The Players: It’s an ‘Up Year’ for Talent

On the 100th anniversary of the game of basketball, Orange County will celebrate with one of its best classes of recruits in recent years.

As the 1991-92 high school season begins, there isn’t a dominating center such as Cherokee Parks, an All-American at Marina High School last year, but Trabuco Hills exchange student Gavin Vanderputten might be Australia’s best export since Billabong.

As the season begins, there isn’t a dominating guard such as Tustin’s David Beilstein, but Mater Dei’s Reggie Geary can pack more excitement in one game than most players do in a season.

As the season begins, there isn’t a dominating forward such as Tustin’s Thomas Clayton, now at San Jose State, but few will argue that Edison’s Brandon Jessie is the county’s best player.

In what is considered an “up year” for talent in the county, here are the players who could dominate this season:

THE TOP 10

Tom Airey, Capistrano Valley, 6-1, G: Airey, a three-point specialist who has signed with Loyola Marymount, is the county’s best shooter. He averaged 15.4 points as a junior and figures to break Steve Clover’s Southern Section career mark for three-pointers this season. Airey’s only drawback is that he sometimes has problems creating shots or making them with a defender in his face.

Adam Anderson, Servite, 6-5, F: Let’s get one thing clear, Anderson isn’t 6-5 and he isn’t a forward. But he plays such a big role in Servite’s program that Coach Richard Smith lists him that way. Anderson averaged 15.2 points as a junior and earned All-Southern Section honors for the second consecutive year. He is also a winner; Servite has won a state and sectional title in two years with him in the lineup.

Jason Cunningham, Los Alamitos, 6-5, F/G: Cunningham, younger brother of Colorado football player Erik Mitchell, should come into his own this season. Cunningham averaged 17 points as a junior, but he “disappeared” in some key games. He was among the top players at the team camp this past summer at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and was among the top 15 players at Superstar Camp at UC Santa Barbara.

Jermaine Galloway, Kennedy, 6-10, C: The county’s most improved player the past two years. As a sophomore, Galloway couldn’t score going to his left. Now, he scores going to the left or right, which helped him get a scholarship at DePaul. Galloway is the school’s career scoring leader and figures to break the career rebounding mark this season. He averaged 23.5 points and 10.5 rebounds as a junior.

Reggie Geary, Mater Dei, 6-3, G: Orange County’s “Mr. Excitement,” Geary is a highlight film waiting to take the court. Fans got their introduction to Geary in Mater Dei’s 83-57 victory over Loyola in the 1990 5-A championship game in which he provided several crowd-pleasing dunks during garbage time. Geary averaged 13.4 points as a junior and was named most valuable player in the Angelus League. He has signed with Arizona.

Matt Fuerbringer, Estancia, 6-7, F/C: A good jumper with long arms, Fuerbringer plays bigger than his size in a program that seldom has size. He averaged 15.7 points and nine rebounds as the only junior on Estancia’s State Division III championship team. Look for Fuerbringer to become a more complete player with added scoring range. He has signed with Stanford on a volleyball scholarship.

Brandon Jessie, Edison, 6-5, F/G: On the prep level, Jessie dominates inside with his strength and leaping ability. A key question will be if he can adapt to playing a perimeter game as a guard in college. When last seen, Jessie took a lot of ill-advised three-point shots against Tustin in the playoffs, leaving one to wonder about his future. Jessie averaged 21.4 points and 13 rebounds as a junior.

Matt Kordik, Esperanza, 6-7, F: The best player you’ve probably never heard of. Kordik played in the shadow of teammate Joe Foss last season, but set school records for free-throw percentage (81%) and three-point field-goal percentage (43%). He averaged 15 points and nine rebounds as a junior. Kordik is being recruited by Cal State Fullerton, UC Irvine, University of San Diego and the Air Force Academy.

Terry Mann, Sunny Hills, 6-7, F: Mann was MVP in the Freeway League as a junior, averaging 14.5 points. He is equally effective as an inside or outside player and his 4.5 grade-point average makes him an attractive to college recruiters. Mann also comes from good stock; his father played for Pete Newell at Cal.

Gentry Moore, Tustin, 6-2, G: Moore’s stock rose tremendously during Tustin’s run through the playoffs. He averaged only 9.8 points as a junior, but figures to double those numbers with David Beilstein, Thomas Clayton and Brian Reider graduated. Moore will miss the first week of the season after spraining his ankle the day after he signed with Texas Christian.

THE FOREIGN IMPORT

Gavin Vanderputten, Trabuco Hills, 6-10, C: Vanderputten became the talk of the county when he arrived in Mission Viejo. Some coaches wondered if it was coincidence that Trabuco Hills Coach Rainer Wulf took a traveling team to Australia over the summer and then Vanderputten showed up at his school. Vanderputten has already gotten his share of interest from college coaches.

THE BEST OF THE REST

Aaron Aguilera, El Modena, 6-4, F: Averaged 11.4 points last season; first-team All-Century League selection.

Angel Barrios, Buena Park, 6-2, F: Averaged 15.2 points last season; he also excels in football and baseball.

Brian Boothroyd, Irvine, 6-2, G: Averaged 10 points last season; played in the shadow of last year’s standout, John Molle, who now attends San Diego State.

Bryan Chang, Huntington Beach, 6-0, G: Averaged 11 points last season; the best of three very talented guards in the Oilers’ lineup.

Darren Gravely, Laguna Beach, 5-10, G: Averaged 16.5 points last season; a gym rat who developed a three-point shot.

Jimmy Harris, Ocean View, 6-0, G: Averaged 13 points last season despite playing with a stress fracture; father coaches the team.

Jason Register, Saddleback, 6-3, G: Averaged 16.8 points last season; deft outside shooter who is also strong enough to play inside.

David Sedgwick, Capistrano Valley, 6-2, G: Averaged 5.2 points and six assists last season; could be the county’s best point guard next year.

Terence Wilborn, Mater Dei, 6-6, C: Averaged 6.2 points and seven rebounds last season; a menacing-looking figure with his shaved head.

Jared Winger, Foothill, 6-2, G: Averaged seven points last season; the ultimate “gym rat” who could become the best guard ever at Foothill.

A GOOD BET TO BECOME THIS SEASON’S SCORING CHAMP

Jacques Wright, St. Michael’s Prep, 5-11, G/F or Jon Grobler, St. Michael’s Prep, 5-9, G: Wright averaged 26.9 points last season; Grobler had a 51-point game against Heritage Christian.

AND THE BIG FISH IN THE LITTLE POND

Chris Fry, Brethren Christian, 7-0, C: Averaged 9.8 points last season; will get plenty of attention, even if it’s only in the mall.