GROSSMONT 3-A LEAGUE : Rival Coaches All Rate Monte Vista’s Balancing Act as the Best
Balance seems to be the buzzword in the Grossmont 3-A League this season. But if that is the case, why then do all five league coaches lean heavily toward Monte Vista as the favorite?
A typical response comes from Mt. Miguel’s Bill Sullivan: “Monte Vista is a level above the rest of us.”
Truth and numbers be known, there does appear to be unprecedented balance in the league--all five teams could finish better than .500 overall. But Monte Vista has to be the choice to win its third title in four years for one reason: It has the best balance.
The Monarchs, ranked second by The Times, are second in the county in scoring defense (allowing only 47.5 points per game) and fourth in scoring offense (71.5). The starting five--Aaron Elliott, Marty Ellis, Matt Ehlke, Paul Watson and Jason Peck--is the best in the league, and Monte Vista’s reserves could be as well.
“I just don’t see anyone touching Monte Vista,” Grossmont Coach Dave Hollman said. “They’re way above anyone.”
Monte Vista Coach Zack Peck responded to being the favorite: “If they’d like to just call (the games) in, I’ll accept.”
Helix and Monte Vista have finished first or second each of the past three seasons, and the Highlanders have the league’s best player, Lloyd Lake, and second-best overall record.
THE RACE
Top contender: Monte Vista (14-1).
Could surprise: Helix (10-4), Grossmont (9-4), Granite Hills (8-5), Mt. Miguel (8-8).
Games of the year: Helix at Monte Vista, Friday. One of these two has been perfect in league each of the past three seasons. Helix is third in the county in scoring defense (51.6 ppg). Otherwise, Granite Hills may present Monte Vista its biggest problem when the two meet at Granite Hills on Feb. 11.
THE PLAYERS
The Man: Helix’s Lake received an overflow of support among league coaches.
Said Helix Coach John Singer: “He’s a hard guy to cover. He’s a scorer, not really a shooter. He’s not a real pretty-looking player, you know, the way he looks when he plays. But he manages to get the job done.”
Lake is the league’s top returning scorer (16.9 ppg last season) and is leading the pack again so far this year (20.0). But he is the only Highlander averaging better than 10 points a game . . . and that concerns Singer.
“I don’t put much stock in having just one super player,” he said. “I’d rather have balance.”
Who will fill Domingo Rivera’s shoes? The tempting answer is Robbie Sandoval. But a combination of Sandoval, Reggie Jones, Marcos Gallardo, Mike Clymer and Nate Wilson--all of whom are averaging between 15.1 and 9.0 points--have filled the void left by Rivera in Mt. Miguel’s attack. In winning the league’s most valuable player award last year, Rivera, a 6-1 guard, averaged 18.0 points per game.
“We have real good balance this year,” Sullivan said.
Others to watch on offense: Monte Vista’s Elliott (18.7 ppg), Ellis (19.0), Ehlke (11.8), Watson (9.9) and point guard Peck, who runs the offense, mesh well as a unit. Grossmont’s Mike Kingsley (a 5-9 junior) is averaging 19.0 points and has been relieved of some of the scoring burden by junior Vince Clark, Tony Clark’s brother who transferred from Christian.
Granite Hills has Bob Allums, Mark Kluge, Bill Wade and Tony Addeo, who are all scoring between 13.9 and 10.3 points per game.
THE INTANGIBLES
Advance scouting, FBI style: The best way to get inside information is to get inside . . . or so went the thinking when Special Agent John Singer got his top understudy, Lloyd Lake, to transfer to his top nemesis, Monte Vista, for five weeks last fall. Lake transferred back once basketball practice started.
OK, not exactly, but here is what really happened:
Lake had had a run-in with a group of students at Helix. So upon an agreement between Singer and Zack Peck--and with the approval of the district--Lake did indeed “transfer” to Monte Vista for five weeks. It was sort of a “cooling off” period, Peck said, adding that the odd situation worked out nicely for Lake, particularly from a social standpoint.
“He’s a real nice kid,” Peck said. “And he was real popular with the ladies (at Monte Vista). I bet half of them will be cheering for Helix when we play them on Friday.”
Height wanted, some experience: Mt. Miguel center Mike Clymer (6-8) is a sophomore. Helix center Willie Cook (6-2) is a sophomore. Grossmont center Tim Donohue (6-6) is a senior, but he played sparingly last year and has missed four games this season with a shin injury.
And so it goes in a league whose current members have not won a Section title since Grossmont beat Helix for the 2-A crown in 1972.