PREP BASKETBALL : Gardner, Scott Are Honored

Jelani Gardner of Bellflower St. John Bosco High and Olympia Scott of Playa del Rey St. Bernard have been selected as the top boys’ and girls’ high school basketball players of the year in Southern California by The Times.

The two were honored this month at separate banquets held for all-star teams in their area. Gardner is on the Southeast team and Scott on the Westside squad.

Gardner, a 6-foot-6 senior guard, was presented the George Yardley Award, and Scott, a 6-3 senior center, was presented the Cheryl Miller Award.

After transferring to St. John Bosco two years ago, Gardner helped the school turn around its program. The Braves went 53-6 in that time, and won the Southern Section Division II-A title last season as Gardner averaged 25 points and eight assists. He recently signed a letter of intent with California.

Scott, who averaged 19 points and 15 rebounds last season, is a four-year starter who had never picked up a basketball before entering high school. She has been a mainstay for the Vikings, leading them to State Division II championships the last two years. She will attend Stanford.

Winners of the boys’ and girls’ player and coach of the year for each of the The Times’ 10 circulation areas also were honored at their respective banquets. They were:

CENTRAL CITY--Toby Bailey, Loyola (boys’ player); Mike Kearney, Verbum Dei (boys’ coach); Kimberly Howse, Crenshaw (girls’ player); Lorenzo Garcia, Roosevelt (girls’ coach).

INLAND EMPIRE--Travon Carmichael, Fontana (boys’ player); Drew Vanderpool, San Bernardino Pacific (boys’ coach); Maylana Martin, Perris (girls’ player); Tony Selph, San Bernardino (girls’ coach).

ORANGE COUNTY--Miles Simon, Santa Ana Mater Dei (boys’ player); Gordon Billingsley, Fountain Valley (boys’ coach); Nicole Erickson, Brea-Olinda (girls’ player); Eric Bangs, Irvine Woodbridge (girls’ coach).

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY--Alex Lopez, North Hollywood Campbell Hall (boys’ player); John Goffredo, Crescenta Valley (boys’ coach); Samantha Rigley, Mission Hills Alemany (girls’ player); Melissa Hearlihy, Mission Hills Alemany (girls’ coach).

SAN GABRIEL VALLEY--Jeremy Veal, San Dimas (boys’ player); Maurice Hilliard, La Puente Bassett (boys’ coach); Jennie Griffin, La Puente Bishop Amat, and Kelly Morris, Diamond Bar (girls’ players); Lyle Honda, San Gabriel (girls’ coach).

SOUTH BAY--Paul Pierce, Inglewood (boys’ player); Patrick Roy, Inglewood (boys’ coach); Mimi McKinney, Palos Verdes Peninsula (girls’ player); David DeLaby, Wilmington Banning (girls’ coach).

SOUTH COAST--Jamie Gillin, Compton Dominguez (boys’ player); Ron Palmer, Long Beach Poly (boys’ coach); Blanca Loza, Long Beach Millikan (girls’ player); Ann Dena Sjoerdsma, Cerritos (girls’ coach).

SOUTHEAST--Jelani Gardner, Bellflower St. John Bosco (boys’ player); Randy Castillo, Sante Fe Springs St. Paul (boys’ coach); Timicha Kirby, Lynwood (girls’ player); Ellis Barfield, Lynwood (girls’ coach).

VENTURA COUNTY--Jason Hartman, Thousand Oaks (boys’ player); Lou Cvijanovich, Santa Clara (boys’ coach); Michelle Giordano, Ventura Buena (girls’ player); Nori Pavin, Newbury Park (girls’ coach).

WESTSIDE--Danny Walker, Westchester (boys’ player); John Bobich, Pacific Hills (boys’ coach); Olympia Scott, Playa del Rey St. Bernard (girls’ player); Lori Pawinski, Playa del Rey St. Bernard (girls’ coach).