CITY SECTION 3-A DIVISION : Monroe’s Turnaround Needs Finishing Touch

The City Section 3-A Division championship boys’ basketball game between Monroe and Banning highs epitomizes the turnaround season.

The teams’ similarities are striking. A year ago, both finished with losing records and failed to make the playoffs. A season later, both have won league championships, are the top two seeded teams and will meet in today’s 6:30 p.m. final at the Sports Arena.

Both teams have improved with mostly new talent. Monroe has three first-year starters, Banning four.

Banning (16-12), which finished 9-16 last season at the 4-A level, has flourished at the 3-A level. The Pacific League champion is led by junior point guard Jason Pickett (5-foot-9), who averaged a team-high 19.7 points during the regular season.

Senior Bryan Hill, a 6-7 center and the Pilots’ only returning starter, averaged 13.2 points and 12.3 rebounds. Hill is helped out in the front court by senior Leon Bilbrew (6-4) and junior Kenny Washington (6-4).

Banning Coach Marc Paez, who coached at Cleveland during the 1989-90 season, viewed a videotape of Monroe’s 75-67 victory over San Fernando in Tuesday’s semifinal and knows what to expect from the Vikings.

“I’m very impressed with their quickness and athleticism,” Paez said. “They remind me a lot of Dorsey.”

Beware Monroe: Banning’s biggest win of the season was a 48-44 victory over Dorsey, a 4-A finalist, in Southern Pacific Conference play.

“We prefer teams that press and pressure us,” Paez said. “It helps us offensively. So, we’re looking forward to that.”

Still, Paez said the Pilots will try to slow Monroe’s up-tempo game.

Top-seeded Monroe (23-3), the Mid-Valley League champion which finished 7-11 last season, excels in the transition game and features a balanced scoring attack. Four starters have double-digit averages.

Junior forward Kenyatta Niles (6-3), who scored a game-high 25 points against San Fernando in the semifinals, averaged a team-high 17.1 points and 13.1 rebounds during the regular season.

Senior forward Jeff Nadeau (6-1) averaged 13.4 points, followed by senior guards Tweedy Stiner (6-2) with 13.0 points and LaMarco Rich (6-0) with 11.2. Junior center Dante Cain (6-4) is averaging 8.5 points.