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SoCalHoops HS Top 20
Division II-AA--
(Jan. 7, 2001)

socalogominitop20.gif (2380 bytes)Southern Section D-IIAA Top 20 as of Jan.  7, 2001
        
1 Dominguez Defending Section champs, defending Southern Region champs, two-time defending State Champs, and defending No. 1 in USA Today's mythical "National Championship" can the Dons do it one more time for Tyson Chandler before he jumps to the NBA? Based on talent on the floor, no doubt still the No. 1 team in the division, with Chandler, Bobby Jones,
2 Santa Margarita Lenny Collins, CJ Hubbard, Travis Smith, RJ Socci Adam Tancredi, and ABCD camp-attendee Brandon Rohe, will lead the Eagles this season.  Lost in the quarterfinals to Inglewood by one point, 43-42. They play tough and smart. 
3 Santa Barbara Moved down from Division I-A due to a slight decrease in enrollment, if Dommanic Ingerson (Michgan) can keep his cool, he will lead the Dons back to the playoffs again, with Trey Putnam, Chris Koester, Dante DeRose, and Dante Bogan all returning.
4 Pasadena Always well coached, lost Reggie Harmon (13.2 ppg) to graduation and Doug Thomas (12.9 ppg, 8 rpg) who transferred to Inglewood.  Dino Wilburn (6'-3" Jr. G) returns (13.9 ppg) as well as Marquez Munn (6'-2" Sr. F), Isreal Miller (6'-4" Sr. F), Johnny Eubanks (6'-3" Sr. G) Ian Solemani (*6'-6" Sr. F) McKensie Clark (6'-6" Jr. C), Travis Bean (6'-4" Jr. F) and Dwuan Rice (5'-8" Jr. PG)
5 Inglewood Lost in semifinals to Brea Olinda, 50-47.  Huge influx of transfers will bolster an already athletic team. Doug Thomas from Pasadena and Jason McKinney from Westchester join DeAngelo Collins, Terrell Stovall, Anthony Davis, Earl Felix, Otis Hankins, Roy Baker, an d Teddy  Fletcher.  Will need to do more than be athletic though and success will happen only if Pat Roy can get his team to play consistently smart.
6 Chaparral Two of five starters return from a team that went 10-0 in league and 26-4 overall, finishing in the quarterfinals after losing to Brea Olinda. Even though Dan Larsen (6'-1 Sr. G) who averaged 11.7 ppg and can jump out of the gym transferred,  Chaparral will be led by 6'2" guard Joe Buller (13.7 PPG) (First Team Div IIAA All CIF and Skyline League MVP) and 6'5" forward Ryan Cooke (10.6 PPG, 9 Rebs) (All Skyline League), as well as David Castilo, Juan Castro, and Allen Craig who all return. 
7 Westlake Finished in dead last in 99-00 in Marmonte League play, then went to the playoffs under the 10-win rule, lost to Inglewood by 9 in the first round.  This year should be better.  To quote Eric Sondhiemer in the LA Times (11/24/00) "Westlake has the size and depth to be a dangerous team in the Marmonte League. Guards Kole Anderson and Adam Mazarei combine with 6-5 Deven Entrikin, 6-7 Eric Weidner and 6-6 Crespi transfer Brandon Duplessie to make the Warriors a team to watch."
8 Cathedral City Gerald DeVance, Thomas Shewmake and Paul Heredia lead a group of returning players which should help Cathedral City to make a deeper run in the playoffs than last season
9 Brea Olinda Finished in the finals of D-IIAA, losing to Dominguez 66-42. This year could be a transition and could go either way unless some young players step up the offense. Team returns Steven Schaefer, Erik Giesler, Landon Lewis, Ryan Moore (16 ppg) and some other rising young players, but will hurt with loss of Chase Ulicny, and Ryan Wilber's 18 ppg and 7 rpg. 
10 Bellflower Made it to second round of playoffs, beating Compton in 1st round, and finishing third in league behind Artesia and Mayfair.  Should finish at least in the same or higher spot. Graduated virtually all leading scorers, but still return DiLanta Lewis (6'-2" Jr. F), Devontae Battle (6'-1" Jr. G), Kendrick Sanders (6'-2" Jr. F), Jacory Bradford (6'-3" Sr. F).  The rest are a mystery.  
11 Laguna Hills Have played a solid preseason thus far. Coach Dave Brown has already recorded his 500th career victory with this squad, led by Jimmy Vollenhals and Chris Lee.  Could rise or fall in the next few weeks.
12 Agoura Naval Academy signee Adam Allegro, who missed most of last season with an ankle injury,  will lead a revitalized Agoura squad, along with leading scorer and 805 club teammate Johnny Gray. On the rise.
13 Paso Robles Ended the season ranked in the SCIBCA poll at No. 18, but didn't qualify for the playoffs, finishing 4th in a 6 team league and with only 9 overall wins.   Only three players graduated from that team, so it's a bit of the good new/bad news thing, in that just about everyone is back. Five league titles in the 90's, with the last in 98, this could be a better year for the Bearcats.
14T La Quinta (LQ) Currently 12-4 and they could give some other teams in the DVL a tougher time than many anticipate. Played some good comp at their own "Gamer Invitational Tournament"
14T Moorpark Lost leading scorer Todd Tomlinson (Naval Prep Academy), but still have some good size with 6'-5" Greg Estandia and Joey Tormos, as well as 6'-3" Andrew Carter and 6'-4" Ron Russ.  An unknown quantity since most of the offense went through Tomlinson lsat year. Daniel Bednar (coach's son) transferred from Moorpark to play with friends. Interesting.
15 Norte Vista Lost Keaire Mims (17 ppg, 8 rpg) and Henry Mims (7 ppg, 7 rpg) to graduation, but return another two leading scorers in Wendell Horn (16 ppg) and John Hanley (13 ppg) as well as most of last year's juniors (now seniors) including Jamaal Askings, Jermaine Horn, Darnell Grigsby, and Dustin Edwards.  Steady.  Finished second last year in league behind Elsinore, at 8-2 and 15-10 overall.  Tough league with Bloomington, Temescal Canyon as well.  Lost to Dominguez by 36 in second round last year.
16 La Serna Return Jason Koza, a solid combo guard, as well as Joey Duran, Anthony Martinez and post-man Chirs Saunders. --down from last year though with the loss of 8 seniors from last year's Del Rio League champ who finished 25-1, 10-0.
17 Valencia (P) Only lost two players from team that finished 3rd in Orange League at 6-4 (behind Brea Olinda and Magnolia), and at 12-14 lost in second round of playoffs to Chaparral. Three starters return, including Hugo Hernandez, Keinan Briggs, Emmanuel Ortega (14.8 ppg) . Deep bench, should finish at least second this season, and could run through Sweet 16.
18 Rim of the World Another team that finished fourth in a 6 team league and didn't get 10 wins last year, the Fighting Scots are determined to make the  playoffs, and they return all leading scorers, including Mike George (6'-0" Sr. G) 13.2 ppg, Scott Creswell (6'-3" Sr. F) 14.2 ppg, Jon Jurado (5'-8" Jr. G) 13.1 ppg, and Noah Urbina (6'-1" Sr. F) 11.2 ppg.  Lose only David Van Patten (6'-4" C) among the starters who averaged 8 ppg. and 6 rpg, but Cresswell led with 8 rpg as a junior. On the rise.
19 Victor Valley All-CIF Ryan Dillon signed with Cal State Fullerton and is gone, but they stil have Josh Dillon, Jason Colins, Ronald Chavev, Matt Barron, Steve Thompson, Mark Snow and Aaron Edwards.
20 South Torrance Matt Peterson has been leading South in scoring and they've had some excellent wins, including an overtime in league against Hawthorne this past week.
         

socalogominitop20.gif (2380 bytes)Jan 7, 2001
Southern Section
Others Not Ranked
(In alphabetical order)

Burroughs (Burbank)
Burbank
Cypress
El Modena
El Monte
Elsinore
Gahr
Garden Grove
Garey

Hemet
Kennedy
Los Amigos
Norco
North Torrance
Paloma Valley
Ramona
San Marcos
Santiago--Garden Grove
Savanna
Sonora
South Torrance
Torrance
Tustin
West Torrance
West Valley
Whittier