JUNIOR COLLEGE MEN’S BASKETBALL PREVIEW

ANTELOPE VALLEY

COACH: Newton Chelette, 12th season

LAST SEASON: 19-14; tied for third in Foothill Conference at 9-5

OUTLOOK: The Marauders have five returning players, including leading scorer Jimmy White, a 6-foot-6 forward who averaged 17.7 points and 7.3 rebounds. Also back is point guard Matt Cox, who had a team-leading 104 assists. Tyler Newton, a 6-9 forward, averaged 15 points and 13 rebounds at Burroughs High in Burbank last season. The Marauders are ranked No. 18 in the state in preseason.

OPENER: Today, vs. Oxnard at Victor Valley tournament, 11 a.m.

CANYONS

COACH: Howard Fisher, first season

LAST SEASON: 13-19; tied for fourth in Western State Conference Southern at 6-6

OUTLOOK: Fisher replaces Lee Smelser, who retired after 31 seasons with the Cougars. He inherits a team with only two proven players, 6-6 forward Nana Gbewonyo and 6-4 forward Nicolas Echevestre. Gbewonyo averaged 15.7 points and a team-leading 6.7 rebounds last season. Echevestre came on strong in division play, averaging 12.2 points. Center Krishna Evans averaged 8.5 rebounds last season at Grant.

OPENER: Today, vs. Santa Ana, 5:30 p.m.

GLENDALE

COACH: Brian Beauchemin, 22nd season

LAST SEASON: 24-9; tied for second in WSC Southern at 8-4

OUTLOOK: The Vaqueros lost leading scorer Clayton Powdrill to graduation, but get back capable shooters in forward Sean Stroud (12.1 points per game) and guard Michael Schnyder (10.4 points). Top freshmen include guard Ronald Gray from Taft (17 points) and 6-6 forward Ronald Ruffin from Chatsworth (15.7 points).

OPENER: Today, vs. San Bernardino Valley at Desert tournament, 5 p.m.

MOORPARK

COACH: Remy McCarthy, fifth season

LAST SEASON: 27-8; tied for first in WSC Northern at 8-2

OUTLOOK: Trying to match last season’s team record for victories or making another trip to the state championships won’t be easy for the Raiders, who return only three players. Guard Trevor Lorz averaged 8.8 points and guard T.K. Reed had 154 assists. Former Alemany standout Devin Montgomery, a transfer from Duquesne, figures to contribute heavily. Moorpark is ranked No. 10 in the state.

OPENER: Today, vs. San Diego Mesa at Cerro Coso tournament, 6 p.m.

OXNARD

COACH: Ron McClurkin, eighth season

LAST SEASON: 22-9; tied for first in WSC Northern at 8-2

OUTLOOK: Memphis-bound center Chris Massie, 6-8 and 255 pounds, could be the top player in the WSC. He averaged 19 points and a state-best 14.3 rebounds last season. But no one else returns who played a significant role for the Condors. Keron Wilkerson, a 6-5 forward and former All-City player at North Hollywood, is a transfer from Odessa (Texas) College.

OPENER: Today, vs. Antelope Valley at Victor Valley tournament, 11 a.m.

VENTURA

COACH: Greg Winslow, second season

LAST SEASON: 14-14; sixth in WSC Northern at 2-8

OUTLOOK: The rebuilding of the once-dominant program continues behind All-WSC forwards Desmond Penigar and Brooke Ewing. Penigar led the conference at 22.9 points per game and was second at 11.7 rebounds. Ewing averaged 9.9 points and 7.1 rebounds. Center Dave Wiggins, listed last season at 7-0 and 295 pounds, somehow downsized to 6-11 and 270 but didn’t lose any age. He is 28.

OPENER: Today, vs. Bakersfield at Ventura tournament, 7 p.m.