SOUTHERN SECTION BASKETBALL CAPSULES : MISSION LEAGUE

Alemany COACH: Kurt Keller, 1st season LAST SEASON: 9-16; 4th in Del Rey League, 2-6 PLAYERS TO WATCH: Three players return, two of whom were last year’s leading scorers. Coach Keller is hoping that junior forward Richard Dice (6-foot-1), who averaged 14.1 points a game, and senior point guard Will Burr (5-11), who averaged 13.1 points, again will ignite the Indians’ offense. Senior Steve Piszon (6-2) and sophomore Doug Tait (6-3) will team with Dice to provide strength for the inside game. Senior Ray Awad (5-10), whom Keller calls a streak shooter, will start at guard. Tom Engler (6-2) will fill in at forward as the sixth man. Keller believes the strength of the team will be its perimeter shooting. Guards Chris Bello (5-6), a sophomore, and senior Wrangell Melendres (5-7), will be counted on to put points on the board. OUTLOOK: “We have a rough preseason schedule,” Keller said. “If we can stay competitive through the preseason and pull out one or two wins it will give us the morale we will need going into league.” Crespi COACH: Chris Nikchevich, 1st season LAST SEASON: 11-12; 2nd in Del Rey League, 5-3 PLAYERS TO WATCH: The Paul Westhead-type offense will make its debut in the Mission League this year when the Celts take the court under Nikchevich, who played for Westhead at Loyola Marymount in 1987. The Celts will be nine-deep in a rotation led by senior center Rasaan Hall (6-4), who averaged 17.7 points last season. Hall and senior guard John Curtain (6-1) are the team’s only returning starters. Junior Randy Coleman (6-6 1/2) will start at small forward and Matt Carpenter (6-7) will start at strong forward. Guards Shelby Williams (6-2), Jeff Luderer (6-1), and Charles Haghajanian (6-0) all figure into Nikchevich’s fast-paced, high-velocity game plan. Junior Robby Leff (6-2) will be given a lot of playing time, as will senior guards Joe Erlinger (6-1) and Brett McGovern (6-2). OUTLOOK: If the Celts can adapt quickly to the new offense, Nikchevich may have a winner in his first year as coach. The fast pace is an abrupt departure from the team’s patient offense under former Coach Paul Muff. “This is Westhead philosophy and it’s mine too,” Nikchevich said. “We have to stay focused and stick to the system.” Notre Dame COACH: Mick Cady, 4th season LAST SEASON: 15-11; 2nd in San Fernando Valley League, 7-3 PLAYERS TO WATCH: Notre Dame is the favorite to win the league title. All five starters return for the Knights, who lost just two players to graduation. Experience and height should make Notre Dame the team to beat. G.C. Marcaccini (6-4), a guard who averaged 17.5 points last season, and forward Bob DaCorsi (6-4), who averaged 15.5 points, seven rebounds, and 5.4 assists, are back for a final season. Senior Marcello Anderson-Tellez (6-3) will start at forward and provide inside scoring. Senior center Steve Colella (6-5) and point guard Kirk Miller (5-11) round out the starting five. Cady is confident that the Knights can go eight deep, and helping to do that will be guards Damon Germanides (6-0), Phil Pentak (6-0) and sophomore Monty Marcaccini (6-4), G.C.’s younger brother. OUTLOOK: Cady thinks the competition will be tougher this season after being moved from the San Fernando Valley League, in which the Knights won two games by more than 50 points. “If we are able to play at a higher level than last year, we will do all right,” Cady said. Chaminade COACH: Rob Kurowski, 1st season LAST SEASON: 14-11; 3rd in San Fernando Valley League, 6-4 PLAYERS TO WATCH: The Eagles have three returning starters. Kurowski is looking to senior forward Mark Wiltshire (6-3) and senior guard Kent Cote (6-2) to score points from three-point range. Junior point guard Richard Fei (6-2) engineers the offense. Junior Ted Corcoran (6-2) will start at center and senior forward Matt Hovet (6-2) rounds out the starting five. Robert Holland (6-3) will see a lot of playing time at forward, as will Travis Hall (6-3). Juniors Greg Webb (6-2) and Matt Ansoorian (5-8) and sophomore Justin Giovannettone (5-8) also figure into Kurowski’s 10-deep game plan. OUTLOOK: Kurowski has been coaching these players at lower levels for the past three years. Now in his first varsity assignment, Kurowski has his work cut out for him. “With this new league, I just hope we can rebound inside against these big guys,” he said. “If we can do that, we’ll do all right.”