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SoCalHoops High School Previews

San Diego Previews:  Western
League Preview--(Dec. 5, 2003)

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What:  

CIF San Diego Section HS
Basketball Previews

When:  

2003-2004 Season

     

This year, as in years past, our San Diego Previews are brought to you courtesy of the San Diego Basketball Coaches' Association.   Much of the material which follows in this and other related articles will have already found its way to various newspapers in San Diego, including the SD Union Tribune.   We haven't checked the papers, and even if they do publish some of this stuff, the info will likely be formatted differently....but that's beside the point.  We want to pass the info along, in a semi-timely fashion, so we're not going to procrastinate any longer. And before you ask, we can't exactly explain who the SDBCA really is, or who had input into putting this stuff together.  Just know this:  We didn't do it, so if you disagree or think this stuff is just too wacky, well, blame them, not us.  And if it happens to be an accurate prediction of how the season turns out, then of course, we're going to take all the credit.

Here's the San Diego Western League Preview, team by team, in the order of predicted finish:.

Western League

1) University (Division 3, Linda Vista)

Head Coach: Demetrius Laffitte (3rd Year)
Last year’s record: 12 – 15 (4 – 8, 5th)
Last year’s playoffs: Lost in Quarterfinals.
Key players: Enrico Tucker (Sr, 5’11"), Javon Williams (Sr, 6’04"), Stanley Hoenig (Jr, 5’10"), Thad Jackson (So, 6’05"), Severin Gates (Sr, 6’07"), Ed Howell (So, 6’07")
Losses to overcome: Brian Vilven (graduation), Kurt Cano (graduation)
Summary: Anything short of a CIF title would be a major disappointment for a very deep and talented Dons’ squad.  Tucker should vie for County Player of the Year honors and will be hard to stop, while Williams, Jackson, and Gates provide additional offensive punch as well as experience and size.

2) St. Augustine (Division 3, San Diego)

Head Coach: Mike Haupt (9th Year)
Last year’s record: 11 – 13 (6 – 6, 3rd)
Last year’s playoffs: Lost in Semi-finals.
Key players: T.J. Topercar (Jr, 6’05"), Ryan Warnock (Jr, 6’01"), Marcel Kasmer (Sr, 6’03"), James Pinkney (Jr, 6’05"),  Andre Hardy (Jr, 6’04")
Losses to overcome: Chris Agnes (Morehouse College), Kyle Robinson (graduation), Zique McCurtis (graduation)
Summary: Agnes was a good player who will be missed, but the Saints rebound nicely from last season’s rebuilding year.
Pinkney and Topercar will provide Saints will quality post play while Warnock and Kasmer can both knock  down jumpers. Hardy is an athletic transfer who should also help. Saints may not have enough to knock off the Dons, but a good team nonetheless.

3) La Jolla (Division 3, La Jolla)

Head Coach: Rle Nichols (3rd Year)
Last year’s record: 24 – 8 (10 – 2, 2nd)
Last year’s playoffs: Won CIF D-3 Championship; Lost in State 2nd Round.
Key players: Grayson Moyer (Sr, 6’05"), Ronnie Waldon (Sr, 6’01"), Michael Stark (Sr, 6’00"), Cooper Waddell (Sr, 6’05"), Martin Waldon (Jr, 6’00")
Losses to overcome: Jake Wohlfeil (Prep school), Wai John Wai (Cross Country @ Concordia Univ.), Richard Moss (Southwestern College), LaDarren James (transferred to Oklahoma)
Summary: Graduation losses will sting the Vikings and prevent them from making a run at another CIF title. Moyer is a quality player who can score in a variety of ways. Stark, Waddell, and the Waldon brothers must provide some additional offensive punch for the Vikings to make some noise in league.

4) University City (Division 2, La Jolla)

Head Coach: Brad Milhoan (5th Year)
Last year’s record: 6 – 20 (2 – 10, 7th)
Last year’s playoffs: None
Key players: Austin Fowler (Sr, 6’04"), James Mitchell (Sr, 6’00"), Jamaul Perry (So, 5’09")
Losses to overcome: Grant Olander (graduation), Ashkaun Shaterian (graduation)
Summary: The Centurions return a good nucleus in Fowler and Mitchell and should be improved over a year ago. Maturity and development of Perry will be a big factor in determining if UC can make a run at the league hierarchy.

5) Mission Bay (Division 3, Mission Bay)

Head Coach: Dennis Kane (1st Year)
Last year’s record: 7 – 13 (3 – 9, 6th)
Last year’s playoffs: Lost in 1st Round.
Key players: Steven Brown (Sr, 5’11"), Jamal Hardy (Sr, 6’01"), Arian Foster (Sr, 6’01"), Anthony Houston (So, 6’05"), Patrick Tumanuvao (Sr, 6’05")
Losses to overcome: Jason Parker (graduation), Bryce Daniels (graduation)
Summary: The Buccaneers struggled a year ago, but hopefully a new but experienced coach can breathe life into the program. The Lincoln transfers of Brown, Hardy, and Tumanuvao should help the Bucs see improvement over the course of the season.

6) Scripps Ranch (Division 2, Scripps Ranch)

Head Coach: John King (11th Year)
Last year’s record: 17 – 11 (5 – 7, 4th)
Last year’s playoffs: Lost in Semi-finals.
Key players: Jon Kargas (Sr, 6’04"), Jared Juan (Sr, 5’09"), Bao Nguyen (Sr, 5’09"), Ashton Fulcher (So, 5’11"),  Gerald McLemore (Fr, 6’03")
Losses to overcome: Garrett Hetherington (graduation), Matt Poss (graduation), Erik Streeker (graduation)
Summary: The Falcons suffered some devastating graduation losses. Kargas will have to carry Scripps Ranch for a while  until their young talent matures.

Player of the Year:

Enrico Tucker (University)

All-Western League:

Austin Fowler (University City)
James Pinkney (St. Augustine)
Grayson Moyer (La Jolla)
Enrico Tucker (University)
Javon Williams (University)


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