1995-96 BOYS’ BASKETBALL PREVIEW : EMPIRE LEAGUE

CENTURY: 14-12, 4-6 in 1994-95. Coach: Greg Coombs (sixth year, 65-38). Prospects: With a ton of depth, the Centurions rate a slight edge in the battle for first place, according to league coaches. But Coombs said the league is so balanced that “you could pick Nos. 1-6 and have it all backward.” Senior starters Hector Beltran and Gabriel Aguirre combined to average 19 points last season. Senior starter Ricky Lopez, a guard, is also back, as are seniors Roland Cortez, and Jerry Diaz. Diaz sat out last season. Several players from the league champion junior varsity team are trying to make the team.

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CYPRESS HIGH: 21-6, 8-2 in 1994-95. Coach: Tom Gorrell (fourth year, 43-33). Prospects: The Centurions will be right there at the end with the other Centurions--Century. Senior forward Chad Boberg, a 6-4, four-year starter who was an all-league choice last season, and second-team selection Wes Bunn return. Boberg averaged 14 points as Cypress tied Katella for the league championship. Four other returning players add to team depth, although height is a concern. The Centurions lack a true center and might go with a three-forward lineup. Look for Boberg to set the school record for most career points before the season in done.

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EL DORADO: 19-8, 6-4 in 1994-95. Coach: Tim Tineman (fourth year, 26-26). Prospects: One of the more versatile teams in the league returns only one starter--6-6 junior Ryan Ayer. He’ll have to pick up last season’s scoring pace of 6.5 per game. Guards Kevin Sweet and Darren Drennan and forward Art Ackerman will have to score more, too. But with 6-7 junior Ryan Tenpas moving up from the junior varsity, the Golden Hawks can mix tall and short lineups without losing much in the way of quality.

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KATELLA: 23-4, 8-2 in 1994-95. Coach: Tom Danley (30th year, 537-215). Prospects: Never put anything past the veteran Danley, who has won 14 league titles and has two standout players returning: Carlos Romero, a 5-11 guard who averaged 11.4 points on his way to all-league honors, and 6-5 senior Jacy Armbruster, who made great progress during the summer. Junior forward Jehovanny Barraza is also back, and then there’s a half a dozen good junior varsity players to draw from. “We appear to have a well-balanced league,” Danley said. “All teams show promise.” Don’t count the Knights out.

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KENNEDY: 8-18, 2-8 in 1994-95. Coach: John Mayberry (32nd year, 297-147). Prospects: Mayberry is looking for victory No. 300 and a berth in the playoffs. All-league swing Richie Bowen returns, as does junior guard Wade Murakami, who led the team in assists last season. Ryan Van Otterloo, Aaron Purnell, David Hinojos and Trokon Freeman will fight for starting jobs, and another 10 players are vying for backup roles. The team is small--at 6-6, Van Otterloo is the tallest player--but has good quickness, depth and scoring ability.

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LOARA: 9-16, 2-8 in 1994-95. Coach: Ed Prangle (seventh year, 45-79). Prospects: With three starters and half a dozen returning players, no one should take the Saxons lightly. Outside shooting and perimeter play are strengths, but under the basket the Saxons will be thin with a trio of 6-4 non-starters--senior Jon Goulding, junior Will Hall and sophomore Martin Banda--vying for playing time. Returning starters include 6-foot senior Mark Moses, 5-10 junior Neil Thomas, and the team’s leading scorer, Obaid Popal, a 6-2 junior. Popal averaged 11.1 points and Thomas added 10. Still, Prangle is smiling: “In the six years I’ve been in the league, this is the most open the league race has been.”