Ambrose Expects to Lend a Hand to Huntington Beach : Sunset League: Forward hopes to help Oilers forget about the disappointment of last season’s third-place finish.

Forward Matt Ambrose of Huntington Beach is literally pointing toward the 1992-93 season. It figures to be a year he can get a grip on, after playing most of his junior season with two broken fingers.

Last year, Ambrose broke his right pinky finger while trying out for Huntington Beach’s football team.

“I tried to reach back for a pass from (quarterback) Jon Wimbish and when I caught the ball, something snapped,” he said. “That was the end of my football career.”

A month later, Ambrose broke his left ring finger during the second week of basketball practice. He played the remainder of the year with both fingers taped and then underwent surgery on both fingers in September.

“Last year was basically a wash for Matt, but he came on strong in the playoffs,” Huntington Beach Coach Roy Miller said. “He was the odd man out when he got hurt, but he put it in gear in the playoffs.”

Ambrose helped Huntington Beach erase the disappointment of a third-place finish in the Sunset League behind co-champions Edison and Marina with a strong finish in the Southern Section Division I-A playoffs.

Huntington Beach defeated West Covina and Indio to advance to the quarterfinals, before it was eliminated by J.W. North of Riverside, 77-52.

“Our success in the playoffs was primarily due to Matt’s inside game and (point guard) Bryan Chang playing under control,” Miller said. “We finally came together in the playoffs.”

Huntington Beach was a heavy favorite to win the league, but Ambrose said the disappointing finish could be attributed to a lack of experience.

“We were young and selfish,” he said. “Personally, I got hurt and ended up being the sixth man. I didn’t handle it very well. I wasn’t trying as hard as I should have. I had problems catching the ball, and got very frustrated.

“This year, we have something to prove. I think we can compete with the best.”

Ambrose, who is one of three starters returning for a third season, spent the summer trying to make a transition from a post player with his back to the basket to a forward facing the basket.

He played in countless summer league games in an effort to extend his shooting range and spent three days a week at Performance Training Institute in Anaheim to improve his leg strength, vertical jump, speed and quickness.

“I took a crash course on how to become a forward,” he said. “I spent a lot of time working on rebounding techniques and improving my first step off the ground when going to the boards.”

This year, Ambrose figures to play a key role with teammate Tony Gonzalez in Huntington Beach’s double-post offense.

“I like to stack Matt and Tony inside, but Matt now has the ability to go to the corner and hit the 15-foot jump shot,” Miller said. “I have confidence in his shooting ability. He’s going to play a big part in our power game.”

Ambrose didn’t play an organized basketball game until his freshman year at Huntington Beach. He spent most of his youth surfing at Huntington Beach but decided to try basketball after growing six inches between eighth and ninth grades.

“I was pretty awkward my freshman year,” he said, “but I really enjoyed the game. When I came up to the varsity as a sophomore, I found out that there was a lot to learn. I’ve played the game year-round since my junior season except for the two weeks after I had surgery on my fingers.”

Ambrose wore a soft cast for those two weeks in September after surgery to repair ligament damage, but continued his training at the Performance Training Institute. The end result is a muscular, 6-foot-6, 210-pounder who has matured into a solid player.

“Everyone on the team has matured a year and I think we’re all comfortable with our roles,” Ambrose said. “Our goal is to win the league title. The key will be for everyone to stay focused.”

Or in Ambrose’s case, to stay healthy.