CENTURY LEAGUE

Canyon. 12-15, 5-5 in 1996-97. Coach: Rob Alexander (second year, 12-15). Senior Andrew Gaulden (committed to New Mexico), a 6-9 forward, averaged 13.7 points and 9.5 rebounds at Esperanza last season. He makes the Comanches a league front-runner. 6-6 senior forward Ali Goodman (14 points, nine rebounds), 6-6 senior forward Scott Reed and 6-1 junior guard Justin Haney (13 points, three assists) return. 6-3 junior sixth-man Neil Hammad (11 points), is back at guard as are 6-5 junior forward Aaron Willis and 5-9 point guard Donn Yu. Newcomers include Servite transfer Roger Hogan, a 5-11 sophomore point guard, and Omid Eftekhari, a 6-5 junior forward.

El Modena. 12-13, 4-6 in 1996-97. Coach: Joe Roussel (fourth year, 43-38). Roussel prefers the darkhorse role, but admits that, with four starters back, the Vanguards have potential to challenge for the league title. Guards Joe Cortez, a 5-10 senior, and Stephan Perovich, a 6-1 junior, forward Nick Soderstrom, a 6-4 senior, and center Daniel Melton, a 6-7 sophomore, are back. Also returning are guards Mario Garcia, a 6-1 senior, and Frank Wise, 6-0 senior, and forward Santosh Swanidass, a 6-1 senior. Top newcomers include Chad Brandel, a 6-4 junior center, Mike Christensen, a 6-1 senior guard, Matt Garcia, a 6-1 senior guard, Brock Kyler, a 6-5 sophomore forward and Chris Nowakowski, a 6-1 senior forward.

Foothill. 6-20, 0-10 in 1996-97. Coach: Bob Thate (fifth year, 38-67. Thate continues the rebuilding process with three starters returning. They are 6-1 senior guard Larry Cambra, 6-2 junior forward Jack Robbins and 5-7 senior guard Ben Rubin. Chet Johnson, a 5-11 junior guard, joins transfers Lafayette Henderson, a 5-10 senior guard from Las Vegas, Alex Rasmussen, a 6-4 sophomore forward from La Verne Bonita High. Also back are Drew Buford, a 6-1 junior guard, Ryan Evans, a 6-4 sophomore forward, and Zach Smith, a 6-3 sophomore forward.

Orange. 19-7, 7-3 in 1996-97. Coach: Johnny Johnson (first year). One starter, 6-4 senior forward Gerald Morel (8.7 rebounds a game), is back from the Rich Bosenmeyer era. Johnson, a former Chapman University assistant, says he wants to see a more up-tempo offense than in past seasons and more pressing on defense. “Orange High basketball traditionally has played tough, aggressive defense with a well-balanced, slow methodical offense,” he said. Also back are point guard Steven Miller, a 6-2 sophomore, and Kyle Richards, a 6-1 shooting guard. A half dozen players have been called up from the lower levels to compete for playing time.

Santa Ana Valley. 11-14, 4-6 in 1996-97. Coach: Kevin Stipp (third year, 36-26). There are no returning starters and just two who played last season. They are 6-0 sophomore guard Koa Bartlett and 6-3 swingman Richard Oliver. Stipp is counting on 5-11 senior guard Jason Law, the leading scorer on last year’s junior varsity team, to help the offense. Senior Ralph Solis, a 6-0 guard, played on the 1995-’96 junior varsity team. “We must play hard every night to be competitive and we will rely on an up-tempo style,” Stipp said.

Villa Park. 24-6, 10-0 in 1996-97. Coach: Kevin Reynolds (third year, 50-11). Reynolds has developed a reputation as a “big man’s coach” and despite the graduation of 7-1 All-American center Eric Chenowith (Kansas), he has kids to work with. For starters, there’s Alan Verzani, a 6-9 senior forward and lone returning starter off the Southern Section Division II-AA finalist. Newcomer Danny Horan, is a 6-9 center and senior forward Erik Halbasch is 6-6. Also back are junior guard Alex Will, and senior point guard Chris Hillman, both 6-0.