Santa Ana Making a Little Go a Long Way

Running a full-court drill is almost impossible and playing five-on-five in practice is out of the question, but eight is enough for Santa Ana women’s basketball Coach Jack Single.

Having a limited number of players has always been Single’s style and this season is no exception. The Dons have eight players, but they don’t sit back. They like to push the ball up the court and rely on an intense pressing defense.

So far everybody has remained healthy and Santa Ana is 15-2, 2-0 in the Orange Empire Conference and ranked third in the state.

“People don’t believe you can win with eight players,” Single said. “But if you get eight players who want to play hard and listen to you and do what you want and don’t let down, then you can do it and we have proved it through the years.”

Having top-flight players also helps, and Single has two of the best sophomores in Southern California in guard Atari Parker and forward Stephanie Patten.

Parker is averaging 26 points and is being recruited by UCLA, among others. Patten is a dominating inside threat who is averaging 17 points and 14 rebounds. Neither player is likely to leave the court unless she is in foul trouble or the score is one-sided.

“Personally,” Patten said about having only seven teammates, “I like it because I love playing. . . . Our team is so close and we are starting to feel more for how we play and I think that is going to pay off in the end.”

This is hardly the first time Single has done well with a small roster.

His 1995-96 Saddleback team also had eight players and went 31-0 before falling to undefeated Ventura in the state title game.

Of course, things have gone the other way as well.

In the first round of the playoffs in 1997, Single, who had taken over the Dons the summer before, started a first-round game against Pasadena with seven players. Two fouled out by the end of regulation time, and 40 seconds into overtime Santa Ana was down to three players.

Still, the Dons managed an amazing 6-0 run to take two-point lead with 58 seconds left. But two more players fouled out and Pasadena rallied to win, 75-74. The final two points came on free throws with 37 seconds left. Tanya Whitlock was the only Don left and had no choice but to throw the ball in and hope for the best. However, a Pasadena player got the ball and the Lancers ran out the clock.

“You almost witnessed a miracle,” Single said afterward.

KING OF THE HILL

Santa Ana, which finished 25-0 and won its second consecutive state men’s soccer title, added a national title recently.

The Dons were selected as the top team in the community college division of the National Soccer Coaches Assn. of America.

Tomas Serna, who scored 41 goals this season, was selected as an All-American for Santa Ana, which has a 47-game winning streak over two seasons.