Calabasas’ Bellatty Might Resign

Calabasas High boys’ basketball coach Bill Bellatty said Tuesday he might resign or take a one-year leave of absence in the wake of an incident last week in which he violated school policy by not riding with his players on a bus trip home from a game.

Several players have been disciplined for violating school rules during the ride back from Santa Clara, Principal Jim Christianson said. On at least two occasions, the bus driver had to pull over and stop because of rowdiness and noise, according to people associated with the basketball program. Three players did not ride back to Calabasas on the bus.

Christianson said it is school policy for head coaches to ride the bus with their players. Freshman Coach Ted Green was the teacher in charge on the bus. Green will not be coaching next season, Christianson said.

“We hold it as a very serious incident,” said Christianson, who added that poor decisions were made by adults and students.

Bellatty will continue to coach the tennis and golf teams, but he said he will decide in several weeks whether to resign or take a year off from coaching basketball. He has been coaching since 1983.

BASEBALL

Shortstop J.T. Stotts of Cal State Northridge will be sidelined four to six weeks after breaking a bone in his foot last week against Oregon State.

Stotts, a freshman from Hart High, will be replaced by another freshman, Jason Gorman of Palmdale.

Center fielder Jeremie Watkins, a junior from Ventura College, is healthy after missing the first month of the season with a broken hand.

Former Camarillo High outfielder Joe Borchard hit two home runs Saturday to help Stanford defeat Santa Clara, 7-6. Borchard is batting .321 after nine games.

Former Westlake High shortstop Scott Dragicevich is starting as a freshman at Stanford.

Shortstop Nathaniel Dunlap of Chaminade has committed to South Dakota.

The Great American Spring Training Day is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Sunnyslope Field, 12170 Terra Bella Street, in Pacoima.

The event will feature 200 kids and government officials working on baseball skills with 20 minor league players in a spring-training workout. Among the minor leaguers scheduled to participate are Peter Flores of the Dodgers, Jess Ibarra of the Detroit Tigers and Rick Magdaleno of the Chicago White Sox. Former Dodger Ken Landreaux also is expected to participate.

Those wanting to participate may show up the day of the event. There is no fee. Information: Jessica Leifeld, (818) 908-5003.

FOOTBALL

All-Foothill League punter Scott Talamantes of Burbank High plans to walk on at Northridge.

WATER POLO

Peter Hudnut of Harvard-Westlake, the No. 1 player in the region, has committed to Stanford. He also visited UCLA, California and Pepperdine.

SOFTBALL

Keith Case has been hired to coach softball at Buckley High. Case also coaches girls’ basketball at Notre Dame, a position he says he will maintain.