PREP BASKETBALL ‘92-’93: EMPIRE LEAGUE

LOS ALAMITOS

1991-92 RECORDS OVERALL: 19-10 LEAGUE: 9-1

COACH: RECORD AT SCHOOL

Steve Brooks: 181-98

RETURNING STARTERS YR. HGT. P Steve Carbone Sr. 6-2 G Tim Lin Jr. 6-0 G

TOP RETURNERS YR. HGT. P Collin Burke Jr. 6-2 G Brady Doyle Jr. 6-7 1/2 C Dan Graham Sr. 6-3 F Brent Hayward Sr. 6-3 F

TOP NEWCOMERS YR. HGT. P Nuyen Little Sr. 6-3 1/2 F Ryan Stanke Jr. 6-5 1/2 F Jeremy Vandervoot So. 6-6 C

OUTLOOK

Call the Griffins the hardest-working team in Orange County. Last week, they scrimmaged Huntington Beach, which figures to be among the county’s best. They play tournaments at Savanna, Trabuco Hills and Maui. They play nonleague games against Mater Dei, Fullerton and Western. Why such a brutal nonleague schedule? The opinion at Los Alamitos is that it’s the best way to get prepared for important league and playoff games to come. It seems to have worked, as Los Alamitos has won or tied for four of the past five league championships. The Griffins lost All-Southern Section guard Jason Cunningham to Nevada Las Vegas, where he is in a redshirt season, but there are enough returning players to make them the league favorite along with Esperanza. Carbone and Lin were starting shooting and off guards, respectively. Carbone was an all-league selection as a sophomore and last season as a junior, when he averaged 14.2 points. Lin, an all-leaguer last season, averaged 12.7 points. Graham is the most experienced front-line player. Balance and depth will be keys for Los Alamitos. Brooks’ picks: Esperanza, Los Alamitos, El Dorado, Katella, Cypress, Loara.