Yanai Is Confident About Toros’ Chances in CCAA : College basketball: Dominguez Hills coach says team can contend with defending NCAA Division II national champion Bakersfield.

Dave Yanai, in his 16th season as the Cal State Dominguez Hills men’s basketball coach, says the Toros can win the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. title.

That may seem far-fetched when considering that Dominguez Hills lost its top two scorers from last season and Cal State Bakersfield, the defending league champion, has four returning starters from the NCAA Division II national championship team.

The Toros (16-10) placed third in the eight-team league last season with a 7-7 record.

“This year I think we’re better and we came close to beating (Bakersfield) last year,” Yanai said. “I feel very strongly that we have a chance for the title.”

Replacing swingman Vincent Washington (14.8 points a game) and guard Raymond Bennett (13.4) will not be easy. Washington was an All-CCAA and All-West Region pick as a senior and Bennett finished fifth on the school’s all-time scoring list.

Junior Chris Thompson, who was mainly a point guard last season, is moving to shooting guard. He averaged 12 points a game as a sophomore and finished third among Toros in scoring.

“I’ll do anything they want me to do to win,” said the 6-foot Thompson.

Carlos Paul, a 6-1 transfer from Porterville College in Northern California, will start at point guard and senior Sal Serrano and freshman Kevin Swindler (Gardena High) will be among the first players off the bench.

Paul did not play last season, but averaged 17.5 points and 4.1 assists as a sophomore in 1991-92.

“Carlos is someone who never really seems to get out of sequence,” Yanai said. “He’s always under control and we need to have that at the point guard position. He settles the team down.”

Corwyn Lewis will start at small forward and Joe Bertrand at power forward. The 6-4 Lewis, another transfer from Porterville, averaged 16 points and 7.2 rebounds last season. Bertrand, a 6-6 senior, finished second in the CCAA in rebounding with a 9.3 average.

“Joe is an excellent defensive player and a very strong athlete,” Yanai said. “Hopefully he will do a lot of interior scoring.”

Darnell Patterson, a 6-5 junior, will start at center. Alex Del Hierro, a 6-8 transfer from Pasadena City College, will see considerable playing time at the post.

Patterson shot 51% from the field and finished fourth on the team in scoring. Del Hierro averaged 9.4 points and four rebounds at Pasadena and shot 64% from the field.

Dominguez Hills beat the Portuguese National team, 82-70, in an exhibition game last week.

The Toros open the season Friday against the University of Southern Colorado at the Grand Canyon tournament in Phoenix.

Yanai says the highlight of the nonconference schedule is a Dec. 11 game at Division I University of San Diego. The Toros will play host to San Bernardino in their CCAA opener Jan. 6.