Emotional Crawford Runs Entertaining Show at Valley

For starters, let’s make it clear that this Michael Crawford is no phantom.

Oh, he can be amusingly theatrical, turning the basketball court into his own Broadway stage.

His self-described high-voltage style of play, which sometimes keeps his mouth running long after an unfavorable official’s call, is quite a show.

But make no mistake, Crawford never pulls a disappearing act while playing center for Valley College.

If anything, it’s the opposite.

“There’s nothing artificial about him,” Coach Doug Michelson said. “He’s a flat-out leader.”

The Monarchs can use one.

Valley, which opens the season against Fullerton today at 6 p.m. in the Mt. San Antonio tournament, lacks experience and is perhaps overrated at No. 7 in the state preseason rankings.

Crawford, 6 feet 6 and 220 pounds, is the only returning starter from a gifted squad that won the Western State Conference Southern Division title last season with a 10-2 record and finished 27-9 after conking out in the state semifinals.

Because of the inexperience, the Simi Valley High graduate believes he needs to contribute more than just scoring and rebounding.

“I was telling coach I don’t have a problem with him putting the [leadership] pressure on me,” Crawford said. “I want to uphold my responsibility. If that crown is given to me, I will wear it wholeheartedly.”

To be effective in that role, Crawford knows he must temper his court demeanor. Irritating officials, opponents, teammates and, more important, Michelson, is not the kind of behavior the Monarchs need to emulate.

“I am emotional and I don’t like dirty play because I don’t play dirty,” Crawford said. “But I know I have to work on my mannerisms on the court.

“I’m going to give it my best shot and I can’t say it’ll work all the time, but it’s a problem I’ll try to rectify.”

With or without the Tony-worthy performances, the muscular Crawford can be a dominant force.

Crawford averaged 10.5 points last season on a team that relied on several other shooters and had a team-leading 202 rebounds.

He scored a game-high 19 points in Valley’s 81-75 victory over Fresno in the state quarterfinals and had 18 points and a game-high 11 rebounds in Valley’s 96-95 loss to Sequoias in the semifinals.

The Monarchs took the loss hard and Crawford came away determined to avoid a similar heartbreak.

“My whole motivation this year is based on seeing the sophomores crying after the game,” Crawford said. “To see them hurt like that. It serves as a driving force and as a reminder.”

Crawford, 27, joined the Monarchs after several seasons away from basketball and school. He was an All-Marmonte League selection in 1990-91, his senior season at Simi Valley, but later spent years working different jobs and hanging out with friends.

His life, Crawford said, was going nowhere fast. Then his uncle, Marty Wilson, a former standout and assistant at Simi Valley and now an assistant at UC Santa Barbara, persuaded Crawford to attend junior college.

“He’s like the little brother I never had,” said Wilson, who also coached at Pepperdine. “I’m just trying to make sure he’s doing the things he needs to do. . . . I talked to him about being around positive people and positive things will happen.”

Crawford followed the advise. He carries a 3.0 grade-point average as a kinesiology major and plans to attend a four-year school. But he’s not focusing that far ahead yet.

“I want my sophomore year to be just as fun as last year,” Crawford said. “Right now I know I can’t go anywhere without the books. Everything about me now says student-athlete.”

Michelson, in his eighth season with the Monarchs, can’t sing enough praises about Crawford.

“I respect that he’s making the most of this opportunity,” Michelson said. “I respect the fact he doesn’t do just an average job in the classroom. And I respect that he’s a team-first guy all the way.”

One who doesn’t disappear at intermission.