With Abrams, Mounties Can Relax on Easy Street

There is no question the Montclair Prep boys’ basketball roster is filled with talented athletes.

Seven Mounties, including four starters, have played for the successful football team, which won the Southern Section Division X title in 1994.

Montclair Prep’s best player, forward Anwawn Jones, has signed a letter in intent to play football at Northwestern. Two other players, Scott Stark and Carlease Clark, jumped straight to baseball season once the Mounties’ season ended.

The most difficult part of Coach Howard Abrams’ job has been to make his athletes think like basketball players.

For the past two seasons, no coach has done a better job than Abrams, the 1996 Valley boys’ Coach of the Year.

Last season, Montclair Prep became the first team from the Valley to win a state basketball title at any level, either boys or girls.

Despite losing his leading scorer, guard Reed Berglund, to graduation, Abrams brought the Mounties right back to the Division V final, although Montclair Prep lost to Oakland St. elizabeth, 72-67.

Montclair Prep also won the Southern Section Division V-AA title, the only honor that eluded the Mounties in 1995. Montclair Prep lost to Pasadena Poly in the finals last year before defeating the Panthers in the Southern California Regional.

So, what’s Abrams’ secret? The Mounties, most of whom are gearing toward football careers in college, like the easygoing style Abrams and co-Coach Greg Patterson employ.

“It’s a family type atmosphere,” point guard Akil Anderson said. “With football we’re used to discipline. If we had to go through that style again I’m not sure if we would all stick with it.”

Montclair Prep is 58-9 the past two seasons, but peaked for the playoffs each time. This season, the Mounties faced a variety of styles in the State tournament.

Abrams, 45, had to go from a blowout first-round victory during which the Mounties set a school record for points (125) to an overtime squeaker against La Jolla Country Day, which slowed the pace.

“The key is the senior leadership we’ve had,” Abrams said. “Having guys like Anwawn and Akil made it easier.”

Next season will provide another challenge for Abrams and Patterson. Although four starters this season are seniors, Montclair Prep has a solid group of young players, including five sophomores, on the varsity.

The schedule also has been upgraded. Montclair Prep will play in the same Las Vegas tournament traditional Valley powers Chatsworth and North Hollywood have played in in recent years.

“I’m sure they’ve learned a lot going to the State championship the past two years,” Abrams said. “Maybe they’ll learn just enough to be able to go back.”