Thousand Oaks Boys’, Girls’ Teams Displace Traditional Powers

Traditional Ventura County basketball powerhouses were toppled this season, and both the boys’ and girls’ teams at Thousand Oaks High seized opportunities to fill the void.

After winning five Marmonte League championships in a row, the Simi Valley boys finally faltered. The result was a spirited race in a league that was stronger from top to bottom than in any recent year. Thousand Oaks and Channel Islands, teams that had fielded mediocre teams for several years, emerged as co-champions.

Both teams had one superb player surrounded by a capable supporting cast. Thousand Oaks forward Chris Loll, the Ventura County boys’ player of the year, led the Lancers to a 22-5 record, including their first quarterfinal playoff berth. Guard Stephane Brown led Channel Islands (20-6) in scoring, rebounds and assists.

For Channel Islands’ Don Salado, the Ventura County boys’ coach of the year, the championship was an ideal way to cap his 17-year career. Salado, 57, is retiring from coaching the varsity, although he said he might coach at a lower boys’ level or in the girls’ program.

The Thousand Oaks girls’ team shared the Marmonte League championship with Channel Islands and Westlake.

The Lancers performed best in the playoffs, however, winning their first Southern Section title with a victory over county powerhouse Buena in the I-A Division final.

Similar to the Thousand Oaks boys’ team in structure, the Lancer girls’ team was built around the talents of one player who led the team in scoring and rebounds. Junior guard Michelle Palmisano, the Ventura County girls’ player of the year, gave the Lancers the same type of consistent performance that Loll supplied the boys’ team.

Chuck Brown, the Ventura County girls’ coach of the year, was able to enjoy the championship for only a short time because he is currently coaching the Lancer softball team. He has never had a losing season with either team.

There was no changing of the guard in the boys’ Frontier League--Santa Clara went 8-0 to extend its league winning streak to 60. The Saints won their 12th Southern Section championship under Coach Lou Cvijanovich--the county coach of the year the past two seasons--before falling in the state Division IV final.

Ventura County teams had a down year in the Channel League as Santa Barbara and San Marcos left the rest of the league in the dust. Bishop Diego, a private school in Santa Barbara, did the same in the Tri-Valley League.

The Channel League girls’ race was a duel between cross-town rivals Buena and Ventura. They split their league matchups and shared the league championship. Rio Mesa, behind talented sophomore Marion Jones, lost to only those two teams in league play.

The Ventura girls advanced furthest in the state tournament, winning two games before losing to Brea-Olinda in the Southern regional final. Buena and Brea-Olinda were the only teams to defeat Ventura all season.

The strength of the Channel and Marmonte Leagues was not surprising: Ventura County might be the strongest area for girls’ basketball in Southern California.

And for the 1990-91 season, the strength of county basketball--boys’ and girls’--was Thousand Oaks High.

ALL-VENTURA COUNTY CAPSULES: C14

SECOND-TEAM CHARTS: C14

1991 PREP BASKETBALL ALL-STARS

GIRLS’ TEAM Coach of the year: Name: Chuck Brown School: Thousand Oaks Games: 28-4 Most valuable player: Name: Michelle Palmisano School: Thousand Oaks Year: Junior Height: 5-9 Avg.: 24.6 Name: Candis Carper School: Channel Islands Year: Senior Height: 5-11 Avg.: 14.2 Name: Cori Herman School: Ventura Year: Senior Height: 5-7 Avg.: 16.4 Name: Lianne Ishikawa School: Buena Year: Senior Height: 5-3 Avg.: 10.2 Name: Marion Jones School: Rio Mesa Year: Sophomore Height: 5-9 1/2 Avg.: 24.2 Name: Dani O’Byrne School: Westlake Year: Senior Height: 5-9 Avg.: 16.0 Name: Mia Palkie School: Buena Year: Senior Height: 5-8 Avg.: 13.7 Name: Denise Rea School: Ventura Year: Junior Height: 5-9 Avg.: 11.3 Name: Sasha Scardino School: Thousand Oaks Year: Junior Height: 5-9 Avg.: 10.3 Name: Sal Tauau School: Channel Islands Year: Senior Height: 6-0 Avg.: 22.5 BOYS’ TEAM Coach of the year: Name: Don Salado School: Channel Islands Games: 20-6 Most valuable player: Name: Chris Loll School: Thousnad Oaks Year: Senior Height: 6-5 1/2 Avg.: 25.1 Name: Stevie Amar School: Santa Clara Year: Junior Height: 6-4 Avg.: 12.6 Name: Stephane Brown School: Channel Islands Year: Senior Height: 6-2 1/2 Avg.: 21.4 Name: Jared Byrne School: Royal Year: Senior Height: 6-7 Avg.: 13.4 Name: Brian Capella School: Thousand Oaks Year: Senior Height: 6-4 Avg.: 10.1 Name: Chris Cole School: SAnta Clara Year: Junior Height: 6-4 Avg.: 9.6 Name: Lance Fay School: Buena Year: Junior Height: 6-0 Avg.: 20.7 Name: David Harbour School: Camarillo Year: Senior Height: 6-3 Avg.: 26.9 Name: Tim Sebek School: Nordhoff Year: Junior Height: 6-3 Avg.: 21.6 Name: Dave Tyner School: Royal Year: Senior Height: 6-2 Avg.: 16.2