SoCalHoops HS Top 10
Division IV-A--(Revised Dec. 17, 2000)
SoCalHoops HS Top 10
Division IV-A--(Revised Dec. 17, 2000)
 Preseason Southern Section D-IVA Top 10 (revised Dec. 17, 2000) |
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| 1 | Crossroads | Clearly the dominant team in the division, and they should be at the top again this year with returning Arizona-signee and All-CIF power forward Isaiah Fox (6'-9" Sr.PF). Even though the Roadrunners lost their top scorer Felipe Williams to graduation, they return starting point guard Anthony Locke and a solid cast of supporting players like Nick Forman, Jordan Rush, Joe Abrams, Douglas Hall, and Martin Usher. While Crossroads didn't take a state title last year, and they were almost shocked last season by upstart Milken (which itself isn't ranked due to the loss of almost the entire team to graduation), X-Roads has already had a few impressive pre-season wins, including knocking off LA City Section perennial contender Crenshaw. The team to beat and they will also again dominate Delphic League this year with the demise of their traditional league rivals Montclair Prep and Campbell Hall, both depleted by graduation and Pacific Hills, which is not nearly as deep as last season. | ||
| 2 | St. Bernard | Sometimes you win, and sometimes you don't. . . St. Bernard currently (at least as of this writing) is only 3-6 and struggling. But they are losing to some good teams, and getting good play from guards Bruce Bevans and Donald Penn and forward Brandon Nunnally. The big question is whether they will improve or continue to struggle. Del Rey League competition will severely test this team against defending CIF State Division III champion and CIF-SS champ Bishop Montgomerey, in addition to Gardena Serra, Bishop Amat, and a tough St. Paul team which SoCalHoops has currently ranked No. 1 in IV-AA. While St. Bernard made it all the way to the State Division IV finals, this doesn't look like last year's team. . .at least not yet. But if anyone is capable of surprising people, it's St. Bernard. | ||
| 3 | St. Monica | But for the fact that the Mariners will have to face Verbum Dei twice this season, they probably have one of the deepest talent pools in the division and feature at least two players who, if they have good games, might be able to challenge Crossroads' dominance this year. They feature some guys with size who, if they double team, might contain Fox: Sean Cole (6'-8"), Marcus Shelby (6'-7"), Eddie Lloreda (6'-5), Bryan Cresci (6'-4") and Kyle Guillory (6'-4). Solid point with Jamayne "Spud" Potts, and athletic guards like Lance Washington, Robert Rakestraw, Hampton Nunley, Brandon Walker, Phil Minter, Ben Agatep, and this team could contend if they can manage to win the ones that count. | ||
| 4 | Maranatha | Maranatha didn't fare too well last year, and their results thus far have been more promising than discouraging, so we feel pretty confident that they deserve a ranking this high, particularly since they have one of the best under-rated players around in David Newkirk (6'-5" Sr. F) who passed on football this season after a summer with Rockfish concentrating on basketball. They also have more inside size with guys like John Gregorich (6'-6" Jr.F) and Jordan Weir (6'-4" Sr. F), but guard play is what is the unknown quantity. Steve Ford (6'-1" Jr. G) has a lot of responsibility. Others include Steve Sakanashi (6'-3" Fr. F), Dustin Bowers (6'-4" Sr. F), Chris Cramer (6'-3" Sr. F), Donny Blume (5'-10" Jr. G), Ryan D'Evelyn (5'-9" Sr. G), Richard Pettys (5'-10" Jr. G) and Justin Jue (5'-7" Sr. G). An Olympic League title isn't out of the question. | ||
| 5 | Calvary Chapel Santa Ana | Senior forward Bryan Filkey, point guard Isaiah Barney, Jeff Dressendorfer, Mark Hughes Tony Olivas, Canaan Owens, Landon Beaver, and David Pawasrat have led the Eagles to some nice preseason wins including the championship game of the La Habra tournament, and some other close games against higher division schools. Not likely to topple Crossroads, they are a smart bunch of kids who play very hard and could make some noise at playoff time, and they'll certainly challenge for a league title. | ||
| 6 | Providence | Liberty League runners-up to Buckley last year, the Pioneers feature Derek Jones (6'-6" Sr. F), an athletic player who competed with Rockfish this summer and vastly improved his game. The big question for coaches Paolo Velasco and Robert Mena will be whether they can get the rest of the team to step up. So far, the preseason has been spotty, marred by a loss to Liberty League rival Oakwood in the finals of Providence's own tournament. Senior guards Eric Vaca and Kaenan Whitman return along with seniors Fred Escobedo Justin Javier, Jeff Quebra and Ryan Curry, and junior Edwin Carbajal. | ||
| 7 | LA Baptist | LA Baptist has had some good wins in the preseason behind solid play from Chris Tillman, Andrew Peterson , Brian Sanders, Mike Madigan, and their record is also equally impressive (7-1 as of this writing) as they wind down tournament play and get ready for Alpha League play. They might not take a league title with Pasadena Marshall and Kilpatrick (which now features Keilon Fortune from Compton Dominguez), but they will be a contender for runner-up in this division at playoff time. | ||
| 8 | Whittier Christian | So far a mixed bag, some wins, some losses but have shown promise. The Heralds graduated nine seniors, leaving first-year coach Bob Hubbard a tough assignment, especially with Crossroads at the top of this division. But they've had some decent results in the early preseason. Mixed results overall, but promising as Bret Johnson (6'-4" Sr. F/C) and Tim Albeanu (5'-9" Jr. G) have combined for some solid play, along with Zach Underwood (6'-6" Sr. C). Others include Jon Albeanu (5'-11" Sr. F), Luke Payne (5'-5" Sr. G), Richard Torres (6'-1" Jr. F), Sean Bonawitz (5'-6" Jr. G), Earvin Johnson (5'-8" So. G) and Frank Sanchez (5'-10" Jr. SG). | ||
| 9 | Silver Valley | After getting stunned by Hesperia in the opener, Silver Valley regrouped and beat a team in their division, Vasquez, 111-54, and they also picked up some wins against a few other teams. We have no idea who these guys really are, but this is a small division, easily dominated by 5 or 6 teams, so someone has to be No. 10, and it might as well be coach Blankenship's group, which includes Ricky James, the leading scorer last season in San Bernardino County. | ||
| 10 | Loma Linda | Ryan Prior (5'-9" So. PG), a transfer from Redlands East Valley has provided some focus to this team along with scoring from Kiff Rivinius (6'-0" Jr. F) and others like Matt Campbell, Jeremy Valdez, Devon Sandiford, Michael Stottlemyre. They're not going to challenge Crossroads for a division title, but then only one or two teams in this division will. Still, they are a good, improving high school team. | ||
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