CS Northridge Gets Chance to School UCLA

A smorgasbord of notes, quotes and opinions from across the San Fernando Valley and its surrounding communities:

With apologies to fans of the Big Sky Conference, Cal State Northridge alumni judge the success of the athletic program not on victories over Montana or Montana State but on how teams perform against UCLA, USC, Pepperdine and other local schools.

Some of the most memorable Northridge athletic events have come when the school’s baseball, soccer, softball and volleyball teams took on UCLA or USC and won. Or when the Matadors simply put up a good fight before losing.

That’s why the men’s basketball game tonight at Pauley Pavilion matching Northridge (6-3) and No. 12 UCLA (5-2) means so much to the Valley community. This is another chance for Northridge to prove its NCAA Division I-A credentials.

“The alums are excited,” Coach Bobby Braswell of Northridge said. “We’re going to represent the university and Valley community well.”

Two years ago, Braswell’s Northridge team lost to UCLA, 95-73.

Any time Braswell takes a team into Pauley Pavilion, it brings memories of the past, when he was a student at Cleveland High.

“If you grew up in this area, what everybody talked about was UCLA basketball,” he said. “It was a thrill to go there. This is a special opportunity for our program.”

Don’t think Braswell will be satisfied by just showing up.

“I’d be disappointed if we don’t win,” he said. . . .

It has been five years since the state Legislature passed Assembly Bill 1114, known as the open-enrollment law that allows students to attend any public school in their district when space is available. It was designed to improve academics, but what an impact it has made in athletics.

Taft won its first City football title last week thanks to a big boost from open enrollment. All-City players Marquis Brignac, Chris Garlington and Dionte Hall live outside Taft’s boundaries but attend the Woodland Hills school via open enrollment.

Hart, the Southern Section Division III football champion, also benefited from open enrollment. Two key players, lineman Patrick Norton and receiver Shane Lavoie, transferred last year to Hart from Saugus via open enrollment.

And Alemany’s boys’ basketball team, winless last season in the Mission League, is suddenly viewed as a title contender after the transfer this year of three players from San Fernando. . . .

Tailback George Witter of Harvard-Westlake is taking his offensive line to dinner in appreciation for gaining 1,886 yards rushing this season. But it’s not just any dinner. They’ve got a reservation for Lawry’s prime rib restaurant in Beverly Hills after the first of the year.

“Those are big, big boys,” said Witter’s mother, Mary, who has agreed to pick up the dinner tab with her husband.

It’s going to be a big, big bill.

Is there any room for a sportswriter? . . .

Juni Williams, former Burbank High guard, is averaging seven points as a freshman at St. Catharine College, a junior college in Kentucky. . . .

Aaron Davis, who played basketball at L.A. Baptist, will be playing for Bethany College in Santa Cruz as soon as he becomes eligible in the second semester. . . .

Beware of Thousand Oaks’ boys’ basketball team. The Lancers are 8-2 and haven’t even used injured point guard David Anderson, a freshman with big-time skills. He has been sidelined because of a sprained ankle.

“I couldn’t have dreamt we’d do as well as we have,” Coach Richard Endres said. Anderson and another injured player, 6-foot-3 Marcus Ellis, should be ready for the Lancers’ Marmonte League opener on Jan. 6. . . .

Ivan Hernandez, a senior All-City pitcher at Sylmar who signed with Cal State Northridge, was overpowering last weekend when he struck out five batters in two innings of a winter game against San Fernando. The only way Hernandez is going to lose a game next spring is by the score of 1-0.

Sylmar will challenge Chatsworth for the City baseball championship if Coach Gary Donatella can develop a solid No. 2 pitcher.

“We’re trying everybody out,” Donatella said. “They’re lined up outside the gate.” . . .

El Camino Real has a top freshman pitcher, Greg Acheatel, and might have another, Adam Elliot, who moved to the area from Arizona. . . .

Coach Scott Muckey of Crespi is having trouble evaluating his infielders this winter because senior pitchers Tim Leveque and Michael Jackson keep striking out batters.

Leveque has 23 strikeouts in 11 innings and Jackson 14 strikeouts in eight innings. Neither has allowed an earned run. . . .

Players from Harvard-Westlake’s softball team distinguished themselves last weekend at a club tournament in Mission Viejo. Helping the Valley Breeze to a third-place finish were juniors Kim Koral, Lisa Fiegenbaum and Anna Russell. . . .

All-City kicker John Wall of Birmingham broke his nose playing goalie in soccer, causing football Coach Dave Lertzman to remark, “He’s going to be the first goalie to wear a helmet.” . . .

Principals looking for a promising young football coach should keep their eyes on 21-year-old Mike Leibin, a former Westlake wide receiver who guided the Warriors’ sophomore team to a 10-0 record. One day he will join Jim Bonds and Dean Herrington as the region’s top passing gurus.

Eric Sondheimer’s can be reached at (818) 772-3422 or online at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.