Things Going Amiss for Ebell

Guard Tyler Ebell of Ventura High, who missed his second consecutive game because of a sprained ankle against Dos Pueblos on Wednesday, is regarded as “very doubtful” for a Channel League showdown at first-place Santa Barbara tonight, Coach Dan Larson said.

Ebell, a 5-foot-9 junior, is averaging 15 points a game and has made 52 three-point shots for the second-place Cougars (16-7, 5-1 in league play).

Trevor Robinson, a 6-3 junior, started in Ebell’s spot on Wednesday after 6-2 junior Jared Godinez started last Friday against San Marcos.

“We try to replace his points,” Larson said. “But it’s hard to replace his spirit and his energy.”

Santa Barbara (20-2, 5-0), ranked fourth in the Southern Section Division I-A poll, defeated Ventura, 48-38, on Jan. 14.

Ebell scored 18 points in that game.

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A moment of silence for the victims of the Alaska Airlines Flight 261 plane crash was observed before the national anthem at the Rio Mesa-Hueneme boys’ game on Wednesday night.

The crash, in which 88 people are believed to have died, occurred off the coast of Port Hueneme on Monday.

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Franklin Thompson of Hueneme, a 6-4 senior forward, was home battling a cold from Saturday through Tuesday. On Wednesday, he scored 18 points in the Vikings’ 54-53 victory over Rio Mesa.

“I told him, ‘You’re not practicing anymore,’ ” Coach Tom McCollum said. “ ‘Not if you can play like that after missing practice.’ ”

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Hueneme (13-8, 4-2) was one of the most downtrodden programs in Ventura County when McCollum took over four years ago, but the Vikings have improved annually.

After compiling a 3-21 record during the 1995-96 season, Hueneme was 4-19 in McCollum’s first season, 9-14 in his second and 11-13 last year.

The Vikings’ 13 victories this season are the most since 1992-93 when they were 16-9.

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Oxnard (19-4, 6-0) can post its second consecutive 20-victory season with a victory over Rio Mesa (8-11, 2-3) in a Pacific View League boys’ game tonight at Oxnard.

The Yellowjackets, ranked fourth in the region by The Times, were 21-7 last season.

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Guard Anish Sharda of Simi Valley, who did not play for unspecified reasons in the Pioneers’ 92-70 victory at Moorpark on Wednesday, is expected back in the lineup for a Marmonte League game against Newbury Park on Monday.

Sharda watched the game Wednesday from the Simi Valley bench while wearing street clothes, but Coach Christian Aurand said he would practice with the team Thursday.

Sharda, a 6-2 senior, is the third starter to be held out of a game for the top-ranked Pioneers this season.

The others are junior Shaun Michel, who has missed five games, and senior--and brother--Brett Michel, who has missed one.