Whitlock, Jefferson Named All-Stars, to Play for Tarkanian

Saddleback’s Tes Whitlock and Antoine Jefferson will get a chance to play for coaching great Jerry Tarkanian in a community college all-star game at 5 tonight at the Bren Center.

Tarkanian is coaching the South team and Larry Cummins, the former Monterey Peninsula coach, is in charge of the North team.

Tarkanian’s teams dominated the state community college ranks in the mid-1960s. Tarkanian led Riverside to State titles in 1964, 1965 and 1966. He then moved on to Pasadena and led the Lancers to the State title in 1967.

No coach won consecutive State titles again until Rancho Santiago’s Dana Pagett did in 1990 and 1991.

Tarkanian went on to more fame as coach at Nevada Las Vegas. His Rebels won the national championship in 1990.

The all-star game will match some of the best players in the state, including Whitlock and Jefferson. Whitlock, a sophomore guard from Loara High School and Arizona State, averaged 21 points for the Gauchos.

Jefferson, a sophomore forward from Philadelphia, averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds. Both were all-Orange Empire Conference selections.

The State championship game between Ventura and Long Beach will follow at 7:30 p.m.