle Vista League first team selection, Alfred averaged a team-leading 14.7 points and 10.5 rebounds. She also averaged 2.8 steals. She has been recruited by NCAA Division II and III colleges including Cal State San Bernardino.

Over the years, Muir has had its complement of tall inside players and Armstrong is no exception. A transfer from Los Alamitos High, where she was an all-league selection last season, Armstrong averaged 14 points and 7.9 rebounds and was named Pacific League co-player of the year as a senior at Muir.

Described by one opposing coach as a “Division I player,” Armstrong has been recruited by major division schools Pepperdine, San Francisco and Howard.

Banks had an outstanding junior season, when she averaged 18.7 points and 6.2 rebounds to earn All-San Gabriel Valley honors and she followed up with another solid year as a senior. In a well-balanced Muir offense, she averaged 13.5 points and 5.4 rebounds and made All-Pacific League first team for the second straight year.

Regarded by her coach as the “best athlete in the valley,” Banks was recruited by numerous Division I schools before selecting UC Santa Barbara during the early-signing period last November.

Without a doubt, the most heavily recruited player on the squad is Dixson. A dominant force underneath the basket, Dixson averaged a valley-leading 25.1 points and 18.6 rebounds after averaging 17.5 points and 11.3 rebounds as a junior.

Dixson, who led West Covina to the Sierra League title and a 20-5 record before the Bulldogs lost to Ocean View in the second round of the 5-A playoffs, has also received plenty of individual accolades. As a junior she made the All-CIF Division I squad and Times All-San Gabriel Valley.

This season she was named Sierra League most valuable player and earned all-league honors for the third straight season. A good student, selected to the National Honor Roll Society, Dixson has been recruited by top Division I schools Long Beach State, UCLA, USC and UC Berkeley.

It was one of the best seasons in recent years for South Hills, which advanced to the 3-A semifinals before suffering a 61-55 loss to Costa Mesa. The team finished at 20-5 and Figueroa supplied much of the spark.

Selected as Valle Vista League most valuable player, despite the fact that her team finished second to Walnut, Figueroa provided consistent strength inside and averaged 15.7 points and 10.9 rebounds.

Jong was dubbed by one opposing coach as “Mrs. Magic Johnson” and while that may be overstating the point, she has left her mark as one of the premier ball handlers and passers in the valley. At 5-1, she is the shortest player on the squad but caused big problems for opponents.

She was one of the valley leaders in assists with a 10.1 average and also averaged 10.1 points and 4.5 rebounds. An All-CIF Division II second team selection last season, when she averaged 10 points, Jong was selected to the All-Pacific League first team for the second season in a row.

Like Armstrong and Banks, she has also been recruited by numerous Division I and II programs such as San Francisco, UC Irvine, UC Riverside and Humboldt State.

Another one of the top floor leaders in the valley this season was King, who helped pace Pomona to a 19-6 record and the second round of the 3-AA playoffs. King was also among the CIF Southern Section’s best with an average 11.5 assists and was a solid scorer with a 22.6-point average.

An All-Montview League selection as a senior, King has been recruited by Division I schools Idaho and Cal State Northridge.

San Dimas also enjoyed an outstanding season, finishing at 17-7 and reaching the 3-A semifinals before dropping a 76-50 decision to Rancho Alamitos. Kramer, who was selected the Montview League’s most valuable player, played the biggest role in her team’s gaining a share of its fourth straight league title.

A three-time All-Montview League selection, Kramer averaged 16.4 points, 15.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists after making the All-CIF Division III team and averaging 15 points as a junior.

Rice has never been regarded as one of the top scorers in the valley but the same cannot be said about her rebounding ability. While she averaged only 9.8 points as a senior, Rice also averaged 15.9 rebounds to rank among the best in the CIF Southern Section.

That made an impression on Pacific League coaches, who voted her the league’s co-most valuable player with Muir’s Armstrong. Rice, who led Pasadena to a 21-5 record and the second round of the 5-A playoffs, has been recruited by Division I Portland State and Division II Cal State Dominguez Hills.

In a good season for point guards in the valley, Sloan certainly ranks among the best. A steady ball handler with good leadership ability, Sloan averaged 17 points and six assists for West Covina.

A two-time All-Sierra League first team selection, Sloan has been recruited by Division II schools Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State Dominguez Hills and Azusa Pacific of the National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics.

Players receiving honorable mention are Davette Williams of Walnut, Shelly Baughn of San Dimas, Jennifer Hovelsen of Los Altos, Kim Ard of South Pasadena, Anita Bilboussian and Stephanie Hall of Pasadena, Josie Pacheco of Muir, Merritt Pavichevich of San Gabriel, Stephanie Ball of Duarte, Alicia Allen and Minerva Caluag of El Monte, Andrea Rutland of Ganesha, Lisa Venegas of Charter Oak, Stacey Bateman of St. Lucy’s and Mindy Marasco of Covina.

GIRLS PREP TEAM

Name: Tristin Alfred

School: Walnut

Year: Senior

Height: 5-10

Average: 14.7

Name: Melinda Armstrong

School: Muir

Year: Senior

Height: 6-1

Average: 14.0

Name: Karin Banks

School: Muir

Year: Senior

Height: 5-10

Average: 13.5

Name: Ingrid Dixson

School: West Covina

Year: Senior

Height: 6-3

Average: 25.1

Name: Kelley Figueroa

School: South Hills

Year: Senior

Height: 5-9

Average: 15.7

Name: Rose Jong

School: Muir

Year: Senior

Height: 5-1

Average: 10.1

Name: Lillian King

School: Pomona

Year: Senior

Height: 5-3

Average: 22.6

Name: Natalie Kramer

School: San Dimas

Year: Senior

Height: 6-0

Average: 16.4

Name: Kim Rice

School: Pasadena

Year: Senior

Height: 5-9

Average: 9.8

Name: Lisa Sloan

School: West Covina

Year: Senior

Height: 5-6

Average: 17.0