PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE : Estancia Has Talent to Storm New Foes

Don’t expect any welcoming committees to greet Estancia High School to the Pacific Coast League boys’ basketball season.

With four starters returning from last season’s Southern Section 3-AA championship team, the Eagles are top-ranked in Orange County and a unanimous choice among the league coaches to win the Pacific Coast title. The Eagles won seven of their first eight games and the Laguna Beach tournament championship.

This is Estancia’s first year in the Pacific Coast League, moving over from the Sea View League after last season. Estancia and Century replace Woodbridge, now in the Sea View, and Orange, which is in the Century League.

Even Estancia Coach Tim O’Brien picked his team to win the league.

“We were picked (preseason) No. 1 in the county and I thought that was a little high for us. In the league I can see us having an edge, based on who’s returning for us and what everyone else has.

“I don’t think this league will be as tough as the Sea View League. That’s not to put down the Pacific Coast, but I think the Sea View League is one of the best leagues in Orange County.”

A closer look at the league:

CENTURY Coach: Greg Coombs (second year). 1989-90 record: 24-1 (junior varsity schedule; first year as a varsity team). Returning lettermen: None. Top returnees: Rudy Alvarez (G, 5-10, Jr.); George Barragan (G, 5-9, Jr.); Damien Hamler (F, 6-1, Jr.); Thomas Harmon (F, 6-3, Fr.); Chris Lopez (F, 6-0 Jr.); Tom Reimers (F, 6-0, Jr.); Darvin Thompson (F, 6-2, Soph.); Jason Welty (C, 6-5, Sr.). Outlook: Coombs summarizes his team’s weaknesses in two sentences: “No seniors. No varsity experience.” Century, in its second year of basketball, joins Estancia as the new additions to the league. And unlike Estancia, this newcomer will take some lumps with an underclassman lineup. Although he’s pleased with his team’s progress, Coombs figures the Centurions will do no better than fourth place in the league. “We want to establish a good foundation for the future,” he said. COSTA MESA Coach: Dean Cooper (third year). 1989-90 record: 2-20, 0-10 in league. Returning lettermen: Four. Returning starters: Three. Top returnees: Joel Harding (F, 6-2, Jr.); Lam Luu (G, 5-8, Soph.); Harry Noonan (G, 5-11, Sr.); Jeff Pickens (C, 6-4, Jr.). Top newcomers: Robert Bosic (C, 6-7, Sr.); Bill Brown (F, 6-3, Jr.); Mike DeGrazio (F, 6-3, Jr.). Outlook: Things can’t get much worse at Costa Mesa. The Mustangs are 6-37 in the past two seasons, including 2-18 in league. Harding, Luu and Pickens are young, but they should give the Mustangs a solid nucleus. The Mustangs have struggled early in the season, losing to Newport Harbor, 81-42. ESTANCIA Coach: Tim O’Brien (third year). 1989-90 record: 21-10, 6-4 in Sea View League. Returning lettermen: Six. Returning starters: Four. Top returnees: Matt Fuerbringer (F, 6-6, Jr.); Mike Haas (G, 6-1, Sr.); Torrey Hammond (F, 6-6, Sr.); Paul McDaniels (G, 6-1, Sr.). Top newcomers: Dave DeCarlo (F, 6-2, Sr.); Tim Leonard (G, 5-11, Sr.); Tim Pieper (G, 5-11, Sr.); Chris Tafolla (F, 6-2, Sr.). Outlook: Fuerbringer established himself as one of the county’s top young front court players during last year’s playoffs. The Eagles’ only question is at guard, where Haas and McDaniels must make up for the loss of Agustin Heredia, last season’s team leader. Heredia is now a starter at Orange Coast College. LAGUNA BEACH Coach: Bret Fleming (first year). 1989-90 record: 23-7, 8-2 in league. Returning lettermen: Three. Returning starters: One. Top returnees: Josh Borella (G, 6-0, Sr.); Darren Gravely (G, 5-10, Jr.); Tom Ravensburg (G, 5-10, Jr.). Top newcomers: Eric Fegraus (G, 6-0, Jr.); Trigg Garner (F, 6-2, Soph.); Tim McGoey (G, 5-11, Sr.); Tom Nudd (F, 6-4, Jr.). Outlook: The Artists lost four starters, including center Dain Blanton, from last year’s Southern Section 2-A finalist. But they return one of the best guards in the county in Borella. The Artists’ biggest weakness is in the front court, where it will be difficult to replace Blanton’s rebounding. Fleming, an assistant who replaced Ed Bowen as head coach last spring, picked his team to finish last in the league. Why? “Because I’m a pessimist,” he said. LAGUNA HILLS Coach: Dave Brown (second year). 1989-90 record: 9-14, 4-6 in league. Returning lettermen: Four. Returning starters: Two. Top returnees: Jon Colton (F, 6-6, Jr.); Brian Matsen (G, 6-3, Sr.). Top newcomers: Matt Davis (F, 6-4, Jr.); Mike Lugo (G, 6-1, Sr.); Justin Ross (G, 6-3, Sr.). Outlook: Brown expects much improvement over last season’s fourth-place league finish. Matsen, who was slowed with injuries last season, is back in top form. The Hawks also will get some help from transfers Lugo (from Santa Fe High School) and Ross (St. Monica). TRABUCO HILLS Coach: Rainer Wulf (third year). 1989-90 record: 17-9, 10-0 in league. Returning lettermen: Two. Returning starters: None.Top returnees: Ron Christ (C, 6-5, Sr.); Joe Murphy (G, 5-11, Sr.). Top newcomers: Pat Barnes (F, 6-4, Soph.); Jeff Beckley (F, 6-4, Soph.); Scott DuPar (C, 6-5, Sr.); Brent Kaull (C, 6-7, Soph.); Brett Poulos (G, 5-4, Soph.). Outlook: The key number for the Mustangs is zero. That’s the number of returning starters from last year’s team that went undefeated in league. The Mustangs lose double-figure scorers Beau Hossler, Randy Kriech and Tim Manning. Christ and Murphy are the only returnees with any significant varsity playing time. “We have a tough preseason schedule, and I hope it will help us gain some experience to contend in the league,” Wulf said.