CIF-SS Large Enrollment Division
Preview:
Channel League 2001-02--(Oct. 30, 2001)
| CHANNEL LEAGUE Buena Dos Pueblos San Marcos Santa Barbara Ventura |
It's getting late and we thought it was about time to simply put out there what little information we have on the teams in each league before the season starts next month. Official practices in the Southern Section will start on November 10, and the first scrimmage is permitted to take place November 19. The first official game of the season is permitted on November 26, and there will be a flood of tournaments getting underway in the last week of November and early December. So without any further delay, we thought we'd at least post what we do know, even if it isn't much.
The Channel League is unique in that it has its own great website. Someone was thoughtful enough to create this great site, and it's really worth emulating. . . every league should do something similar, and while the Channel League site has been around for two years now, we're surprised that more leagues haven't thought of doing the same thing....heck, forget thinking about it, just do it. What we've done below is simply list the teams from last year in order of finish by league record first, and then overall, and list the team's nickname and the players who are anticipated to return from last year's squads, i.e., the players who will be the keys to this year's successes (or lack thereof). There are some new players coming up who have not yet been identified, and we're counting on our network of fans to let us know about some of the better young players who aren't listed below. If you want scheduling information, that's coming soon too. In the meantime, here's the listing of players for each team, insofar as it's known right now.
| Channel League Rosters | Channel League Schedules |
| Dos Pueblos--6-2, 16-6 (1st)
"Chargers" Returning players are expected to be: John Dillon 6'-7" Sr. C Steve Graybill 6'-1" Sr. G Kevin Inen 6'-4" Sr. F Daniel Menna 6'-2" Sr. F Anthony Ortiz 5'-9" Sr. G John Pickert 6'-2" Sr. G Stefan Talmadg 6'-6" Fr. F Phillip Friesen 6'-1" Fr. G Dos Pueblos also picked up a very talented combo guard, John Pickert, who we saw playing with them this summer from Kansas. Even though they will be young for the most part, with All-CIF Steve Graybill, this will be a tough team again this season. Update 12/03/01: The Santa Barbara News-Press featured their own Channel League preview today in the paper. Here's what they added to the above: DOS PUEBLOS The Chargers return only one starter, but he's a good one, Channel League MVP Steve Graybill. Graybill, a 6-2 senior guard, averaged 22.6 points and 3.8 rebounds last year and has maintained that pace through the first three games this year. He's joined the backcourt by John Pickert, a 6-2 senior guard who transferred in from Wichita. Pickert averaged 14 points last year and had 27 in his most recent Charger game. "We're going with a two-guard offense this year," said Coach Phil Sherman, who has won league titles in four of his five seasons. Kevin Iden (6-4) is the top returning forward but Sherman expects big contributions from freshmen Stephen Talmadge (6-6) and Phil Freissen (6-2). "We have the best freshman class since I've been here," said Sherman. Other players to watch include guards Louie De La Cerda and Chris Carter, a transfer from Crespi, and Ryan Glick, a 6-2 forward up from the JV team. Another player who could be a factor when he recovers from an eye injury, said Sherman, is John Ramsdell.
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Dos Pueblos Coach: Phil Sherman N-29/D-1 @ Nordhoff TournD 04 @ Righetti 06 Thousand Oaks 14 California 15 Newport Harbor 19-21 @ Oak Park Tounr 26-29 @ Santa Barbara Tourn J 04 *San Marcos 09 Camarillo 11 @ *Santa Barbara 16 *Ventura 18 @ *Buena 25 @ *San Marcos 30 @ Camarillo F 01 *Santa Barbara 05 @ *Ventura 07 *Buena |
| Santa
Barbara-- 5-3, 16-10 (2nd) "Dons" Logan Burrus 6'-1" Sr. G Preston Maloney 6'-2" Sr. G Kerry Russell 6'-2" Sr. G Dante Bogan 6'-0" Sr. G Dante De Rose 5'-120' Sr. G Michael Fisher 6'-3" Jr. G Brandon Duke 6'-2" Sr. F Santiago Aguirre 6'-4" Jr. G The Dons will be without several graduating seniors including Dommanic Ingerson who has taken his show to Michigan. We'll see if the Dons can put together some solid play early with a tough tournament schedule. Santiago Aguirre and the two Dantes are talented and they have other strong support. Update 12/03: The Santa Barbara News-Press featured their own Channel League preview today. Here's what the paper added to what we knew: SANTA BARBARA The only returning starter is senior point guard Dante DeRose, an all-league selection last year, after averaging seven points and three assists. But Coach Jeff Lavender said he has a good mix of experienced senior players and hungry underclassmen. It's a group that went 24-6 over the summer, winning a couple of tournaments. Football stars Preston Maloney and Dante Bogan had limited playing time last year due to injuries but both are healthy this season. Maloney, a 6-2 forward, averaged 8.3 points in six games at the end of last year. Bogan, a 6-0 guard, was out all season. Brandon Duke, another senior who played football in the fall, led the team in field goal percentage last year (67 percent) in limited action. As is usually the case, the football players will need some time to adjust to basketball. New additions include 6-5 junior Santiago Aguirre and 6-1 sophomore guard Taylor Rochestie. They averaged a combined 33 points for the Dons first two games. Other players to watch include Kerry Russel, Luther Richmond, Coury Clemens and Michael Fisher. The Dons are entered in the Mission Prep Tournament in San Luis Obispo Dec. 19-22 and will open against Los Angeles City power Crenshaw. They also play in the Thousand Oaks Tournament and are host for their own tournament Dec. 26-28. Lincoln, one of the stronger programs in Washington, is the early favorite in that event.
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Santa Barbara Coach: Jeff Lavender N 28 Lompoc |
| Buena-- 4-4, 16-11 (3rd
tie)"Bulldogs" Ben Hanggeler 5'-11" Sr. g Vince McMahon 6'-1" Sr. F Hylas Smith 6'-1" Jr. G/F Chris Jacobsen 6'-3" Sr. F Chris Sullivan 6'-4" Sr. F (graduated 9 seniors) This team graduated 9 seniors from last year's roster so how deep and experienced they will be remains to be seen. |
Buena Coach: Glen Hannah N-27/D-1 @ Saugus TournD 3-8 @ Beverly Hills Tourn 12 @ Channel Islands 13 Loyola 17 @ Santa Paula 26-29 @ Ventura tourn J 02 @ Hueneme 04 @ *Santa Barbara 09 @ *Ventura 11 Oxnard 16 *San Marcos 18 *Dos Pueblos 25 *Santa Barbara 30 *Ventura F 02 @ Oxnard 05 @ *San Marcos 07 @ *Dos Pueblos |
| Ventura--4-4,
15-12 (3rd tie) "Cougars Matt Dixon 5'-10" Sr. G Trevon Prophet 5'-010" Sr. G Josh Yanez 5'-11" Sr. G Steve Shaw 6'-0" Jr. F Nick Wagner 6'-2" Sr. F Johnny Davis 6'-2" Sr. F (graduated 9 seniors from last year) Another team which graduated most of the roster last season, and that could be both the good news and the bad news. Ventura should still be a playoff contender again this year with some new faces. |
Ventura Coach: Dan Larson N-26/D-1 @ Simi Valley TournD 3-8 @ Beverly Hills Tourn 17 @ Valencia 18 @ Rio Mesa 20 Oxnard 26 Ventura Tourn J 04 @ Hueneme 09 *Buena 11 @ *San Marcos 16 @ *Dos Pueblos 18 *Santa Barbara 22 Channel Islands 25 Hueneme 30 @ *Buena F 01 *San Marcos 05 *Dos Pueblos 07 @ *Santa Barbara |
| San Marcos--1-7,
7-16 (5th) Players expected to return for 2001-2002: Duane Fortune 5'-10" Sr. G We will be the first to admit, we haven't really got much of a clue about this team. A lot of the guys on the "Carl's Jr. Superstars" play at San Marcos, so we would expect to see, at a minimum, Drew Spaventa 6'-0" Jr. G, Duane Fortune 5'-10" Sr. PG, and Seamus McKiernan 6'-5" Sr. F/G, a solid prospect who really impressed us in the spring up in Fresno at Mats' tournament. If these guys are on this roster, San Marcos should do a lot better than 5th this season, and we'd look for them to be playoff-bound. 12/03/01: Here's what the Santa Barbara News-Press had to say about San Marcos in the paper's own Channel League preview:
SAN MARCOS * 2000-01 record: 7-17, 1-7 (5th Channel League). CIF playoffs: Did not qualify 2001-02 record: 2-1 The Royals are looking to break back into the CIF playoffs with four returning starters. Topping the list are 6-1 point guard Asher Kupperman and 6-6 center Seamus McKiernan. Kupperman, a National Merit semifinalist, is a heady player who averaged 15 points and 3.5 assists. McKiernan spent the first half of the season as a student abroad in China, but returned to average about 11 points and six rebounds in league play. "He's more of a wing, but we need him to play center," said Coach Chris Hantgin. The other returning starters are 6-2 forward Aaron Mercer, the team's best 3-point shooter, and 5-11 guard Duane Fortune. Mercer averaged 11 points and Fortune 7.5 points. Also back are 6-2 junior forward Drew Spaventa, a part-time starter last year, defensive specialist Steve Hill, 6-1 wing Kyle Hopkins and 5-9 guard Mike Below, the team's strongest player. Hantgin also expects 6-6 freshman Andrew Popp to make a significant contribution. "We're in a much different place this year," said Hantgin. "The things we're doing we could barely talk about last year. "I think this is my deepest team and my best offensive team," he added. "It's important for us to get some wins in December this year."
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San Marcos Coach: Chris Hantgin N-29/D-1 @ San Luis Obispo TournD 04 @ Hueneme 3-8 @ Thousand Oaks 14 Mission Prep 15 California 26-29 @ Santa Barbara Tourn J 04 @ *Dos Pueblos 09 *Santa Barbara 11 *Ventura 16 @ *Buena 18 Channel Islands 19 @ Nordhoff 25 *Dos Pueblos 30 @ *Santa Barbara F 01 @ *Ventura 05 *Buena 07 @ Channel Islands |
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