TONIGHT’S PREP BASKETBALL : Servite Hopes to Forget Past Against Mater Dei

Servite High School basketball Coach Richard Smith tries to deny it, but eight years of suffering is not easily forgotten. That’s how long it has been since the Friars have beaten Mater Dei.

The two teams renew the rivalry at 7:30 tonight at Cypress College in the Angelus League opener. At one time, this was the most competitive rivalry in Orange County. But that was before Gary McKnight arrived at Mater Dei for the 1982-83 season.

It has been all Monarchs since.

The streak, which began in 1983, spans 16 games now. There have been some close games (the Monarchs squeaked out two-point victories in 1983 and ‘87), but Mater Dei has dominated most games.

“We haven’t talked about the streak, we’re just looking at this as being our first league game,” said Smith, a second-year coach. “We’ve been building for league all season. I mean, we could have opened league against any of five teams. It just happens to be against Mater Dei.”

Still, Smith can’t get away from the tradition.

“Of course, it is still Mater Dei and Servite, so it’s going to be war,” he said.

And, for the first time in years, the Friars may have enough weapons to have a realistic chance at winning.

The game marks the first time in county history that two defending state champions have played. Mater Dei won the Division I title and Servite the Division III championship a year ago.

Both teams have continued that success.

Servite was 10-4 during the preseason. The Friars are led by 6-foot-4 forward Adam Anderson, the only starter returning from last season.

The Friars start four juniors, including two returnees from last season’s team. Dan Coady, a 6-6 center, and Eddie Rubio, a 6-2 guard, played some last year.

The Monarchs (10-3) also are young and do not have a returning starter.

McKnight, whose teams are 80-2 in Angelus League play, has plenty of talent, starting with guards Reggie Geary (6-2) and J.J. Ballesteros (6-1). However, it has been the play of sophomore Terence Wilborn that has helped solidify the team.

“We’re still awfully young and we’ve been inconsistent,” McKnight said. “I never know which team will show up.”

As for the streak, which he began and has maintained, McKnight also downplays its significance.

“Any kind of streak gets tougher and tougher to maintain,” he said. “Servite is a quality team. We’ve been fortunate over the years.”

All eight of them.

In another key game tonight:

Los Alamitos (9-6) at Esperanza (11-5): The Empire League co-favorites play in the opener. Los Alamitos has played one of the toughest nonleague schedules in the county and has beaten Mater Dei and Long Beach Jordan. Junior forward Jason Cunningham averages 16.4 points per game.

Joe Foss, Esperanza’s leading scorer, sprained his ankle in a tournament in Rockford, Ill., last week and missed Wednesday night’s game against El Modena. Center Matt Kordik broke his nose in that tournament but has received a doctor’s release to play.