Estancia, Faulkner Face Big Stress Test Tonight

There are a lot of lows in this world--low budget, low fat, low class, low tide--but Jim Faulkner was concerned with only one as he entered his senior year of high school: low stress.

That’s right. Pure, unadulterated lie-in-the-sun, forget-all-your-troubles, herb-tea relaxation. The kind you feel on the first day of vacation, or the moment the IRS informs you it made a mistake, the audit is off.

Now you might be wondering why a 17-year-old such as Faulkner would be concerned about stress. He is a teen-ager, after all. He is supposed to start arguments at the dinner table, pull pranks in full view of the principal and blast Nirvana so loud that his gray matter jiggles like jelly.

Not Faulkner. The Estancia forward realized a couple of years ago that stress was not his friend, especially on the basketball court. As a sophomore, he got so nervous before games, a simple tap on his shoulder sent him skyward. When his teammates gathered for a pregame cheer, Faulkner joined in, but his “Go Eagles!” usually came out like “Go Eeeeeglugaaah .”

That’s why, by the end of his junior year, he vowed to put his spirit at ease. As a senior, he would take kick-back classes (note the clay splattered all over his clothes from fourth-period ceramics). He would be Mr. Mellow. He would be so relaxed, an eggplant would look agitated by comparison.

He figured it would be easy. Unlike years past, Estancia wouldn’t be burdened by high expectations this season. Faulkner was the only returning starter, and the supporting cast wasn’t looking too good. That pressure--to win every game, to win it all--had dissipated. The spotlight became more of a night light. He could finally play for fun.

But fun, like a go-cart gone awry, took an unexpected turn. Tim O’Brien resigned as coach; Tim Parsel, a lower-levels coach at Newport Harbor last year, took over. Although Parsel was more laid-back, his strategies were suspect in Eagle eyes. Faulkner says the first day of practice, Parsel told the players to grab a basketball. They were going to learn how to pass.

What evolved from there was a week or two of the most basic fundamentals, a walk down basketball’s Sesame Street. Passing, dribbling, moving the feet. The Eagles couldn’t believe it. This was Estancia, a solid program with a put-another-trophy-in-the-case tradition. Who did this guy think he was? Mr. Rogers? What was next? Punch and cookies?

“He told us to do ball slaps-- ball slaps !” Faulkner says with disgust as he re-enacts the drill, tossing an imaginary ball from one hand to the other.

“We just started laughing. We’re doing all these stupid drills, I couldn’t believe it!”

Says Parsel: “Let’s just say they thought they were further along than they were in regard to fundamentals.”

But Faulkner admits Parsel was right. “A week later, guys were palming the ball,” Faulkner says. “Our ballhandling was a lot better . . . I was totally surprised.”

The surprises didn’t stop there. Parsel instituted a new offense. The precise, deliberate Estancia system of the past was now a run-and-gun, shoot-it-or-lose-it style. Faulkner, who as the top returning player expected to be taking 40 or so shots per game, had to scramble to score. “Put it this way,” says Faulkner, now averaging about 19 points. “If you don’t get out on fast break on this team, you’re bummin’.”

In late December, after playing some of the worst basketball in Estancia history, Parsel told the players they were on their way to a fine season. They scoffed. They moaned. Certainly, they had heard their coach make unusual statements--like when he announced they wouldn’t be watching game film this season--but this was ridiculous. Coach, Faulkner said, trying to remain calm, we’ve already lost to Westminster-- twicenster! We’re getting killed! Parsel simply shrugged. Apparently, he could see what they could not--a Pacific Coast League title, or at least a share of it.

That’s just what Estancia got, a league co-championship with Trabuco Hills. Not bad for a team that thought all was lost two months ago; that had five of its original 13 varsity members quit for various reasons; that wondered most of the summer whether its best player--Faulkner--was going to stay or transfer.

It wasn’t easy, but it’s kids’ stuff compared to tonight: Estancia takes on top-seeded Inglewood Morningside in a Division III-AA quarterfinal at Inglewood High.

Some call it a rematch; Faulkner’s calling it a chance at redemption. Morningside--which returns four starters--eliminated Estancia twice last season, in the section and regional finals. In the latter, Faulkner fouled out midway through the third quarterwith four points.

“I want revenge,” Faulkner says. “If they beat us three times in a row . . . then, I guess it was meant to be. Hopefully we’ll get revenge, though. Otherwise my whole varsity experience will be going out against Morningside.”

And that, for Faulkner anyway, would be a most unacceptable low.