NOTEBOOK : Loyola Took a Step Up During Bailey Brothers Reign

The Bailey Era at Loyola High School came to an end last Friday with the Cubs’ 55-53 loss to Glendora in a Division I-A quarterfinal game at Glendale College.

Ryan Bailey and his brother, Toby, a freshman at UCLA, had been part of Loyola’s basketball program for the past five years.

“Having both of us play for the team meant a lot to the school,” said Bailey. “Loyola has always had a good football program, but without us--my brother especially--the basketball team would not have been nearly as good as it was.”

Ryan Bailey, a 6-foot-2, 175-pound senior, recalls the Bailey Era getting off to a rocky start. “(Loyola) only won two or three games Toby’s freshman season, but he brought them up to national recognition.”

Loyola has made it to the Southern Section Division I playoffs for four consecutive years, advancing as far as the semifinals in 1994, Toby Bailey’s senior season.

The 6-6, 185-pound Toby Bailey holds most of Loyola’s scoring and rebounding records and was named City Times player of the year in 1993.

The 1994-95 season proved to be Ryan Bailey’s breakthrough year after playing in the shadow of his brother for three years.

Ryan Bailey, a point guard, led Loyola in scoring at 23 points a game.

“It was fun for me,” Ryan said. I got an opportunity to play and that is all I can ask for. The only regret I have is not playing for a Crenshaw or Mater Dei as far as winning championships, but I liked Loyola because it was more of a challenge.”

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Although Bell High enjoyed some individual successes at the City wrestling championships on Feb. 25 at Granada Hills, it was an overall disappointment.

The Eagles, who won City championships in 1993 and 1994, finished third this year behind El Camino Real and Canoga Park.

“It was somewhat of a letdown, but we will be back next year,” Coach Frank O’Connor said.

Bell’s Jose Parra (127 pounds) and Ricky Garcia (142 pounds) both took first place in their respective weight classes; Ralph Leon (121 pounds) and Aldo Ybarra (162) came away with second-place finishes.

Parra and Garcia advanced to the State wrestling championships held Friday and Saturday at the University of the Pacific in Stockton.

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Los Angeles City College’s brilliant 30-1 regular season did not go unnoticed, as five players were named to the 1994-95 All-Southern California Athletic Conference team. Forwards Derrick Brown, Saipele Tuailli and Derrick Higgins and guards Markee Brown and Jason Wright were all chosen to the 11-man squad. Derrick Brown and Tuailli were chosen co-most valuable players of the conference.

LACC Coach Mike Miller, in his third season, was named coach of the year.