Support Comes From Mater Dei

Reporter Eric Shepard needs to curb his bias in attacking and condemning Mater Dei head basketball Coach Gary McKnight. Shepard wrote two articles within this week which used prep basketball to forward his personal agenda. He then selectively carved up my responses to his related phone call to support his conclusions.

I was not close enough to the court until the final three minutes to validate any of this reporter’s observations. Who is he to tell Gary McKnight to move out of coaching? He does not know the man.

I support Gary McKnight’s concerns with the quality of refereeing in the Crenshaw-Mater Dei game. How embarrassing to the CIF and to the ref himself to read in The Times the next day that Kris Johnson admitted that two occasions of play-acting duped a referee, created a four-point turnaround in the final 1:20 and contributed mightily to the 71-67 victory by a fine Crenshaw team.

I support Gary McKnight; if that support ever calls for a principal’s guidance, Gary is always man enough to listen and to grow.

LYLE V. PORTER

Principal, Mater Dei

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Mr. Shepard’s article “This Coach Needs to Curb His Temper” was not worth the paper and ink it took to print it, and The Times should be more responsible than to publish an article that was obviously written for no other reason than to attack and hurt.

Gary McKnight is a dedicated, well respected member of the Mater Dei family, and the boys who have passed through his basketball program have been the lucky recipients of his energy and knowledge.

PAMELA V. de MAHY

Santa Ana