Help Is on the Way for El Camino Basketball Team

El Camino College basketball Coach Paul Landreaux is optimistic that his recruiting class will help turn around a program that was 10-21 and 0-10 in the South Coast Conference last season.

“After last year we needed an overhaul,” said Landreaux, who led El Camino to three state championships in the 1980s. “I couldn’t go through another season like that again.”

Landreaux says forwards Joe Zaletel, Frank Zeno and Brandon Lee and guards Alex Davis and Jason Bowman have made unwritten commitments to play for the Warriors in the fall.

Community college players do not sign letters of intent, so a player’s word is the most a coach can get.

As a senior at Torrance High in 1990-91, the 6-foot-7 Zaletel ranked among the South Bay’s top scorers (21.8 points a game) and rebounders (11.3). He was an All-Southern Section selection and played for half a season at Harbor College in ‘91-92. Zaletel sat out last season while attending classes at El Camino.

“He’s truly an outstanding and exciting player,” Landreaux said. “I was impressed with this kid. He’s so quick inside. He’ll go to a major Division I school next year.”

The 6-6 Zeno was an All-Southern Section selection at Mira Costa High. He averaged 15.2 points and 9.7 rebounds last season.

Lee is a 6-6 All-Southern Section player from Glendora High. As a senior in 1991-92, his team finished 33-1 and won the Division II title. Lee recently had ankle surgery to repair torn ligaments and will not compete in summer league games. He is expected to be fully recovered by the start of practice in the fall.

“He can score with his back to the basket and he can run,” El Camino assistant Steve Shaw said. “He’s a great athlete who is going to make a difference on this team.”

Davis, a 6-0 point guard, transferred to Serra High from St. Monica in the middle of last season and helped the Cavaliers win the State Division IV title. He was a two-time All-Southern Section player and an All-City pick.

“I’m expecting things from Alex that I expected from the guards that took us to the state championships,” Landreaux said. “From watching him play I can see that he has the determination and tenacity.”

Bowman, a 6-1 sophomore, played nine games as a freshman at Cal State Dominguez Hills in ‘91-92. As a senior at Inglewood High, he was the Bay League’s most valuable player and a second-team All-Southern Section selection. He averaged 14 points, 9.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists.