COMMUNITY COLLEGES / MITCH POLIN : After Unexpected Fast Start, Southwest Expects the Unexpected

At the start of the season, Southwest College men’s basketball Coach Joe Weakley was hoping his team would take a step toward respectability.

The Cougars reinstated the program two seasons ago and had records of 9-16 and 7-17. Weakley thought a .500 season was a reasonable goal.

But after a surprising 12-3 start, Southwest is setting its sights higher. There is even talk about advancing to the state tournament at UC Irvine in March.

“We hope it happens,” Weakley said. “We’re planning on being in the southern end of California playing for the championship.”

Not many people expected the Cougars to win 12 games this season, but Weakley had a glimmer of hope.

“A lot of people didn’t expect us to win that many games, but I thought there was a chance,” he said. “I thought if our young men responded to what we wanted from them, we would be pretty successful and we have.”

Weakley said he has received steady play from his sophomores and the team has blended together more rapidly than expected.

“We still make mental mistakes I don’t like, but hopefully we’ll be able to work those out before long,” he said. “But so far we’re winning and I guess that’s what counts.”

One of the big factors has been balanced scoring. Five sophomores average double figures in scoring.

Guard Michael Lawrence (6-foot-4) and forward Maurice Spillers (6-6) average 19 points, forward Pharooah Jones (6-4) averages 17, guard Fitzgerald Moore (6-2) averages 15 and guard Curtis Galbreath (6-0) chips in with 12 per game. Spillers and Jones are the leading rebounders.

Although Southwest is averaging nearly 90 points a game, Weakley said improved play on defense has been the biggest reason for the turnaround.

“We get the shots off, but the idea is stopping people on defense and that’s what we’re doing,” he said. “Last year we averaged 88 points a game, but we didn’t have the defense. This time it’s better.”

Despite the success, Weakley doesn’t want to get too carried away.

“I’m really not as excited at the present time as I could be,” he said. “I’m happy with what we’ve done so far, but we still need to have some improvement to get where we want to go. We want to be in Irvine at the end of the year.”

The Cougars open Southern California Athletic Conference play against Cerro Coso on Jan. 15.

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It was a season that El Camino football Coach John Featherstone would rather forget.

The Warriors were 2-8--the worst record in Featherstone’s nine years as coach. But Featherstone is still having success placing players in Division I programs.

Leading the list this year is all-state tight end Damon Terrell, who has signed a national letter of intent to play for Arizona.

Terrell, who is 6-4 and 235 pounds, was El Camino’s leader in receptions and ranked 10th in the Mission Conference with 47 catches for 588 yards and two touchdowns.

“He’s a big-time player and he’s got a lot of talent and I think he’ll do well there,” Featherstone said.

Several Warriors remain undecided about their future.

On offense, lineman Erik Donnelly (6-3, 275) is deciding between Missouri and Utah; lineman Kyle Houch (6-6-290) will attend either Missouri, Illinois or Utah State, and wide receiver Tony Knox has narrowed his list to Nevada or Nevada Las Vegas.

On defense, lineman David Haemker (6-3, 240) is leaning toward Mississippi; defensive back Alex Hairston is leaning toward Memphis State and defensive back Jermaine Ferguson will choose between Montana, Montana State, Idaho and Idaho State.

In addition, defensive back Jeremy Veasey will probably attend UC Davis and kicker Joseph Furlow has been recruited by St. Mary’s.

Featherstone said the undecided players will probably settle on schools by early January.

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Southwest has also been successful placing its players in Division I programs.

Brothers Brian and Donovan Burks have already signed. Brian, a 6-2, 260-pound defensive lineman, will attend Texas El Paso. Donovan, a wide receiver, chose Colorado State.

Coach Henry Washington is especially optimistic about the prospects of Donovan Burks.

“He could really be an impact player,” Washington said. “He’s a 10.2 (-second) 100-meter man and he can flat-out fly.”

Running back Katia Ransom is deciding between Nevada Las Vegas and San Jose State, wide receiver Tyrone Gallien is leaning toward Idaho, and defensive back Daryl Cash will choose either Kansas or Pittsburgh, although he is leaning toward the Panthers.

Washington also said twin brothers Corey and Chris Long, both linebackers, are being recruited by NCAA Division I-AA and Division II schools.

“Our sophomores that we considered our top players will all get scholarships, so that’s pretty nice,” Washington said.