HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL ‘93--94 : GOLDEN LEAGUE

Highland

‘92-93 RECORD

OVERALL: 9-14

LEAGUE: 3-12

COACH: Tom Mahan

YEAR: 2nd

TOP RETURNEES YR POS HT Pharoah Davis Sr. C 6-6 1/2 Lee Guilbeau Sr. G 5-11 Jamal Dedeaux Jr. F 6-4 Dave Londono Sr. C 6-0 Devin Harvey Sr. F 6-1 Carl Biel Jr. G 5-8

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TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS HT John Burrell So. F 6-2

OUTLOOK

Highland’s hopes rest on Davis, though opponents probably will try everything to slow this Pharoah except wrapping him in mummy’s bandages. Davis, a strong 6-foot-6 1/2 player who possesses a full range of perimeter skills, likely will be the dominant player in the league. He averaged 19 points and 8.9 rebounds last season, and has verbally committed to attend San Diego State. “Anytime you have a Division I player on the team, you should win the league,” Antelope Valley Coach Jim Hall said. Guilbeau, who was temporarily dismissed from the team last season for refusing to enter a game, is now one of the team’s hardest workers and will start at guard. The versatile Dedeaux will play swingman. Burrell averaged 25 points a game on the freshman team. Biel is one of the top perimeter shooters in the league.

Littlerock

‘92-93 RECORD

OVERALL: 7-15

LEAGUE: 6-9

COACH: Mark Groh

YEAR: 5th

TOP RETURNEES YR POS HT John George Jr. C 6-5 Tony Hunt Sr. F 6-1 Travelle Beckwith Sr. F 6-3 James Jefferson Jr. G 5-10 Bronson Pitts So. G 5-9 Ron Blair Sr. F 6-2

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TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS HT Tim Howard Sr. G 6-0

OUTLOOK

George, who averaged 11 points and 8.3 rebounds last season, is lanky and better suited to play small forward, but will play a post-up game because of his height. “He is our guy--that’s a given,” Groh said. “The question is, can our support players develop quickly enough to make us a contender in league? It’s a big if, because we don’t have a lot of experience.” Inexperience could manifest at point guard, where Jefferson and Pitts will split playing time. Howard, a potential starter at shooting guard, is a transfer from Morningside High, where he did not play. “He has no experience, but he’s not a bad player,” Groh said. Beckwith, Hunt and Blair will share forward duties.

Antelope Valley

‘92-93 RECORD

OVERALL: 14-10

LEAGUE: 9-6

COACH: Jim Hall

YEAR: 3rd

TOP RETURNEES YR POS HT Freddie Gonzalez Sr. G 5-8 John Sanders Sr. G 5-9 Derrick Barker Sr. G 5-10 Joe Glover Jr. G 5-10 Jason Storm Sr. F 6-2 Anthony Pruitt Jr. F 6-1

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TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS HT Jason Kofoed Jr. G 5-10 Latre Kelly Fr. F 6-4

OUTLOOK

Perhaps Antelope Valley should change its nickname to the Lilliputians. Hall will start five guards, all under 6-foot. The Antelopes will be hurt by the loss of Troy Coutee, the league’s most valuable player last season. Known in the past for its up-tempo, pressing style of play, Antelope Valley probably doesn’t have the athleticism to play constant pressure defense, but will try to counter with good shooting. “This is going to be the best shooting team at Antelope Valley in about 10 years,” Hall said. “But we’re not one of the top teams in the league as far as talent goes.” Hall hopes that Kelly, who weighs 220 pounds, will give the team a much-needed inside presence. Barker, who averaged 13.6 points last season, and Sanders (12.3) will carry the brunt of the offensive load.

Palmdale

‘92-93 RECORD

OVERALL: 16-10

LEAGUE: 10-5

COACH: Garry Phelps

YEAR: 15th

TOP RETURNEES YR POS HT Al Lairson Sr. F 6-3 Maurice Wright Sr. F 6-3 Jerome Payton Sr. G 5-10 Juan Fernandez Sr. F 6-1 Rocque Sandoval Sr. F 6-2 Ian Jewitt Sr. F/G 6-0 Chad Martin Jr. G 5-11

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TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS HT Mike Hamelin Jr. G 6-1

OUTLOOK

Nine players return from last season’s league co-champion squad. The only key loss was Ty Gaines, who averaged 13.5 points a game and now is at Bakersfield College. Lairson is a good shooter and an all-league player who averaged 9.7 points a game, including 15 a game in league play. Wright (10.6 points) figures to be one of the league’s better players, as does point guard Payton. Sandoval, Jewitt, Fernandez and Martin all will contribute. “It’s probably the deepest group I’ve had from top to bottom in all the years I’ve been here,” Phelps said. The Falcons should employ a pressing style of play, and will shoot the three-pointers frequently. Lairson, Wright, Payton and Martin are all good perimeter shooters. Hamelin, a transfer from Covina Gladstone, is very promising, Phelps said.

Quartz Hill

‘92-93 RECORD

OVERALL: 15-7

LEAGUE: 10-5

COACH: Steve Hurst

YEAR: 3rd

TOP RETURNEES YR POS HT Scott Brown Sr. G/F 6-0 Pete Garcia Sr. F 6-1 Van Goodrich Sr. G 6-2 Jason Ehn Sr. G 6-0

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TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS HT Brad Beckstead Jr. G 6-0 Aaron Brown Jr. F 6-2

OUTLOOK

The Rebels, league co-champions with Palmdale last season, lost their top eight players to graduation. Hurst, whose teams have won or shared the league title in his three seasons, has a team with almost no experience. But it is not an unknown quantity--Hurst knows he needs offense. Frankie Aguilar, the most valuable player on the junior varsity last season, figured to be the key to the team’s offense this season, but the senior guard broke his finger in practice and will miss the entire season. Goodrich, a good one-on-one scorer, Brown, a competent shooter, and Garcia, a good leaper around the basket, should provide the bulk of the scoring. Beckstead and Brown, junior varsity players last season, will compete for starting slots. One thing Hurst can count on is defense, a constant strength during the Rebels’ three consecutive championship seasons.