The Teams: Mater Dei’s Young Talent Ranks Above Rest

The championship banners that hang in Mater Dei High School’s gymnasium are a testimony to the success of the basketball program.

Seven Southern Section titles, including four consecutive championships from 1985-88. State titles in 1987 and 1990. Nine Angelus League championships in 10 seasons.

Winning is almost taken for granted under Coach Gary McKnight. Mater Dei’s record under McKnight is 252-24, or a winning percentage of .913.

The all-time list of Mater Dei players reads like the who’s who of prep basketball: Tom Lewis, Le Ron Ellis, Mike Mitchell, Matt Beeuwsaert, Stuart Thomas and Tom Peabody, just to name a few.

It’s interesting that three of McKnight’s losses came early last season when he struggled to find the right chemistry with a young team playing a tough schedule.

McKnight’s current edition is another talented but young team that opens the 1991-92 season as the county’s top team in The Times preseason poll. Mater Dei figures to be tested in the Trabuco Hills Tournament that begins Tuesday. Only this time, McKnight isn’t downplaying his team.

“This is a very athletic team with good overall size,” McKnight said. “Usually, I downplay the team, but I think we’re going to be pretty good.”

McKnight returns four starters from a team that finished 25-5 last season, losing to Marina in a memorable Division I-A semifinal game, 64-55.

Guard Reggie Geary, who has signed with Arizona, is the only senior starter on the team. Geary was the most valuable player in the Angelus League and ranks with Edison’s Brandon Jessie as the county’s best players.

Mater Dei’s depth separates the Monarchs from most teams. McKnight has the luxury of having 11 quality athletes and nine of them are juniors. Center Terence Wilborn and forwards Ray Jackson and Marmet Williams are the best of the nine juniors, but McKnight says point guard Kamran Sufi is the key player.

“The one player I could least afford to lose is Kamran Sufi,” McKnight said. “He holds the reins and is the stability of the team.”

With so many talented players, competition for starting positions in the early practice sessions has been intense. Monday, reserve guard Miles Simon required four stitches when he collided with Geary’s elbow.

McKnight is already predicting a big future for Simon, a sophomore, who had 29 points against Artesia in a summer-league game.

Simon and his Mater Dei teammates aren’t the only ones who could have a big future. Consider the best of the rest, with last year’s records:

2. TUSTIN

1990-91 record: 30-4

Coach Tom McCluskey got a big scare last week when standout guard Gentry Moore collided with teammate Derek Roche in the final minute of practice. McCluskey rushed Moore to the hospital with what was believed to be a broken ankle.

Turns out Moore only had a severe strain, but the team’s top returning starter from last year might miss the first week of the season. Moore, who averaged 9.8 points last season, has signed with Texas Christian.

Roche, a good outside shooter, returns at guard for Tustin along with sixth man Tab Reid. Maurice Fletcher, the top running back on Tustin’s football team, and sophomore Jason Reynolds will be counted on to replace the inside scoring of Thomas Clayton and Brian Reider, who graduated.

“We’re going to miss the leadership of (point guard) David Beilstein, who did it all for us last year,” McCluskey said. “But we’ve got good experience at guard and solid shooters.”

Tustin probably will start slowly with Fletcher, Reynolds and Ramsey Alexander playing football.

3. CAPISTRANO VALLEY

1990-91 record: 22-6

Capistrano Valley’s streak as the South Coast League’s most dominating team ended with the new decade when Irvine won the league championship. Capistrano Valley’s goal this season? “Retain the league title,” said Mark Thornton, Capistrano Valley coach.

Capistrano Valley will have one of the best backcourt tandems in the county with point guard David Sedgwick and shooting guard Tom Airey returning. Airey, who has signed with Loyola Marymount, made 126 three-point shots last year, ranking second in the Southern Section to Rolling Hills’ Steve Clover, who made 140 three-pointers for the section’s single-season record.

“We’ve got good overall team speed and good size inside,” Thornton said. “We return three starters, so we’ve got good experience.”

Steve Ransom, a 6-foot-6 forward, and Geremy Garrett, a 6-8 center, will provide strength inside. Forward Aaron Rhoades will complement Airey’s outside shooting.

Capistrano Valley will have to wait before playing its first home game in its new gymnasium. The Cougars won’t have a home game until Jan. 4. Here’s another date to circle: Jan. 3. Capistrano Valley will play Mater Dei at the Bren Center.

4. TRABUCO HILLS

1990-91 record: 6-19

Granted, Trabuco Hills won only four league games last year, but the team’s season outlook took a dramatic turn for the better when exchange student Gavin Vanderputten of Australia checked in three months ago.

Vanderputten, “The Thunder from Down Under,” is a 6-10 center who will be highly recruited. Two days after a story appeared in The Times about Vanderputten playing at Trabuco Hills, Arizona Coach Lute Olson was in the gym.

Vanderputten’s presence has allowed 6-7 Corey Klinke to move to his natural position, power forward, and Trabuco Hills Coach Rainer Wulf is expecting a big season from Klinke.

“Over the summer, he was probably the most improved and possibly the best big man in the south county,” Wulf said.

Brett Poulos, the county’s second-leading free-throw shooter and a three-point threat, is a capable floor leader.

“We have size, mobility, experience and inside-outside scoring balance,” Wulf said. “I’m really looking forward to this season.”

5. SERVITE

1990-91 record: 24-7

What can Coach Richard Smith do for an encore? Two years ago, he led Servite to the State Division III championship in his first season. Last year, Servite claimed the Southern Section Division III-A title with a 49-46 victory over Morningside.

Four starters, including two-time All-Southern Section forward Adam Anderson, return. Anderson averaged 16.7 points last season and point guard Eddie Rubio averaged 5.1 assists and 12 points.

The other returners are three-point specialist Matt Kenney and rugged rebounder Ryan Dodd. Marc Grassman, a 6-8 junior, figures to start at center.

“Watch out for Kenney,” said Smith. “He really shot well in the summer. I’m hoping to get more consistent play from Eddie Rubio. He’s a real key for this team.”

Smith, who never played college basketball, already is considered one of the county’s best coaches with a 46-18 record in two seasons.

6. HUNTINGTON BEACH

1990-91 record: 17-8

The tri-champion along with Marina and Edison of the Sunset League will go with a three-guard offense that features Bryan Chang, Tommy Walden and Chris Jones. All are capable shooters who could put up some big numbers offensively.

“There isn’t a nonscorer among the starting five,” said Coach Roy Miller. “I’ve got a good bench where I’m able to go eight or nine deep.”

The added depth will allow Miller to play pressure defense for an entire game.

Center Jeff Vanderwal and forward Matt Ambrose, who averaged nine points last season, add scoring balance for one of the county’s best offensive teams.

7. EDISON

1990-91 record: 21-7

For the past two years, Brandon Jessie has been overshadowed by Marina’s Cherokee Parks in the Sunset League. Parks was known as “The Chief,” Jessie was “The Warrior.” This year, Jessie will be in a league of his own.

Jessie, the county’s premier athlete, skipped football to concentrate on basketball. He has been a two-time All-Southern Section selection and averaged 21.4 points and 13 rebounds as a junior.

“Both offensively and defensively, this team will be built around Brandon Jessie,” Edison Coach Jon Borchert said. “But we also have many other fine players.”

Two starters--center Kyle Murphy and forward John Khamis--are playing football so it probably will take some time before Edison puts it all together. Look for the Chargers to develop into a power in mid-January.

8. IRVINE

1990-91 record: 24-4

John Molle, last year’s most underrated player, carried Irvine to the South Coast League title, averaging 28.1 points, 8.2 points and shooting 59% from the floor. Molle is now at San Diego State, so Irvine will have to rely on a more balanced team.

“Despite the loss of John Molle, we feel we have another strong team,” Irvine Coach Steve Keith said. Keith has turned Irvine into one of the county’s best programs, going 72-39 in four seasons.

Guards Brian Boothroyd, Jado Lee and Brian Linsenmayer are the top returning players. Boothroyd was a first-team all-league selection after averaging 10 points last season.

“Boothroyd and Lee have the ability to take up the slack from the loss of Molle,” Keith said. “I also have nine players who figure to see considerable action.”

9. ESTANCIA

1990-91 record: 29-5

“Tall Ain’t All” used to be a popular slogan at Estancia, but the Eagles will “Rise With Size” this season. Center Matt Fuerbringer (6-7) and forwards Jeff Byrne (6-6) and Ty Schisler (6-4) give Coach Tim O’Brien his tallest team.

Fuerbringer is the only starter returning from the State Division III champion. He averaged 16.2 points and shot 64% from the floor as junior. Fuerbringer has signed to play volleyball at Stanford.

Last year’s senior-oriented team has been replaced with newcomers from a junior varsity team that finished 19-3.

“There are lots of new faces with the loss of 16 seniors,” O’Brien said. “What we lost in quickness, we’ve gained in size.”

10. KENNEDY

1990-91 record: 19-8

Jermaine Galloway, a 6-10 center who will attend DePaul on a scholarship, enters his senior season as the top scorer in the school’s history. Galloway averaged 23.5 points and 10.5 rebounds and was named the most valuable player in the Garden Grove League as a junior.

Forward Jeff Cummins, point guard Steve Vera and defensive specialist Morgan Murakami also return. Most of the newcomers have been elevated from a junior varsity team that finished 19-4. The best of the newcomers is 6-6 junior forward Pat Kunz.

“We need to play with more intensity, especially on defense, if we hope to improve on last season,” Coach John Mayberry said.

One thing is certain: Kennedy will dominate the Garden Grove League. The Irish won titles on all four levels, finishing with a 51-5 record in league play.