VALLEY AREA : Los Angeles Times : 1990 ALL-STARS : Jones Towered Above the Opposition When It Mattered Most

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.

The low point for Dana Jones, North Hollywood High’s senior center, came Jan. 17 at the Grant High gymnasium.

The area’s top inside player scored all of six points against rival Grant in a 48-46 loss as the Huskies fell to the less-talented Lancers for the second time in the season.

Every time the 6-foot-6 Jones touched the ball, at least three Grant players--all of whom stood at least three inches shorter--collapsed on him.

The frustrating defeat typified the North Hollywood season to that point. The Huskies dominated lesser opponents but fell short in big games.

Two weeks after the Grant loss, the Huskies suffered another indignity--a 65-55 overtime loss to Reseda that forced North Hollywood to share the Mid-Valley League title with the Regents.

As the regular season concluded, Jones took a hard look at his season and liked little of what he saw. His numbers were impressive but unspectacular.

He ranked among Valley leaders in scoring and rebounding and led area players in blocked shots, but he knew his performance had jeopardized his preseason goal of winning City Section Player of the Year honors in the 3-A Division.

“I had a good season but I needed a big effort in the playoffs to win it,” he said last week. “I felt I needed to dominate every game in the playoffs.

“Instead of laying back like I did sometimes in the season, I went out and attacked.”

The effort paid off for both North Hollywood and Jones. The Huskies won the 3-A Division title, the school’s first in basketball, and Jones earned the player-of-the-year award that he so coveted.

The Huskies avenged the two losses to Grant with an 85-69 win over the Lancers in the semifinals, then Jones all but clinched the player-of-the-year award with a 29-point, 29-rebound performance in a 76-71 upset of Fremont in the final at the Sports Arena.

North Hollywood’s playoff run ranked as the highlight of the boys’ basketball season in the area, and, fittingly, Jones has been selected to The Times’ All-Valley basketball team. He averaged 20.2 points, 14.9 rebounds and 5.4 blocked shots for the Huskies (24-4).

Ten players form an all-senior group from the 42 schools that field basketball teams in the area.

Cleveland was The Times’ top-ranked team in the area and reached the semifinals of the City 4-A playoffs. The Cavaliers (21-6) placed two players--Eddie Hill and Bobby McRae--on the All-Valley team.

The girls’ 10-player team features two representatives each from Hart and Van Nuys. Hart won its second consecutive Southern Section 5-A title behind the play of senior center Sara Wilson and sophomore point guard Anjanette Dionne.

Still, the high drama of the season was centered in North Hollywood.

Although much of the team’s success hinged on the play of Jones and his inspired performances in the playoffs, the real turning point might have come after an emotional team meeting just before the postseason tournament.

Coach Steve Miller, whose Fairfax teams won City titles in 1978 and 1979, subjected the team to two hours of psychological catharsis. He vented his frustrations about selfish play. The players, in turn, lashed out at each other and the coach.

“The whole thing changed after that,” Miller said. “Since then, our whole focus was tremendous.”

As was the play of Jones.

First-team players, their coaches and parents are invited to The Times’ basketball awards brunch, scheduled for 9 a.m. Sunday at the Anaheim Hilton. Winners of awards for coach of the year and player of the year will be announced.

PLAYER PROFILES

Garret Anderson: Kennedy’s top scorer led all Valley City Section players with a 23.1 average. The senior guard, who shared the North Valley League MVP award with Cleveland’s Bobby McRae, is no stranger to the All-Valley team. Last year, he helped Kennedy to the City 4-A Division baseball title and was an All-Valley outfielder.

Russell Baldwin: The West Valley League MVP specialized in buzzer beaters for San Fernando. He beat Kennedy in the final moments of a Northwest Valley Conference game and then moved the Tigers into the City 3-A semifinals when his follow of Michael Wynn’s miss beat Reseda at the buzzer. Baldwin also was named to the All-City 3-A team.

Jermoine Brantley: Granada Hills’ point guard was arguably the area’s top backcourt player. He averaged 20.2 points and led City players in the Valley with an average of 9.0 assists. The Highlanders finished a game behind Cleveland in the North Valley League, but Brantley led Granada Hills to an upset of top-ranked Cleveland. Brantley has narrowed his college choices to Cal State L. A. and Cal State Long Beach.

Marnie Calderon: After years of languishing at the bottom of the Foothill League standings, Burroughs won back-to-back titles behind the scrappy leadership of Calderon. The senior point guard averaged 13.9 points and 4.6 assists this season and was named the league MVP. An honors student, Calderon plans to study engineering in college, probably at the Coast Guard Academy.

Gabe Higa: The area’s third-leading scorer with a 23.2 average, Higa leaves Quartz Hill as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,486 points. The senior forward also is the second-leading triple jumper in the state and ranks 10th in the nation with a personal best of 48 feet 9 1/4 inches. He has signed to play basketball at UC Irvine.

Eddie Hill: Cleveland’s leading scorer with a 16.3 average will take his strong perimeter game to Washington State next season. In Cleveland’s 91-90 overtime loss to Crenshaw in a City 4-A semifinal at the Sports Arena, he scored 12 of his team-high 24 points in the fourth quarter and made eight consecutive shots from the field in the second half.

Dana Jones: After a solid but unspectacular regular season, Jones emerged in the playoffs as perhaps the area’s top player. Jones, a repeat selection from ‘89, led North Hollywood to the City 3-A title with a 29-point, 29-rebound effort against Fremont. The senior center, who has signed with Pepperdine, was the City 3-A Player of the Year.

Bobby McRae: North Valley League coaches were not fooled by McRae’s modest scoring statistics. Despite a 9.3 average, he shared the league MVP award with Anderson. He was Cleveland’s top inside defensive player and also was named MVP of the Hart tournament. After a late start in the spring, the 6-5 right-hander pitched a two-hitter in his baseball debut last week.

Rick Osterloh: The Saracens’ leading scorer this season leaves Harvard as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 996 points. Still, basketball might be his second-best sport. He is a middle blocker for Harvard’s volleyball team, whose winning streak in league play has topped 50. Stanford, UCLA and UC Santa Barbara head Osterloh’s list of college preferences.

Chris Walters: The area’s seventh-leading scorer with a 21.4 average, Walters led Antelope Valley to its second consecutive Golden League title and was named the league MVP. A solid student, he already has signed a letter to attend Texas El Paso.

GIRLS

Karee Bonde: The senior guard led Palmdale to a Golden League title and seems a cinch to repeat as an All-Southern Section selection. She averaged 15.5 points and five rebounds and made 79% of her free throws. Her college preferences include Cal State Dominguez Hills and Azusa Pacific.

Rachel Corelli: Although Corelli played basketball for the first time this season, Alemany’s sophomore guard was named the San Fernando Valley League MVP. She played on the varsity soccer team as a freshman, but after leading the Indians to their third consecutive league basketball title, she will be a fixture on the team the next two seasons.

Anjanette Dionne: Hart won its second consecutive Southern Section 5-A Division title as Dionne emerged as the area’s top backcourt player. She averaged 23.3 points and 5.0 assists and shared the Foothill League MVP award with teammate Sara Wilson.

Kim Fischer: In her third season as a Notre Dame guard, Fischer was named the team MVP after averaging 12.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists. When she graduates this spring, Notre Dame will lose one if its most versatile athletes. She also has lettered in softball, track and volleyball.

Jana Kovar: The junior forward averaged 13.1 points, 14.4 rebounds and 2.8 steals to lead Village Christian to a share of the Alpha League title. She is a three-year starter and has earned the team MVP award three times. Kovar also excels at softball and volleyball.

Falicia Stanley: Kennedy’s leading scorer is the only repeat selection from 1989 besides Hart’s Wilson. Stanley, a senior guard, averaged 21.2 points and 9.8 rebounds and helped Kennedy extend its league winning streak to 136 games spanning 12 seasons.

Jacinda Sweet: North Hollywood’s off-guard averaged 23.1 points and 10.9 rebounds and set a school single-season record with 445 points. She was an All-City 4-A selection, and Coach Rich Allen says that college recruiters have tabbed her as one of the top juniors in Southern California.

Huong Thai: The shortest player on the All-Valley team at 4-11, Thai played a key role in Van Nuys’ drive to the City 4-A title game at the Sports Arena, where the Wolves lost to Washington. She averaged 7.9 points and 10 assists.

Stacie Toon: The Mid-Valley League MVP formed a solid inside-outside threat with Thai. Toon, a senior center, averaged 19.4 points and 15.0 rebounds and led Van Nuys to a league title with a 10-0 record. Cal State Northridge ranks among her college preferences.

Sara Wilson: The Times’ Valley Player of the Year a year ago entered her senior season as an All-American and did nothing to tarnish that honor. She averaged 18.0 points and 11.3 rebounds, and, with Dionne, gave Hart the area’s best one-two punch. Wilson already has signed with Oregon.

VALLEY All-STARS

BOYS PREP TEAM Name: Garret Anderson School: Kennedy Year: Senior Height: 6-3 Average: 23.1 Name: Russell Baldwin School: San Fernando Year: Senior Height: 6-5 Average: 18.7 Name: Jermoine Brantley School: Granada Hills Year: Senior Height: 5-11 Average: 20.2 Name: Marnie Calderon School: Burroughs Year: Senior Height: 5-9 Average: 13.9 Name: Gabe Higa School: Quartz Hill Year: Senior Height: 6-6 Average: 23.2 Name: Eddie Hill School: Cleveland Year: Senior Height: 6-1 Average: 16.3 Name: Dana Jones School: North Hollywood Year: Senior Height: 6-6 Average: 20.4 Name: Bobby McRae School: Cleveland Year: Senior Height: 6-5 Average: 9.3 Name: Rick Osterloh School: Harvard Year: Senior Height: 6-4 Average: 20.6 Name: Chris Walters School: Antelope Valley Year: Senior Height: 6-2 Average: 21.4 VALLEY ALL-STARS GIRLS PREP TEAM Name: Karee Bonde School: Palmdale Year: Senior Height: 5-8 Average: 15.5 Name: Rachel Corelli School: Alemany Year: Sophomore Height: 5-4 Average: 11.7 Name: Anjanette Dionne School: Hart Year: Sophomore Height: 5-7 Average: 23.3 Name: Kim Fischer School: Notre Dame Year: Senior Height: 5-9 Average: 12.0 Name: Jana Kovar School: Village Christian Year: Junior Height: 5-10 Average: 13.1 Name: Falicia Stanley School: Kennedy Year: Senior Height: 5-6 Average: 21.2 Name: Jacinda Sweet School: North Hollywood Year: Junior Height: 5-8 Average: 23.1 Name: Huong Thai School: Van Nuys Year: Junior Height: 4-11 Average: 7.9 Name: Stacie Toon School: Van Nuys Year: Senior Height: 6-0 Average: 19.4 Name: Sara Wilson School: Hart Year: Senior Height: 6-3 Average: 18.0 ALL-VALLEY SECOND TEAMS

Boys

Pos Name School Ht Yr Avg G Alex Estrada Faith Baptist 5-7 So. 19.8 C Jason Deyoe Taft 6-8 Sr. 15.8 C Aaron Lattimore Granada Hills 6-4 Sr. 14.4 F Brandon Martin Cleveland 6-4 So. 12.4 G Sean Martin Agoura 6-0 Jr. 21.6 F Jermaine Nixon Canyon 6-3 Jr. 13.5 G Micah Ohlman Hart 6-4 Sr. 18.6 G Marcus Reed Canoga Park 5-10 Sr. 20.1 G Keith Weinstein Grant 6-1 Sr. 16.4 F Marquis Wilborn Reseda 6-3 Sr. 15.4

Girls

Pos Name School Ht Yr Avg F Karleen Cox L.A. Baptist 5-9 Jr. 14.8 C Kristie Flukers San Fernando 5-9 Sr. 10.0 G Denisha Jordan Reseda 5-6 Sr. 16.3 G Feltina Means Van Nuys 5-3 Sr. 14.6 G Katina Means Sylmar 5-9 Sr. 20.6 C Paula Page Quartz Hill 6-0 Sr. 18.4 G Qina Shigematsu Alemany 5-3 Sr. 8.7 G Suzi Shimoyama N. Hollywood 5-8 So. 13.1 C Shenia Smith Grant 5-10 Jr. 12.0 F Soo Yoon Canoga Park 5-10 Jr. 17.0