Irvine Valley Men Overcome Problems

The Santa Ana men’s basketball team taught the rest of the Orange Empire Conference an important lesson last season about not giving up.

Santa Ana lost three of its first five conference games but rallied to win the final eight and the conference title in Coach Dana Pagett’s final season.

This season, Irvine Valley is learning a similar lesson about overcoming adversity. Two point guards suffered season-ending injuries before the season was five games old. But the players and their coach, Jerry Hernandez, have made a series of adjustments and, as a result, the Lasers are off to their best start at 13-4.

The Lasers have the best nonconference record, but there is no consensus favorite because six of the eight teams have at least nine victories heading into tonight’s conference openers.

Here is a look at each team:

Cypress (7-10 overall)--Sophomore guard Chris Killens and freshman guard Meko Parker dominate the Chargers’ offense. Killens is averaging 14 points and Parker 13.5. They also have combined for 67 of the team’s 124 three-pointers.

Ryan Tenpas, a 6-foot-8 sophomore forward, is averaging nine rebounds.

Fullerton (9-8)--The Hornets were the preseason pick to win the conference partly because of Karl Gregory, a guard from Central Connecticut State, and center Lawrence Felder, a transfer from Neosho County College in Kansas.

But Gregory left the team at Coach Dieter Horton’s request and Felder (nine points, six rebounds) will miss tonight’s conference opener because of an automatic one-game suspension for leaving the bench during a fight. Fullerton played a difficult nonconference schedule that included losses to Long Beach and Santa Monica, the top two teams in the state, and No. 6 Compton.

Freshman guards Reshaun Thomas (15 points) and Jerry McNair (14 points) are the leading scorers.

Golden West (5-8)--Truiett Hatton has made a smooth transition to head coach after seven seasons as an assistant.

The Rustlers have struggled at times but also won four games in a row, including the consolation championship of the 16-team Riverside tournament.

Travis Fenderson, a guard who previously played at Compton College, leads in scoring with a 17-point average and freshman forward Jeff Jensen averages 14.5.

Irvine Valley (13-4)--Sophomore Ben Esplin (6-6) has moved from forward to the post in an offense that features one guard and three players in wing slots. He is averaging 17 points and eight rebounds.

Sophomore guard Commander King is averaging 10 points and Earl Sanchez is averaging four assists. Freshman forward Ryan Ellis is shooting 51% (66 of 130) from the field.

Orange Coast (9-7)--Guard Carlos Reyes returns and is averaging 13 points and three assists. Anthony Cooper is also back at guard and has a team-high 28 three-point baskets but has been bothered by a sore shoulder.

Roman Dolven, at 6-7, is the tallest Pirate and is averaging five rebounds. Terrail Zoller, who is 6-3, is averaging eight points and six rebounds but has been bothered by a sore knee.

Riverside (14-6)--Don Crowden, a 6-8 sophomore center, has been the conference’s most effective inside player. He is averaging 20 points and a conference-high 11 rebounds.

Saddleback (9-7)--Sophomore guard Vernon Jackson is averaging 18 points and seven rebounds and freshman guard Semaj Johnson is at 11 points. Freshman point guard Donzell Hayes averages 10 points and a team-best five assists.

Santa Ana (12-5)--The Dons have enough talent to put up a strong title defense. They begin conference play having won four of their last five games without leading scorer Chris Mattice, who broke his nose in a Dec. 18 game. Mattice, who is averaging 22 points, should return tonight.

Forwards Mike Vogeding and Jehovany Barraza are also returning players.

Freshman Carlos Romero has emerged at point guard and is averaging four assists and three steals.