Great Expectations : Irvine’s Ambrozich Is on the Verge of Becoming a Force on the Court

Eric Ambrozich is a rawboned, 6-foot-6 work in progress.

He’s a junior at Irvine High, where his contributions this season have been better than expected, but it’s his potential that has people talking. He’s far from Orange County’s best player, but if projections mean anything, he could be headed to the front of the pack soon.

And if not next season, then the next, or the one after that.

The question is not whether he’ll develop, but when .

And when he does, watch out.

“Pretty soon, he’ll be a butt-kicker,” Irvine Coach Steve Keith said. “He’s going to be one of those guys who have the last laugh.”

There were more than a few chuckles when Ambrozich (say it: Am-Brose-Itch) began playing basketball as a gangly fourth-grader, as unsure of his body as he was the rules of an unfamiliar game.

“I was usually taller than other kids, but I didn’t play that well,” he said.

But he got better, thanks in part to his father, Brian, a former standout at Huntington Beach, Golden West College and Brigham Young.

Still, he never followed the traditional route of traveling age-group all-star teams that many young players do. Ambrozich learned slowly.

By the time he entered Irvine, he’d become reasonably proficient in the low post. He had nice form on his shot, and he was certainly tall enough.

But inexperience, a slight build, a lack of quickness and an illness before the start of his freshman season conspired to keep him out of the starting lineup. Scott Seal, who went on to become a standout running back and played basketball only as a freshman, started ahead of Ambrozich.

As a sophomore, expectations were hardly soaring as Ambrozich moved to the junior varsity.

But he averaged 15 points, helped lead Irvine to a 19-5 record and earned the team’s co-MVP honors. The joke was over.

“In a sense, he’s come a long way,” Keith said. “He’s had two great off-seasons. To go from not starting on the freshman (team) to being co-MVP on a 19-5 JV team, that’s a pretty big jump he’s made.”

In 17 games as a starter on the varsity this season, Ambrozich is averaging 10 points and five rebounds. He had a team-high 17 points as Irvine (14-3) opened South Coast League play Friday night with a 59-48 victory over El Toro.

Through it all, Brian Ambrozich has been by Eric’s side.

His parents were divorced when Eric was young, and he spends most weekends at his father’s Escondido home. Often, they work on post moves in the gym at nearby Orange Glen High.

Brian was a 6-5 forward in college, averaged 22 points and 18 rebounds at Golden West and led Huntington Beach to a 27-4 record and the 1968 Southern Section 4-A championship game where the Oilers lost to Compton, 64-52.

Now, he teaches his son the tricks of the trade, saying as he does: “I wish I knew then what I know now. If only I had done that then. . . .”

Said Eric: “He’s helped me a lot with all that experience.”

It’s sometimes difficult, but Brian comes to see Eric play whenever he can. Now that his son has made the varsity and the games are in the evening, it’s a little easier, however.

What he and others see is a player in a spring blossom.

Ambrozich plays to his strengths--shot-blocking, rebounding and shooting short jump shots. His lengthy wingspan allows him to excel in those areas.

“I like to block shots a lot,” he said. “That’s kind of fun. I just like the feeling. Some games I get a few. Some games I don’t get any. It’s like anything else, I guess.”

He has a little trouble battling shorter, stronger players for rebounding position, but it’s something he works on with his father during their sessions together. And he spends time in the weight room in an attempt to put some meat on his 176-pound frame.

“I’m kind of skinny,” he said, “but I’m a lot stronger than last year.”

He is making 58% of his shots from the field, confident that when he decides to take a shot, there is no one capable of blocking it.

His selection is nearly perfect, too.

“I’m pretty comfortable from about 15 feet and in,” he said.

The hard part for Ambrozich is waiting for it all to come together. It won’t be long, though, Keith said.

“The next jump is whether he’ll be a recruited player,” Keith said. “A lot depends on whether he’ll be in the 6-8, 6-9 range.

“He’s getting his first taste of varsity basketball. He’s a really important guy to us, but he’s basically supported by seniors who have been there before. Next year, he’s going to be the guy.”