Coaches See Strong, Balanced Conference

A majority of the Orange Empire Conference men’s basketball coaches were sitting together last week at the Rancho Santiago Holiday tournament.

The discussion quickly turned to the upcoming conference race and which team would win it. All agreed on two things: the conference is as strong as ever and no team is a runaway favorite.

Here is a brief look at each team on the eve of conference play (with records in parentheses):

Fullerton (15-4): The Hornets have the best blend of talent and experience. Bobby Natoya (18 points per game) and Tamar Ross (13 points) start in the backcourt, and Kevin Carlson (12.4 points) and Eddie Cochran (10 points and six rebounds) start at forward. All are sophomores who started last season. Tyrone Merriweather, a transfer from Los Angeles Harbor, is averaging eight rebounds at center.

Fullerton enters conference play having lost two of three.

Riverside (14-4): The Tigers have the best offensive player in the conference in sophomore guard Darryle Flicking, who is averaging 32 points. He scored 59 points in a game this season. Raimonds Miglinieks returns at guard to run the offense. Riverside has won six in a row and 12 of its last 14.

Rancho Santiago (12-5): The Dons have exceeded expectations. Sean Amos, a sophomore forward, is averaging 23 points and eight rebounds. He is one of the quickest inside players in the conference. Matt Kordik, another sophomore forward, is averaging 16 points and eight rebounds.

The Dons won five in a row before losing the final two games of their tournament last week.

Irvine Valley (12-6): Rashad Wilson and Tom Airey give the Lasers a solid backcourt, and 6-9 center Damon Sims presents match-up problems. Irvine Valley has won four of its last five with the loss coming to Ventura, the top-ranked team in the state.

Orange Coast (10-5): The Pirates, who won only five games last season, are the most improved team in the conference. OCC is led up front by forwards Damion Morbley (15 points) and Chauncey Woolridge (16 points).

Todd Loewe (13 points) returns to the backcourt, where he is joined by freshman Derek Roche (16 points). OCC started 7-2, but since then is 3-3.

Saddleback (10-5): The defending champion Gauchos are the conference coaches’ pick to repeat. They start conference play having won three in a row. Josh Borella returns at point guard after a year off because of back surgery. Antoine Jefferson (16 points and nine rebounds) is a force on the front line and Tes Whitlock (18 points), a transfer from Arizona State, is on the wing.

Cypress (9-10): Cypress started poorly, going 1-4, but has gone 8-6 since. Matt Kenney and Jeff Cummins, both freshmen, are the only players with a scoring average in double figures. Kenney, who has 57 three-pointers, has a 14.3 average and Cummins is averaging 13.7. Jim Falletta is back at forward and Chris Fry returns at center.

Golden West (7-9): The Rustlers have improved depth compared to recent seasons but much of the offense falls to Gerald Rhoden, a sophomore forward. He is averaging 17 points and six rebounds. He scored a career-high 38 points in a victory over Mt. San Jacinto this season.

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Women’s basketball: In each of the last two seasons, Golden West’s dominance was supposed to end. But last season the Rustlers won their fourth consecutive conference title and earned their seventh consecutive berth in the State tournament. Golden West lost in the semifinal round.

This season, things appeared bleak for Golden West, with one starter returning. But several players have developed quickly and the Rustlers are again at the front of the title chase.

Golden West (18-3) is led by Deana Itow, a freshman guard, and Julie Murdent, a freshman center. Itow is averaging 18 points and Murdent 15.

Golden West’s main challengers are expected to be Riverside (17-5) and Cypress (15-4). Riverside and Golden West have played twice this season in tournaments.

Golden West won, 73-67, Dec. 5, but Riverside was more impressive in a 65-45 victory Thursday in the title game of the Fullerton tournament. The teams meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Riverside.

Cypress has improved greatly because of the play of Sara Works, a freshman forward. She is averaging 17 points and eight rebounds.

Yolanda Hearvey, a sophomore forward, is averaging 10 points and eight rebounds. Jody Caruso, a freshman guard is averaging 10 points.

Orange Coast (12-7) and Fullerton (12-9) could contend for playoff spots. Fullerton relies on a balanced offense and OCC has LeAnn Kazmer, one of the top players in Southern California.

Kazmer, a sophomore forward, is averaging 21 points and 10 rebounds. She is shooting 59% from the field.

Saddleback is 5-7 and Rancho Santiago is 3-9.