Barfield, Massey Selected Times’ Coaches of the Year

Ellis Barfield, rookie coach of state Division I girls champion Lynwood High, and Ron Massey, who guided Jordan High of Long Beach to its second boys Division I Southern Section title in three years, have been chosen The Times’ South Coast high school basketball coaches of the year.

Guard Everett Ratleff of Jordan and forward Shanika Porter of Paramount are the South Coast boys and girls players of the year, respectively.

The awards were announced Sunday at a breakfast for South Coast and Southeast boys and girls prep all-star basketball teams at the Sheraton Hotel in Long Beach.

Eleanor Dykstra, who led Valley Christian of Cerritos to the CIF Southern Section Division IV-A basketball title, was the Southeast girls coach of the year. It was the third coaching award for Dykstra, whose teams have won six Southern Section titles.

Wayne Merino, who guided Artesia to its second consecutive state Division II crown, was the Southeast boys coach of the year. Merino, who has directed the Pioneers to three state titles in the past four years, also earned the award in 1990.

Forwards Sherise Sandoz of Pius X in Downey and Charles O’Bannon of Artesia were selected Southeast girls and boys players of the year. It was the second consecutive Southeast player-of-the-year award for O’Bannon, who finished behind Jacque Vaughn of Pasadena Muir High in the running for the George Yardley Award, given by the newspaper to its choice as the best boys player in Southern California.

O’Bannon, who is expected to announce Friday which college he will attend, won the Yardley Award in 1992.

Junior forward Timicha Kirby of Lynwood, an all-South Coast selection who was instrumental in the Knights’ 31-0 season, was the winner of the Cheryl Miller Award, signifying The Times’ choice as top girls’ basketball player.