NOTEBOOK : Balance Helps Ribet Academy to State Title

The Ribet Academy boys’ basketball team fulfilled its own preseason expectations by winning the Division V state championship.

The Fighting Frogs finished the season 32-2 after defeating University High of San Francisco, 70-65, Friday at the Oakland Coliseum Arena.

Ribet won the championship game without senior point guard Jrmirol Duncan, who injured his right knee in the Southern regional final against Rio Hondo Prep.

“I told the team that we could not replace a player like (Duncan), but everyone could do what they do best and we’ll win,” Ribet Coach Michael Miller told the Times’ Lonnie White.

Sophomore Andre English scored 23 points and had eight rebounds for Ribet. Travis Smith added 19 points and Chris Maxwell and Jaiquin Moore each scored 11 points for the Fighting Frogs.

Shooting stars: Thirteen high school seniors from the Glendale area will participate Saturday in the West San Gabriel Valley All-Star boys’ and girls’ basketball games at La Canada High.

Six boys and seven girls were selected to take part for the West teams in the games, which feature players chosen from among 31 schools.

La Canada point guard Jason Berns, the school’s all-time assist leader, has been added to the boys’ West roster, replacing Ribet Academy’s Jrmirol Duncan, who is injured.

Other West team boys’ players include: Jeff Lord and Sean Whiting of La Canada; Brad Haines of Crescenta Valley; Chris Maxwell of Ribet Academy; and Kyle Barrett of St. Francis.

The girls’ West team includes: Berlyn Cosman of Crescenta Valley; Tracy Purdy of La Canada; Debbie Nilsen and Meghan Smith of Flintridge Sacred Heart; Karen Pearson and Allison Triarsi of Flintridge Prep; and Kate Stoll of Ribet Academy.

John Goffredo of Crescenta Valley will coach the boys’ West team.

The girls’ game starts at 6:30 p.m. and the boys’ game begins at 8:30.

The Shootist: La Crescenta resident Don Nygord is among 450 participants competing this week in the 1991 World Cup USA shooting competition at Prado Tiro in Chino.

The international competition features participants from 47 countries, including Vladimir Sokolov of the Soviet Union, who is the world record-holder and 1990 world champion in the skeet event.

Nygord is competing in the pistol events.