There’s No Stopping Him Now : Jordan High’s Breedlove Is Making Life Difficult for Opposing Defenses

As a new year begins, three questions surrounding Central City basketball have surfaced.

First, what’s wrong with Crenshaw, which has lost as many games this year--two--as it did all of last season?

Second, how did Washington, which defeated Crenshaw in the 4-A Final of the Pacific Open Tournament, become so good, so fast?

Third, and perhaps most interesting: Can anybody stop Clem Breedlove?

The answer to the first two questions are simple: Crenshaw was bound to eventually feel the loss of Division I graduates Kris Johnson, Reggie McFerren, Tremaine Fowlkes and Tommie Davis. And Washington is a very young and athletic team with a good coaching staff.

But how does Breedlove, a 5-11, 165-pound guard from Jordan High, average 28 points a game against some of the better teams in Southern California?

“When I get the ball, I feel I can take anyone,” he said. “(Despite my size), I will take anyone to the basket. I fear no one.”

Breedlove is the main concern of every coach preparing his team to play the Bulldogs.

“Everything begins and ends with Breedlove,” Fremont Coach Sam Sullivan said. “If you stop him, you can stop Jordan.”

That has not happened often this season, as Jordan (11-3) is off to its best start in six years.

And Breedlove, a senior, has a lot to do with that.

“I’m looking to help my team by scoring,” Breedlove said. “I feel that’s my role.”

Breedlove played his part well during the month of December, which included earning most valuable player honors of the Pacific Open Tournament’s 3-A Division for the second straight year.

Breedlove scored 27 of his game-high 39 points in the first half of the 3-A championship game as Jordan beat Canoga Park, 117-78. He averaged 31 points a game in the tournament.

One week ago, Breedlove continued his score-happy ways in the Orange County Katella tournament. Breedlove scored 44 of Jordan’s 88 points in a 14-point win over Long Beach Millikan in the semifinals. Although Jordan lost in the finals to Katella, Breedlove scored 30 points.

The only other teams to stop Jordan were Huntington Park and Crenshaw. But even in a 125-79 drubbing of the Bulldogs, Crenshaw could not contain Breedlove.

“(Crenshaw) didn’t play me man-to-man, but they did run different people at me on the wing,” said Breedlove, who scored 35 points. “I remember big (Raymond Palmer) jumping out at me, and I would go right around him.”

Breedlove explains his approach to scoring: “I look to drive on anyone bigger than me. If they sag off me, I shoot the three-pointer. The defender has to choose what he will give me. And I take advantage of it.”

Breedlove also benefits from an opportunistic Jordan defense that creates nearly 20 turnovers a game with constant full-court pressure.

“We apply pressure for the entire 32 minutes,” third-year Coach Ed Kamiyama said. “I say the game is played in the fourth quarter, so we try to make it a living nightmare for the other team. We call it ‘eight minutes of hell.’ ”

Kamiyama’s philosophy stems from having the smallest team in the area. The average height of Jordan’s players is 5-11, and its tallest player--Junior Sanchez-- stands 6-2.

“We have no height, so most teams will outrebound us,” Kamiyama said. “The only way to compensate for our lack of size is to take away the other teams’ legs. That’s why we press. We are going to bury everyone if we get a chance.”

Jordan’s success can be credited to each player’s commitment to perform a certain role on the team.

“My job is to hit the three-point shot,” said Julio Medrano, who made seven three-pointers against Village Christian. “But everyone has the green light.”

Forward Carlos Cabada has the least glamorous but perhaps most important job on the team.

“I like to dive, get loose balls and make hustle plays,” Cabada said. “I let Clem and Julio handle the scoring.”

Although Termell Goss doesn’t play point guard, he plays that role. “I get everyone involved,” Goss said. “I rebound, pass the ball around and try to get the players open shots.”

Breedlove, Medrano, Cabada and Goss are having fun now, but basketball was anything but enjoyable two years ago.

In 1992, Jordan suffered through a woeful 1-20 season. Morale, attendance and expectations were at a record low.

“There were only six players on the team, and the kids didn’t know what discipline meant,” Kamiyama said.

“Clem was the biggest crybaby that year. . . . He would always complain. I wanted to get rid of this guy. But he and the rest of the team learned what I wanted and expected of them. Now they have all grown up and are like a family.”

And those teams that used to run up the score on Jordan are finding themselves on the other side of the blowouts. “It’s payback time,” Goss said. “We have come back strong to beat the teams that used to beat us.”

Since 1992, Breedlove has steadily raised his scoring average from 18 points a game to 20 last year to 28 this season.

But it is his mental maturity that has made him a force.

“When you cry about every call, that gets the refs against you, because the call won’t change,” Breedlove said. “This team is playing for respect and to win a 3-A championship. I think we can win the 3-A division because this team has a good mix of players.”

Breedlove is working to get his grades up and to prepare for the SAT. Junior college is the probable next step, but Breedlove has generated some interest among Division II coaches.

Whichever the case, he just wants to continue trying to be a complete player.

“Scoring just comes to me, but I try to get everyone involved,” Breedlove said. “Actually, when I drive I’m looking to draw the defense to me and pass it off. I’m trying to be an all-around player.”

And what does Breedlove think of his detractors, who say he shoots too much or doesn’t play enough defense?

“I used to be very lazy on defense, but I am moving my feet more and getting steals,” Breedlove said. “I don’t care what other people think as long as I am playing my best. People can’t say I haven’t played against anyone. I can play with anyone, and this team can play with anyone.”