SPORTS NOTEBOOK / DICK WAGNER : 49ers’ Center Grows in Muscle, Maturity; Glenn to Play for Title

The Cal State Long Beach basketball team, a group of talented players who seem fast as ever despite cumbersome-looking new black shoes, performed in an intra-squad game last Saturday afternoon.

The star with 51 points was Lucious Harris, the 6-foot-5 guard who was the Big West Conference’s freshman of the year last season.

But almost as eye-catching to the fans who filled the stands on one side of the university gym was Frankie Edwards. The 6-8 center has increased his size to blacksmith proportions since last March when the 49ers lost to the University of Hawaii in the National Invitation Tournament in Honolulu.

“He’s going to break a backboard, he’s got the arms to do it,” a spectator said after Edwards, up 25 pounds to 250, assaulted the basket with a powerful dunk.

In scoring 22 points, Edwards also displayed finesse. He hit soft half-hook shots and showed the moves he learned the last two years from Seth Greenberg, who is now the head coach.

After the scrimmage, Greenberg said Edwards and Harris are the only two players who have won starting positions.

Of Edwards, a junior whom Greenberg recruited from Millikan High School, the coach said: “He’s probably worked harder to develop his body and his game than anyone on the team. We had a strength and conditioning program over the summer, and Frankie took it like a religion.”

Edwards’ fanaticism extended beyond that program. “I hung around with my 32 cousins; they all lift weights,” said the native Samoan. “We’d lift in gyms or back yards. One of my cousins has 24-inch arms.”

Edwards, who has 19-inch arms, has expanded more than his body, and appears to be better equipped to handle the highs and lows of a long season.

“I’ve grown a lot as far as maturity,” he said, crediting time spent with Greenberg and assistant coach Matt Ruiz over the summer. “When I wasn’t playing well (last season), I’d get mad and take it out on my teammates.”

In the past, after losing the ball or making a bad pass or trying an ill-advised shot, Edwards would lose his composure and have to be benched. As a result, he played only about 16 minutes a game last season, averaging 5 points and 4 rebounds.

“We spent a lot of time with him just talking about growing up and being more mature,” Greenberg said. “You can’t coach a kid unless you really know him. You have to make him realize he’s more than just a basketball player.”

Greenberg said he anticipates Edwards’ playing 30 minutes a game and averaging between 15 and 20 points and 7 and 10 rebounds.

“He gives us a dominating presence inside, he’s our Karl Malone,” said Greenberg, referring to the star of the Utah Jazz.

Edwards doubts that he will shatter a backboard, although the thought still brightens his eyes. “I used to dream about it,” he said.

The 49ers will play an exhibition game at 7:30 p.m. Saturday against Taby, a professional team from Stockholm.

Wounded Player Gives Inspiration to Glenn

The Glenn High School football team may have an inspirational edge tonight when it plays intracity rival Norwalk for the Suburban League title in La Mirada Stadium.

Attending the game on crutches will be Robert Ernster, a senior linebacker and tight end who is recovering from gunshot wounds to his legs.

Ernster, one of the team’s three best players, was shot by three suspected gang members Oct. 19 in the parking lot of a Santa Fe Springs hotel where he and some teammates were continuing a celebration of a 13-7 victory hours earlier over La Mirada. Authorities said the players were innocent bystanders mistaken for rival gang members by the assailants

For Glenn Coach Willie Norman, it was not the first time one of his players had been shot. In May of 1989, Juan (Chaka) Enriquez, who had been a teammate of Ernster, was killed in a drive-by shooting in the barrio section of Norwalk.

“It’s a little tough when your kids get hurt out on the street,” Norman, 38, said at the school this week. “I’m tired of looking into the faces of moms and dads after something like this. I’ve done it twice now, I don’t know if I can do it again. There’s nothing you can tell them.”

But in the face of heartbreak and a roster size of only 30, the Eagles, 8-1 overall and 4-0 in the league, keep winning.

“They’re extremely dedicated,” Norman said. “They have an overall concern for the program. Our strength is togetherness.”

This is a special group for Norman, a former assistant coach at El Rancho who has coached Glenn for four seasons. The 25 seniors were freshmen when Norman was new at the Norwalk school. He is proud that, to his knowledge, none of his players is in gangs. “I like to think we offer them opportunities to do something else,” he said.

Norman said the shooting of Ernster was, at first, emotionally devastating to the team. “A lot of the kids had been there and saw it,” he said. “They were in shock. Now we’re starting to focus more on the original objective. We go see Robert every day.”

Lately, additional misfortune has befallen the team. Paseko Teo, a hard-running back and an emotional leader, is doubtful for tonight’s game because of a separated shoulder that has prevented him from playing the last two games. In a 21-20 victory over Mayfair last Friday night, Norman said: “We had to hold onto him to keep him from going in last week.”

Star back Jerry Jornadal has strained knee ligaments and could also miss the big game.

“It’s been rough the last three weeks,” Norman said. “We’re missing three all-leaguers, but we’re going to show up anyway.”

If Norwalk (7-1, 3-1) wins, the teams will have tied for the title for the second consecutive season.

If Glenn wins, the Eagles are not likely to go out celebrating as they did after beating La Mirada. “What happened has made us stay home, that’s for sure,” Norman said.

Valley Christian Coach Records 100th Victory

Mike Wunderley, football coach at Valley Christian High School, recorded his 100th victory at the Cerritos school last Friday night as the Crusaders defeated Brethren, 33-21.

“We’ve had some good years and some good kids,” said Wunderley, 44, who has a 100-39-1 record in 12 seasons at Valley Christian. He has won five Olympic League titles and a CIF championship.

Although the Crusaders (4-5) had a rare off-year this season, Wunderley said, “I’m still having a good time. I don’t envision going anyplace else, but I don’t envision doing this forever either.”

Wunderley said that one of his most valued assets has been Rich DeBie, who has been an assistant coach all 12 years.

It was homecoming last week at Valley Christian, an event that touched the coach.

“I saw kids who are now at MIT or UCLA. You can’t believe they’re college seniors now. Time just moves on down the road.”