CIF-SS Small Enrollment Division
Preview:
Prep League 2001-02--(Oct. 30, 2001)
| PREP LEAGUE Chadwick Flintridge Prep Poly/Pasadena Rio Hondo Prep Webb |
The Prep League has been relatively competitive for the past decade or so, with Chadwick and Pasadena Poly usually providing most of the action, but Flintridge Prep from time to time has had some pretty good teams and some decent players. Chadwick will be down a bit this year even though they return most of their players, simply because the two players they will be missing were the leading scorers, together accounting for about half the offensive output. Peter McCaslin is now playing at USC, and Mike Reich, also All-CIF, has also graduated. Pasadena Poly, which has turned out a number of Division I players over the years (Koko Archibong at Penn is the most recent) is always well coached, but took a hit when super-frosh Matt Sargeant transferred this summer to Ocean View. We have no real idea about the rest of the league other than what we know from playoff rosters from last season. The players listed below are the ones we anticipate will be on the rosters this season. If anyone has more accurate information, let us know.
| Prep League Rosters | Prep League Schedules |
| Chadwick--8-0, 15-8 (1st)
"Dolphins" Chadwick should return the following players for 2001-02: Alexis Nikolakopulos 6'-3" Sr. F The team graduated 5 seniors including their two leading scorers, Peter McCaslin (USC) and Mike Reich. We'll have a more complete preview shortly.
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Chadwick Coach: Mykol Lewis D 04 @ Serra |
| Flintridge Prep--5-3, 12-11 (2nd)
"Rebels" Flintridge Prep graduated 9 seniors from last year's roster, but will have the following players for the 2001-2002 season: Jesse Gullion 6'-2" So. G We received a note from Coach Garrett Ohara, and here's what he had to say: Coach's Outlook The 2002 Rebels will look very different after losing 9 seniors to graduation. Only 2 members of last year's squad return, so it may take a while for this group to make an impact. Several key members are also playing for the playoff bound football team, so the early season will present a challenge. The Rebels also have a tough schedule to get them ready for Prep League play. Highlights include the La Canada tournament, which includes perennial power Bishop Montgomery as well as local powers John Muir and La Canada. The Rebels are the lone CIF entrant in the Eagle Rock tournament, featuring Los Angeles City Section schools. The Players The team will be lead by its lone senior and captain Connor O'Byrne. He is an offensive threat who can hit the 3 and has improved at driving to the basket. Tim Mercer is the other returning starter, a strong player who can score both from the inside and outside. He is also a top notch defender. Ramses Barden is the team's most versatile player. He should be able to contribute at both ends of the court. Prescott Gadd was the leading scorer on the JV team that went undefeated as Prep League Champions. He is also a good rebounder. Jesse Gullion can put the ball in the basket, as well as Mike Miller, a shooting guard and tough defender. Ballhandlers Frank Arthofer and freshman Wes Ouchi will be called on to steady the offensive attack. Rob Bachmann is an outside threat, Matt Johnson can defend and rebound, and Greg Sherman will add with his defensive tenacity. About the league, Coach Ohara had this to say (we're deleting his comments regarding the "predicted order of finish" so as not to overly prejudice the rest of the coaches in the league against him. . . just kidding): Chadwick has gone unbeaten in the last two campaigns and looks to be the favorite. Flintridge has not won the title since 1966, so the Rebels need to perform at their best to contend. Pasadena Poly will welcome back coach Brad Hall, and Webb returns every starter from last year's team, and Rio Hondo always play well at home. Update (sort of) 11/24/01: The LA Times had some coverage of local Glendale and La Canada area schools on Saturday, 11/24/01. Here's what they had on Flintridge Prep (sort of the Reader's Digest version of what's above): FLINTRIDGE PREP Players to watch: Ohara's quote: "With Connor [O'Byrne] being our only senior, and having just two returners from last year's team, it's going to take awhile for the guys to learn to play together."
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Flintridge Prep Coach: Garrett Ohara N 30 @ Mary Star |
| Poly/Pasadena--4-4, 9-13 (3rd)
"Panthers" We don't have complete info on Poly, and we've also been told that Coach Brad Hall has now left to become an assistant at Azusa Pacific (we think that's what we heard), but here's as much as we know based on last year's roster: Kevin Kawachi 5'-10" Jr. G Poly graduated 5 seniors from a 10 man roster and they also lost Matt Sargeant 6'-3" So. G who transferred to Ocean View. We'll be seeing them early in the season, and will have a more complete roster at that time.
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Poly/Pasadena Coach: Brad Hall N 30 @ Buckley |
| Rio Hondo Prep--2-6, 7-15 (4th)
"Kares" We're not sure who is going to be at Rio Hondo this year, but based on last year's rosters, it looks like these guys will return: Devon Drain 6'-1 Jr. G |
Rio Hondo Prep Coach: Ken Drain N 27 @ Hesperia Christian |
| Vivian Webb--0-8.,
5-13 (5th) didn't make playoffs, roster info not available Update: 11/21/01: The LA Times published a small preview of the Webb team as a part of its Inland Valley regional coverage of preps. Here's what the paper had to say: Coach: John Bettencourt
(first year at Webb, first year overall)
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Webb Coach: TBA N-29/D-1 Webb TournD 04 @ Aquinas 6-9 @ Woodvrest Chr Tourn 14 @ Cate 18 Kilpatrick J 08 *Chadwick 11 @ *Rio Hondo Prep 15 *Flintridge Prep 16 @ *Chadwick 18 @ *Poly/P F 01 @ *Flintridge Prep 05 *Rio Hondo Prep 06 *Poly/P |
| Cal. Acad.
Math & Science Joining league 2001-2002 (formerly Freelance): |
No schedule submitted (may not play basketball, and hence not part of the league in this sport. At this time we have no information one way or the other). |
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