Phears Stays Right on Target

Joe Phears, a senior guard at Pomona High, has tried 189 three-point shots this basketball season. But never had he been as accurate as he was last Friday when he made 14 of 18 three-pointers in a game against La Puente Bassett.

Pomona, known for its running game, ran away with a 137-101 victory in a Montview League game at Pomona. But it was Phears’ performance that drew the attention.

The 6-foot player set the state record for most three-point shots in a game, breaking the mark of 13 shared by Rick Martinez of Fontana Ambassador Christian and Eliseo Santillano of McFarland in the San Joaquin Valley.

Phears, who is averaging 19 points a game, finished with a game-high 48. He has made 98 of 189 three-pointers this season.

“Joe has been an exceptional three-point shooter in his three years on the varsity level,” said Ed Taylor, Pomona’s coach. “He proved just how good against Bassett.”

Pomona, averaging 93 points in its six league games, also set several team records. The combined score of 238 set a Southern Section record, shattering the previous mark of 226 by Torrance and Long Beach Wilson in 1967. The state record of 240 was set by Jefferson and Los Angeles in 1975 and tied by Jefferson and Fremont in 1978. The 137 points set a school record for most points scored in game and tied the Red Devils for fourth in the Southern Section with Los Angeles Murphy. San Francisco Balboa holds the state record of 156, accomplished in a game last month.

“By the score, you can tell we played very little defense,” said Taylor, in his fifth year at the school. “Bassett likes to run, and we simply outran them.”

The Red Devils improved to 6-0 in league play and 15-5 overall.

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The boys’ basketball race in the City Division 4-A is the best in years with eight teams capable of winning it all.

With three weeks remaining in the regular season, here’s a look at the favorites:

1. Crenshaw--The Cougars have tradition and youth on their side. They have split games with Washington.

2. Washington--The Generals find out where they belong Friday afternoon when they play at Crenshaw.

3. Dorsey--The Dons started slow but have come together since the holiday break. They almost beat Crenshaw last week.

4. North Hollywood--The Huskies don’t play the caliber of teams in the San Fernando Valley as their inner-city counterparts do. But they beat Fremont in December.

5. Fremont--The Pathfinders have been the most solid City team the last three years, but they lack size and experience this season.

6. Fairfax--The Colonials are coming off an upset of Manual Arts and have a veteran in Coach Harvey Kitani.

7. Manual Arts--The Toilers were without guard Troy Matthews in the defeat by Fairfax. They have the ability to go all the way.

8. Westchester--The Comets always have plenty of talent, but seem to have trouble putting it all together.

Prep Notes

The Arcadia Track and Field Invitational, on the verge of being canceled for lack of funds, was recently saved when Foot Locker announced it would sponsor the meet. Foot Locker put up $25,000 for the event, scheduled for April 10 at Arcadia High. . . . John Aguirre, an assistant football coach at Garfield since 1988, has been promoted to head coach. Aguirre, who graduated from Garfield in 1972, replaces Steve Robinson, who died of a heart attack Jan. 14.

Times’ Top 20 Basketball Polls

The Times’ top 20 high school basketball polls, with teams from the City and Southern Sections. BOYS

School Sect. Div. Rec. LW 1. Mater Dei SS I-A 22-1 1 2. Dominguez SS II-AA 17-1 2 3. Crenshaw City 4-A 14-2 10 4. JW North SS II-AA 21-0 4 5. Morningside SS III-AA 19-4 5 6. Artesia SS II-A 17-3 6 7. N. Hollywood City 4-A 18-1 7 8. Hunt. Beach SS I-A 19-3 8 9. Thousand Oaks SS I-A 19-1 9 10. Washington City 4-A 16-2 10 11. St. John Bosco SS II-A 17-2 12 12. Fremont City 4-A 14-4 11 13. Pasadena SS I-A 17-5 13 14. Muir SS II-A 18-5 15 15. LB Jordan SS I-AA 14-6 NR 16. Lynwood SS I-AA 15-6 17 17. B. Montgomery SS III-AA 17-2 18 18. Loyola SS I-A 17-3 NR 19. Fairfax City 4-A 14-5 NR 20. Manual Arts City 4-A 14-6 16

GIRLS

School Sect. Div. Rec. LW 1. Lynwood SS I-AA 18-0 1 2. Thousand Oaks SS I-A 21-0 2 3. Buena SS I-A 14-2 3 4. Brea-Olinda SS II-AA 20-2 4 5. Perris SS I-A 21-0 5 6. Morningside SS III-AA 15-2 6 7. Crenshaw City 4-A 14-2 7 8. St. Bernard SS IV-AA 18-4 8 9. LB Poly SS I-AA 17-3 10 10. Hunt. Beach SS I-A 19-3 13 11. Santa Ynez SS IV-AA 19-1 11 12. Ventura SS II-A 14-3 12 13. Costa Mesa SS III-A 18-4 15 14. Gahr SS II-AA 18-4 16 15. JW North SS II-AA 19-1 NR 16. Nordhoff SS IV-AA 17-0 17 17. Ch. Islands SS I-AA 18-4 20 18. HH Wilson SS II-A 18-1 18 19. Alemany SS III-AA 18-4 19 20. Capo Valley SS I-AA 17-3 NR