All in the Family: Pfaus Excel at South : Basketball: Kevin, a senior, and Stephanie, a sophomore, have helped their teams to successful seasons.

For the South Torrance basketball program, it has been a family affair this season.

Kevin Pfau plays forward for the boys’ team, which is seeded fourth in the Southern Section III-AA Division, and his sister, Stephanie, is a guard for the girls’ squad, which finished second in the Pioneer League.

Kevin, a 6-foot-2 senior, is averaging 14.6 points and 6.9 rebounds and Stephanie, a 5-11 sophomore, is averaging a team-leading 11.6 points and 8.2 rebounds.

“It’s kind of a unique situation,” South boys’ Coach LaMont Henry said. “You don’t see too many families of athletes come through a school like this. Usually, when you have a family with athletes in it, one is good and the others are just OK. But they’re both very good athletes.”

The Pfaus are known for their hard work and determination.

“It’s funny because you look at Kevin and Stephanie and you see the same type of player,” Henry said. “They’re both self-motivated. I don’t know if that’s natural or what, but you never have to tell them anything. As soon as they step on the floor, they’re ready to play.”

Said girls’ Coach Gil Ramirez: “They both give 100% all of the time. They’re similar in that they have that determination to go all-out whether they’re winning or losing.”

Both teams have been successful. The boys’ squad is 19-6, their best record since 1977-78 when they finished 20-4. The girls’ team is 15-8.

Kevin’s play has been the most surprising because it is his first full season on the varsity. He joined the varsity midway through his junior season after starting the season on the junior varsity.

Although Kevin is second on the team in scoring and rebounding, Henry said he contributes to the team in other ways.

“He fills a big role for us,” Henry said. “He’s really what keeps up the fast break. He’s out there filling the lane and starting the break. He also knows how to fill the gaps in the (opponent’s) zone. He finds the gap and he hits one of our other players, like (guards) Jimmy Williamson or Jason Anthony, for a basket.”

Henry said Kevin, 17, is an unselfishness player.

“When he gets us on a fast break, he does a good job of hitting the trailer,” he said. “He could take it in himself sometimes but he’s just very unselfish. That’s why in some games you’ll see him scoring 25 and other games maybe only five or six.”

It did not take Stephanie, 15, nearly as long to make an impact at the varsity level. As a freshman, she helped the Spartans to a 15-13 season--the best record in Ramirez’s five seasons as coach.

“She started right away as a freshman and she was voted to the all-league team,” he said.

In terms of all-around ability, Ramirez said Stephanie is advanced for her age.

“Most of the kids out here don’t see Stephanie as a sophomore because she plays like a senior,” Ramirez said. “Sometimes I have to stop myself and say, ‘Wait a minute, she’s only a sophomore.’ She’s already a good player and she’s going to be a heck of an athlete when she gets older.”

Ramirez thinks her best attribute is her athleticism. In addition to playing for the basketball team, she has been a member of the varsity volleyball squad for the past two seasons.

“It’s her athleticism that makes her play stand out,” he said. “That’s something you can really notice on the court. She’s a dual-sport athlete and that’s the strongest point in her favor.”

Kevin said because of their conflicting schedules, they do not see each other much during season.

“We used to practice together when we were younger,” Kevin said. “We hardly see each other anymore because she has practice early and I have practice in the evenings.”

Said Stephanie: “He doesn’t always get to go to my games because the bus leaves when he’s practicing but I go to all of his games. I always get inspired by the way they move the ball around. I just like to watch his games.”

Both players say they have also benefited from the strong support of their parents. Their father, Kenneth, was a pitcher for South’s baseball team in 1965-1966 and earned All-Bay League honors both seasons.

“They’ve been very supportive, especially their dad,” Henry said. “He comes to every game and he just likes watching his kids play. Over the summer, sometimes we had to go to Palm Springs for a tournament or to the (American Roundball Corporation) or Slam N Jam league and Kevin’s parents were always there for support. His father would say, ‘Whatever you need, just let me know.’ ”

Kevin is hoping to continue playing basketball in college and will probably play at El Camino College next season and become a guard.

“I think the fact that he had only one (full) year of varsity experience hurts him in being recruited,” Henry said. “If you ask me, he would be better off going to a place like El Camino, anyway, and getting more work in at guard.

“He’s been playing power forward for us and he’s not a power forward at all. If he goes anywhere in the future, he will have to learn to play guard.”

Ramirez says Stephanie has the ability to be a major college prospect by the time she is a senior.

“She’s got a very bright future,” he said. “Several schools have already contacted me about her.”

While Kevin only wants to play basketball, Stephanie is thinking of playing two sports in college.

“I like playing volleyball, too,” she said. “So my goal is to go to a college where I can play both sports.”

Both players have high hopes for their teams.

“We’re real confident about the way things have gone so far and we just hope we can keep it going through the playoffs,” Kevin said.