For Dons, Agony After the Exodus

When the going got tough at Compton Dominguez High last summer in the wake of several shake-ups within the boys’ basketball program, the tough got going all right. Four standouts who were expected to return transferred to programs with better prospects.

A fifth standout, senior Keion Kindred, stayed. And he hasn’t regretted the decision, even though Dominguez is only a cracked shell of the team that last season won its third consecutive state Division II title.

“It’s been a struggle,” acknowledged Kindred, who has already endured more losses this season (11) than he did in his three previous varsity seasons combined (nine). “I miss that talent. But I’m doing my best.”

Kindred’s best may be enough to keep Dominguez (12-11, 7-1 San Gabriel Valley League) in the hunt for an eighth consecutive Southern Section title. This season, the Dons are in Division III-AA, which does not contain a single team ranked in The Times’ top 25.

Kindred, who is waiting until the spring to announce his college decision, is averaging 25.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists as a 6-foot-4 point guard charged with getting his teammates involved in the offensive flow.

But his most important role may be as a respected figure, someone who took a stand in the face of adversity. Kindred stayed put even though teammates Bobby Jones (now at Long Beach Poly), Darius Sanders and Saul Lankster III (Compton Centennial) and Samir Hernandez (Gardena Serra) bolted after school administrators chose not to retain interim coach Steve Singleton or reinstate former coach Russell Otis. The latter was cleared last spring of wrongdoing in a sexual molestation case brought by a former player.

“I take my hat off to him,” Otis said of Kindred, whom he still speaks with almost every day. “He was facing a big challenge coming back without teammates he played with all of his high school career, and I think he handled it well. The leadership was thrust on him and I think he has showed great character.”

Kindred’s decision to stay wasn’t an easy one. He considered transferring to Crenshaw after playing with the Cougars over the summer.

Kindred’s mother, Darlene Walker, implored him to stay, saying he needed to endure the difficult circumstances if he wanted to grow character. He agreed.

“My heart was with Dominguez, so I stayed,” Kindred said.

Don Coach Mack Calvin said he has been impressed since first meeting Kindred, when the team captain vowed to lead Dominguez to another state title.

In truth, the Dons have had more downs than ups this season. Dominguez had a 62-game league winning streak ended on a buzzer-beater against Downey and suffered lopsided losses to Fairfax and Long Beach Poly. Westchester thumped the Dons, 105-54.

“That was an embarrassment to the program as a whole,” Kindred said. “Dominguez losing by 50 points? Unheard of.”

Still, if the Dons need inspiration during the playoffs, they can look to Kindred, who maintains a sunny demeanor during the toughest times.

“If he was going to leave, I was going to leave,” said Dominguez guard Jason Murdock, another holdover from last season. “I give him much respect for being a true Don, stepping up and being loyal to his school.”

A triumph to remember: Santa Ana Mater Dei Coach Gary McKnight will probably pick up his 600th victory next week in the first round of the Southern Section Division II-AA playoffs, but the milestone win probably won’t compare to No. 598.

That victory was achieved in stunning fashion Saturday night at the Pyramid in Long Beach when the Monarchs upset nationally top-ranked Mouth of Wilson (Va.) Oak Hill Academy, 84-72, to end the Warriors’ 67-game winning streak.

Even though Mater Dei had reeled off 13 consecutive victories before Saturday, few thought it could challenge Oak Hill. Remember, the Monarchs were 7-4 earlier in the season after suffering three losses in a tournament in Oregon.

“I didn’t expect this from this young team,” McKnight said after posting his first victory over Oak Hill.

Guard Wesley Washington, who led Mater Dei with 25 points, said the Monarchs (21-4) are back in the national spotlight because of their unselfishness.

“We’ve been playing as a team since Oregon,” Washington said.

Said center Harrison Schaen: “We’re a family this year. We act as a unit.”

Oak Hill Coach Steve Smith, whose Warriors (25-1) have lost in their last two appearances at the Pyramid, said he might not bring his team back to the Nike Extravaganza because of the toll the late-season cross-country trip has taken on his players.

“Two years ago, we didn’t have any legs,” said Smith, whose team skipped the event last season. “[Saturday], we weren’t mentally into the game.”

Bold statement: Schaen said the Monarchs, No. 1 in The Times’ rankings, are the best team in Southern California, even though they won’t get a chance to prove it against No. 2 Westchester. “I’ll go play them at Venice Beach at the outdoor courts if we have to,” Schaen said.

And finally: In another noteworthy upset, Los Angeles Summit View West defeated Sherman Oaks Bridges Academy, 52-41, for its first win in school history. The Wildcats (1-16) have two girls on their first-season roster, including a starting guard.