1995-96 BOYS’ BASKETBALL PREVIEW : SEA VIEW LEAGUE

CORONA DEL MAR: 15-10, 6-4 in 1994-95. Coach: Paul Orris (10th year, 146-107). Prospects: Corona del Mar is one of four teams that figure to slug it out for third place. Orris, who was The Times Orange County coach of the year last season, got a gift when 6-6 junior center Corey Gority transferred from Savanna. He’ll join the front line, which is anchored by two 6-4 senior forwards: Brian Coleman (8.5 points) and Adam Klinke (6.5). The back court is the concern. All of Orris’s starting candidates are coming up from the junior varsity. When the Sea Kings get settled at guard, they expect to make life in the Sea View that much more interesting.

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EL TORO: 8-16, 1-9 in 1994-95. Coach: Dave Shoemaker (second year, 8-16). Prospects: You are Shoemaker. You have two returning starters. Your tallest player is 6-3 senior Travis Senik (15.0), a first-team all-league pick at guard. Your other returning starter, 5-11 sophomore Mark Wulfemeyer Jr., is a guard. Your top three newcomers are guards. That means your team may be able to shoot and handle the ball well, but will have trouble rebounding. Put it all together and it means either a long season, or a very short playoff run.

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IRVINE: 12-16, 6-4 in 1994-95. Coach: Steve Keith (ninth year, 152-97). Prospects: Irvine is fortunate to play in a league in which it can contend for a playoff berth. The Vaqueros, besides 6-9 junior center Ted Miley, are not blessed with great team height. They do have some quickness and steadying on-court influences in 6-2 forward Amir Rahimi (nine points) and 5-8 point guard A.J. Rivera (five), both seniors. But don’t look for Irvine to push Santa Margarita or Woodbridge for the league title.

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NEWPORT HARBOR: 8-17, 4-6 in 1994-95. Coach: Larry Hirst (first year). Prospects: Hirst inherits two solid seniors in second-team all-league guard Mark Hornung (7.2 points) and 6-6 center Wes Badorek (5.7), but not much else. Hirst says if Newport Harbor wins more than 10 games, it will be a miracle. It may take until the start of league play to find out whether the Sailors can keep their heads above water this season.

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SANTA MARGARITA: 26-3, 9-1 in 1994-95. Coach: Jerry DeBusk (fourth year, 71-14). Prospects: The Eagles will be strong again with nine returning players, led by 6-3 senior guard Dennis Keane (11 points), a first team all-league selection, and 6-8 senior center Allen Krist (16.0), the league’s MVP who has signed with SMU. Trey Nelson, a 6-6 senior forward, and 6-7 newcomers sophomore Dekker McKeever and junior Jon O’Neil will help with rebounding. After Keane there are questions at guard, but none that are too worrisome. A wicked nonleague tournament schedule and the two meetings with Woodbridge should toughen the Eagles for their playoff run.

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WOODBRIDGE: 20-10, 6-4 in 1994-95. Coach: Jim Halagan (fourth year, 44-38). Prospects: Halagan is looking for his first Sea View championship and has the team that should give it to him. Center Chris Burgess (21.9 points), a 6-10 junior, blocked 103 shots last season on his way to all-league and Times first-team honors. He has college coaches drooling from coast to coast. Add incoming forwards Brandon Beeson, a 6-5 junior, and Jared Dannis, a 6-6 junior, and you have an imposing front line. Senior point guard Ricky Jenkins was second in the league in steals last season. Woodbridge is deep, experienced and hungry. If the other Warriors can pick up the offense so Burgess is not double- or triple-teamed, the Warriors should be among the county’s best.