Southern Section Basketball Capsules : TRI-VALLEY LEAGUE

Moorpark

COACH: Tim Bednar, 2nd season

LAST SEASON: 14-10; 2nd in league, 7-3

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Jodie Kitt (6-foot-3), who averaged 10.5 points and 6.7 rebounds a game as a sophomore last season, moved to Georgia, but Moorpark has benefited from the transfer of two other players. Junior Rob Salone (6-1) transferred from Alemany and Marcus James (5-7) moved from Indiana. Salone, a junior, played football at Alemany last year but sat out the basketball season. “Salone is a good jumper and can post people,” Bednar said. “He’s a complete player, and James has an outside shot.” Forward-guard Kim Kira (6-1) and guard Ryan Huisenga (5-11) return and forward Lupe Solano (6-1) complete the starting five. Bednar plans to employ a full-court zone defense and a spread offense. “We will try to pressure people.”

OUTLOOK: Defending league champion Bishop Diego is the favorite, according to Bednar, “But I look at the five guys we have coming off the bench and the five basketball players on the court and I think we’ll be in the thick of the race.”

Oak Park

COACH: Nate Sims, 1st season

LAST SEASON: 8-15; 6th in league, 3-7

PLAYERS TO WATCH: The success of the football team has put hardships on the development of the basketball team. Chris Kelly (6-1), Zach Siciliano (6-1) and Tarik Smith (6-0) played on the football team, which advanced to the Division IX semifinals, and only began practice with the basketball team this week. Dave Shaw (5-11) is the lone returnee on a team that features no player taller than 6-2. Sims calls Damian Delfino (6-0) the best outside shooter, but he said that everybody will have to score to make up for the lack of height. “We’ll run the passing game with strong aggressive motion,” Sims said. Joey Ryan (5-10), Eric Pryor (5-11) and Mike Chang (5-9) also should play a lot.

OUTLOOK: “I’d like to say that we should (be either) first or second in league,” Sims said. “We’re going to play a very tough preseason and that should help us down the line.”

St. Bonaventure

COACH: Marc Groff, 8th season

LAST SEASON: 9-13; 3rd in league, 4-6

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Youth and inexperience abound on a team that has one senior and includes two sophomores and a freshman. Forward Todd Tushla (6-1), the lone senior and returning letterman, averaged 7.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in limited action last season. Junior Max Romero (6-1) will be the other forward and sophomore John McNamara (6-2) will be at center. Juniors Jeff Wright (6-0) and Gary Hubbard (6-0) will be at guard. Wright and Tushla are the team’s three-point shot specialists. Peter Houston (6-0), quarterback for the football team, will be given significant playing time off the bench. “We’re going to try to mix it up and play pressure, full-court man defense,” Groff said, “but we’re going to be controlled and run a set offense.”

OUTLOOK: St. Bonaventure has qualified for the playoffs five years in a row and Groff believes the team is capable of continuing the streak. “We’re a young team and virtually inexperienced,” he said. “Realistically, we’ll be shooting for third behind Carpinteria and Bishop Diego.”