PREP WRAPUP / ROB FERNAS : Former Cage Coach Art Bias to Replace Combs at Inglewood : Prep basketball: Between them, the two have coached the Sentinels for 14 straight years.

Inglewood High School recycled another basketball coach this week when it selected Art Bias to replace Vince Combs, who was fired as coach of the boys’ varsity team in February.

Bias previously coached the Sentinels from 1981-87, resigning after he objected to Principal Lawrence Freeman’s plans to hire a co-head coach.

Instead, Freeman brought back Combs, who, during his first stint as coach from 1977-80, guided Inglewood to a 71-9 record, including a 29-0 mark and a mythical national championship in 1980.

Between them, Combs and Bias have coached the Sentinels for 14 consecutive seasons.

Combs said he was one of seven candidates who were interviewed for the job by a faculty committee Wednesday. They included Crossroads Coach Dave Benezra and Inglewood junior varsity coach Patrick Roy, who was one of four Inglewood coaches sent letters of termination after the 1990 season by Freeman.

Bias, who was hired Thursday, spent the weekend in Las Vegas with his wife and was unavailable for comment.

Although Combs said his interview went well, he didn’t like his chances of being re-hired because of his off-the-court battles with Freeman.

“I didn’t think I had a chance,” he said.

An already strained relationship between Combs and Freeman grew worse last June, when the two were involved in an incident at school. Combs alleges that Freeman, during an argument over trophies for the 1989 team, closed a door on the coach’s arm, causing injuries that required medical treatment.

Combs subsequently filed a $1-million civil lawsuit against Freeman and the school district. The suit is awaiting a trial date.

Freeman, however, maintained that his decision to relieve Combs of his duties was based on the poor performance of the basketball team. Inglewood was 6-18 and placed last in the eight-team Bay League this season.

In a letter dated Feb. 28, 1990, Freeman informed Combs that “a thorough evaluation of the basketball program is needed prior to finalizing a coaching staff for the 1990-91 season.”

In 1988 and ‘89, Combs guided Inglewood to winning records and berths in the Southern Section playoffs.

Combs said he regrets not being able to coach the Sentinels next season, when they return a strong group of underclassmen who led the junior varsity team to a 23-2 record.

“If I ever wanted to coach a group of young men, this is it,” he said. “There is a special chemistry there that even the (Harold) Miner-led teams didn’t have. They are going to have a tremendous team.”

Combs, though, said he isn’t bitter.

“I still plan to teach at Inglewood and be part of the Inglewood community,” he said. “But I’m certainly going to look (for a coaching job). I can always teach at Inglewood and coach somewhere else. It’s something I like to do.”

First place in the Ocean League softball race will be decided this week when South Torrance and West Torrance (both 9-0) meet in a two-game series Monday and Friday.

West pitcher Rosa Olloque (9-0) hurled her fifth shutout in the last six games Friday in a 4-0 victory over Morningside. The senior right-hander, who entered the game with an 0.24 ERA, has given up only three earned runs this season.

South is led by junior shortstop Gillian Boxx, one of the area’s premier hitters. She homered and drove in three runs Friday in a 14-0 win over Culver City.

West Torrance’s baseball team lost its top player for the season Wednesday when shortstop Dana Cowing suffered a broken jaw in a collision with a teammate during an Ocean League game with Centennial at West.

Cowing, who was batting .333 and led the Warriors in walks and stolen bases, and center fielder Paul Myro ran into each other chasing a fly ball with two outs in the seventh inning. The game was suspended at that point, with Centennial leading 4-0.

Cowing underwent surgery Thursday at Little Company of Mary Hospital in Torrance. He had a steel plate implanted and his jaw was wired shut.

The Warriors (7-12 overall, 5-5 in league play) rebounded from the setback Friday by routing winless Morningside, 20-0.

Morningside basketball standout Tyrone Paul, The Times South Bay Player of the Year, scored 740 on his second attempt at the Scholastic Aptitude Test, making him eligible to play as a freshman at Clemson.