‘Real’ Season Is About to Start

As league play begins next week for most Orange County boys’ basketball teams, players and coaches might want to keep in mind that they’re not necessarily as good, or bad, as their nonleague records indicate.

A bushel full of wins against what Mater Dei Coach Gary McKnight has dubbed “local yahoos” doesn’t amount to much when playing a league rival in a packed gym.

Neither does a long early-season losing streak when your best basketball is yet to come.

At this point, it doesn’t matter a whole lot whether you’re 14-1 El Toro or 1-15 Orange.

“Nonleague records don’t mean much,” said Brea Olinda Coach Bob Terry, who said a Valencia team that won only a couple of nonleague games a few years ago beat his Wildcats twice in Orange League play. “League teams always play each other tough.”

And that’s why this year’s league races should be so compelling, especially in the Sea View, South Coast and Sunset leagues, where almost every team has at least an outside shot at the title.

Woodbridge, ranked sixth in the latest Orange County Sportswriters’ poll, might seem to be the favorite to repeat as Sea View League champion.

But No. 7 Newport Harbor and Aliso Niguel, fresh off its championship run in the Orange Holiday Classic, will certainly give chase. Laguna Hills is strong as always and Irvine, which has almost doubled its win total from last season, may be the most improved team in the county.

Prediction: Woodbridge claims the league title in its last regular-season home game Feb. 7 against Aliso Niguel.

Second-ranked El Toro seems a cinch to clinch the South Coast League title. The Chargers are the only unbeaten county team on the court, though they had to forfeit their season-opening victory against Los Alamitos because required paperwork regarding two players had not reached the Southern Section office.

But the South Coast is one of only three county leagues--the Empire and Sea View are the others--in which every team possesses a winning record. No. 8 Capistrano Valley recently won the Governor’s Cup at the Torrey Pines National Prep Classic and appears to be El Toro’s biggest threat.

Mission Viejo and Trabuco Hills have posted a number of quality wins, and Dana Hills has already exceeded last year’s win total. And San Clemente is capable of beating anyone in league.

Prediction: El Toro, which last season went undefeated in league play, suffers a loss or two in league but comes away with the title.

The Sunset League may be the weakest it’s been in years, but that doesn’t mean the race won’t be intriguing. Defending co-champion Marina has fallen on hard times this season and appears to be the only team out of the running.

Defending co-champion Los Alamitos, which lost four of its first five games, has come around nicely. The Griffins finished third in the Orange Holiday Classic and are playing well under Russ May, their first-year coach. The forfeit victory over El Toro pushed Los Alamitos’ record just over .500.

Tenth-ranked Edison, Esperanza and Huntington Beach are also hovering around .500. Prediction: Los Alamitos captures the title with a victory over Huntington Beach on Feb. 8, the last day of the regular season.

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League: Favorites

Academy: Downey Calvary Chapel

Century: Villa Park

Empire: El Dorado

Express: Orangewood

Freeway: Sonora

Garden Grove: Pacifica

Golden West: Ocean View

Olympic: Calvary Chapel

Orange: Brea Olinda

Pacific Coast: Northwood

Sea View: Woodbridge

Serra: Mater Dei

South Coast: El Toro

Sunset: Los Alamitos