Chino Hills basketball gets late game at State Preview

The Chino Hills boys basketball team is used to playing in showcase events with the success it has had over the last three years.

One of those is the State Preview, previously hosted by Fairfax and now by Rolling Hills Prep at Cerritos College.

This season’s event is set for Jan. 27 with the Huskies playing the 8:30 p.m. game against Oak Park.

Earlier games will be:
* Long Beach Jordan vs. Crean Lutheran, 9:30 a.m.
* Heritage Christian vs. Brentwood, 11 a.m.
* Durango vs. Maranatha, 12:30 p.m.
* Loyola vs. Rolling Hills Prep, 2 p.m.
* Corona Centennial vs. Taft, 3:30 p.m.
* Wasatch vs. Santa Monica, 5 p.m.
* Fairfax vs. Bishop Montgomery, 7 p.m.

Not only do the Huskies have the last of the Ball brothers, LaMelo, now a junior, but much of the focus is likely to be on new head coach Dennis Latimore. He took over after Stephan Gilling was fired, the school couching that change by saying it preferred an “on-campus coach.”

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Dennis Latimore named boys basketball coach at Chino Hills

Dennis Latimore will be the third coach in as many years as he takes the helm of the Chino Hills High School boys basketball program next season.

He will replace Stephan Gilling whose team went 30-3 in his only season.

Gilling was a walk-on coach and did not work full-time at the school. The school district policy is to open a job to candidates on campus first and only seek the off-campus coach if a suitable candidate is not found.

Latimore, whose appointment was approved at tonight’s board meeting, is an English teacher at the school, starting in that role in January.

He played college basketball at both Arizona and Notre Dame, spending his first two seasons (2001-2003) at Arizona, then spending the last two (2003-2005) playing for the Fighting Irish, earning his B.A. in English from Notre Dame.

He also earned a Master’s in Urban education from Loyola Marymount.

Latimore served as head coach for View Park High School for two years, leading the team to the 2014 CIF Division 5 Los Angeles City Section championship as well as the Division V Southern California Regional final of the state playoffs. His team was 23-6 in that run.

Chino Hills does graduate LiAngelo Ball but still could be a formidable foe the coming season. The youngest Ball brother, LaMelo, will be a junior, as will be big man Onyeka Okongwu, although rumors have persisted that both could be going elsewhere next season.

 

 

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Chino Hills ready to face Oak Hill (Va. ) at Nike Extravaganza

The unbeaten Chino Hills boys basketball team faces Oak Hill Academy (Va.) in the final game of the Nike Extravaganza on Saturday at Mater Dei.

The Saturday night session featuring Chino Hills has been sold out for a week. Those that want to see the game can log on to NFHS Network. There is a cost of $9.95 but you can get the six games of the night session for that price.

Here is complete schedule for that event. Tickets are available for the Friday night and Saturday early sessions.

Friday’s games
3 p.m. – Rolling Hills Prep vs. Rancho Mirage
4:30 p.m. – Servite vs. Saddleback Valley
6 p.m. – Mater Dei (girls) vs. Palisades
7:30 p.m. – Oak Hill Academy (Va.) vs. Foothills Christian
9 p.m. – Mater Dei (boys) vs. Village Christian

Saturday morning session
8:30 a.m. _ Dos Pueblos vs. JSerra
10 a.m. – St. John Bosco vs. Capistrano Valley
11:30 a.m. – Los Alamitos vs. Villa Park

Saturday evening session
1:15 p.m. – Corona Centennial vs. Los Altos
2:45 p.m. – LA Fairfax vs. Santa Margarita
4:15 p.m. – Long Beach Poly vs,. Orange Lutheran
5:45 p.m. _ Sierra Canyon vs. Bishop Gorman (Nev.)
7:15 p.m. – Mater Dei vs. St. Augustine
8:45 p.m. – Oak Hills Academy (Va.) vs. Chino Hills

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Chino Hills boys basketball team wins Tarkanian Classic

The Chino Hills boys basketball team stretched its win streak to 46 games, defeating Mater Dei 84-73 in the championship game of the Tarkanian Classic (Platinum Division) on Tuesday at Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas.

The Huskies defeated Mater Dei twice last year en route to a 35-0 record that included a national championship.

This was the first meeting between the teams this season.

Chino Hills, now 11-0, shot poorly but Mater Dei struggled with turnovers in a first half that ended with Chino Hills in front 36-31.

The Huskies extended their lead early in the second half with Eli Scott scoring off a pass from LaMelo Ball to make it 58-44. Chino Hills was in control from there, its lead remaining between seven and 14 points the rest of the half.

Senior LiAngelo Ball tallied 25 points and five rebounds while LaMelo added 21 with 11 assists. Scott notched a double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds while Onyeka Okongwu did the same with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
All five Chino Hills starters finished in double figures as Phaquan Davis had 12.

Scott earned Most Valuable Player honors with both Ball brothers making the All-Tournament team.

The Monarchs (11-1) were led by Justice Sueing with 27 points and seven rebounds.

Chino Hills will be off until after Christmas, It plays on Monday against Foothill (Nev.) at Rancho Mirage.

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Chino Hills senior LiAngelo Ball has night to remember

Chino Hill’s LiAngelo Ball at Haas Pavillion in Berkeley, CA on Friday, March 27, 2015. 2nd half of CIF State Division 1 boys basketball final between Chino Hills and Danville’s San Ramon Valley. San Ramon Valley won 79-71 in double overtime. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze)

It has been quite a start to the season for the Chino Hills boys basketball team and senior LiAngelo Ball in particular.

The middle of the basketBall brothers has scored 154 points in his team’s first three games at the Corona Centennial BattleZone. It was a 72-point output in Wednesday night’s 128-108 over Rancho Christian that had social media buzzing and the most knowledgeable experts scouring through record books.

Ball, who will follow older brother Lonzo to UCLA, shot 44 percent (28-for-60) from the field which included a 13-for-32 showing from long distance.

It was the most points in school history and the sixth most all-time in a game in CIF-SS history, and tenth best single-game in state history.

Tigran Grigorian of Los Angeles Mesrobian holds the CIF-SS record with 100 points in a game set in 2002-03.

First-year coach Stephan Gilling, who took over the reigns from Steve Baik, says that likely won’t be the last time Ball puts up those kind of numbers.

“We’re going to see more games like that,” Gilling said. “He’s a scorer.”

Ball had 26 in the Huskies first game, a 101-82 win over Rancho Verde on Monday. He then dumped in 56 on Tuesday in a 121-89 win over Orange Lutheran.

While scoring is LiAngelo’s forte, Gilling said the other dynamic that has been added to his game is the role of leader. Lonzo had been that player all four of his year but with him having departed, that role is now squarely on LiAngelo.

“This is is team now,” Gilling said. “He’s been through it all and knows his role now is to take on that part of the game too.”

 

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Chino Hills senior Eli Scott chooses Loyola Marymount

Chino Hills High School junior, Eli Scott, plays strong forward for the Chino Hills basketball team, he poses for a picture at the Chino Hills High School gym in Chino Hills, CA., Thursday, March 24, 2016. Eli Scott transfered from Upland High School last year and had to sit out because of the transfer, but now he is part of the of tittle winning No. 1 team. (Photo by James Carbone for the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin)

Chino Hills basketball standout Eli Scott has made a verbal commitment to NCAA Division I Loyola Marymount.

He also had offers from UC Riverside, UC Irvine and Utah State but Loyola Marymount was the only school he visited.

“I like their style of play and when I went to visit it felt like a family,” Scott said. “I have also known coach Morris (assistant coach Reggie Morris) for a long time.”

Scott said he liked the school and its program but the fact that is was relatively close to home was a bonus. He is glad to stay to stay close with former teammate Lonzo Ball, now at UCLA, and Ball’s two brothers LiAngelo and LaMelo current Huskies teammates who have also committed to UCLA.

Scott is happy to have the decision made before the season starts.

“I want to be able to work on my game and getting better,” he said.

Scott, a 6-foot-4 forward, transferred to Chino Hills from Upland his sophomore year but wasn’t cleared to play by the CIF so he had to sit out. He had a breakout season last year as a junior, helping the Huskies to a 35-0 record that included state and national championships.

While the Ball brothers got most of the accolades, Scott was an impact player as well, averaging 15.8 points and 8.6 rebounds and earning first team All-Baseline League and All-Inland Valley honors.

Here is link to a story on Scott that ran late last basketball season.

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Stephen Gilling to replace Steve Baik at Chino Hills

There isn’t much more the Chino Hills boys basketball team could have done last year. The Huskies were 35-0, won league, state, regional and national championships. Perhaps win by a bigger margin. But the Huskies are going to try.

Stephen Gilling was named head coach today, replacing Steve Baik who served as head coach the last six years.

It was a good choice. Gilling is from the area, having graduated from nearby Ayala in 2005 where he excelled under then coach Tom Gregory.

He has also been on staff for the last two years so he knows the personnel and the style of play that has been the Huskies trademark. The school would have been stupid to look outside for a successor,

Gilling won’t be looking to put his own stamp on the program, He’ll go with what has worked. Chino Hills will run the same entertaining, up-tempo offense that made them a phenomenon across the country.

“If it’s working you don’t go out and change anything,” he said. “You can always be stronger, bigger, better. We’re going to go out and try and do it even better than we did last year.”

Indeed there will be pressure to repeat. The Huskies only graduated one player, although that player is Lonzo Ball, the straw that stirred the drink, so to speak.

The other two Ball brothers – senior LiAngelo and sophomore LaMelo will be back, as will be senior Eli Scott and sophomore Onyeka Okongwu who rounded out the starting lineup. All have multiple Division I offers with both the other Balls having committed to UCLA.

Nothing short of another title is expected.

The Huskies scored 100 points or more 18 times, tying a state record. That was a particularly impressive number given the caliber of competition the Huskies faced.
They won every playoff game by 20 points or more with no outcome more convincing than a 48-point win over national power Mater Dei which had been ranked as high as sixth nationally.

“We have the same expectations,” Gilling said. “That’s what we’re out there working hard toward. The guys are getting better.”

Gilling played guard for two years at Colorado State, then moved on to Long Beach State where he spent three years, the first as a red-shirt,

He is on the Chino Hills campus as an aide and was the person Baik endorsed as his successor.

“I’m excited about the opportunity and we’re looking forward to picking up where we left off last year,” he said.

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Chino Hills’ Lonzo Ball given one last national award

Chino Hills High School’s Lonzo Ball, left, drives up the court as Bishop Montgomery High School’s Ethan Thompson defends during a CIF Open Division State Regional Final at Walter Pyramid on Saturday, March 19, 2016 in Long Beach, Ca. (Micah Escamilla/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin)

Add another honor the the growing resume of Chino Hills basketball standout Lonzo Ball.

MaxPreps has named the 6-foot-6 guard who is headed to UCLA its Male High School Athlete of the Year.  That’s not basketball player of the year, yes he claimed that title earlier. This one is Athlete of Year, like for all sports.

Everyone knows by know Ball propelled the Huskies to a 35-0 record that included league, section, regional and state championships, topped off by national championships from seven of eight polls.

Ball was the lone senior on that team and averaged a triple-double with 23.9 points, 11.5 assists and 11.3 rebounds per game – numbers pretty much unheard of at the high school level.

Earlier this season he was named National Player of the Year by MaxPreps, USA Today, Naismith and Morgan Wooten. He also earned three state Player of the Year awards.

Here is link to full MaxPreps story on the latest honor.

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Steve Baik talks about transition from Chino Hills to LA Fairfax

Steve Baik, head coach for Chino Hills boys basketball, led the team to an unbeaten season, and a CIF state championship, has resigned as head coach. (Staff file photo/Southern California News Group)

Steve Baik admits when he stepped down as basketball coach at Chino Hills earlier this month he thought about not coaching. You can’t do much better than what his team did last year – undefeated, national championship.

And he wanted to spend more time with his wife and two sons.

Then Los Angeles Faifax coach Harvey Kitani, a close friend of his, called and told him he was going to step down there to take a position at Rolling Hills Prep and the door was open there. It was an opportunity Baik could not pass up.

“With the program and tradition they have there it is a great opportunity,” he said, talking about the new position for the first time. “I am going to keep the staff there that is already in place. Will be a great place to just worry about coaching basketball.”

Baik lives in Altadena not far off the 2 freeway and says the commute has been cut in half so the job does get him a little closer to home.

With Chino Hills and Fairfax both likely being in the Open Division again next year his new team could be facing his old team. He thinks they’ll likely meet in summer play along the way too and says he will be the Huskies No. 1 fan when the teams are not playing each other.

“I’m going to miss all those kids and I wish nothing but the best for them. I love them like sons,” Baik said. “I’m going to be their biggest fan.”

News of his appointment broke on Friday, a few hours before the Huskies were presented national championship mementos from both MaxPreps and USA Today. He didn’t want to talk about the new job then and take away from the attention he wanted on his now former players.

Baik had been with the Huskies for nine years, the last six of those as head coach.
With all the festivities honoring his team taking place Baik acknowledges there was never going to be a “good” time to resign or announce a new position which is also why he considered not coaching the next school year.

“Opportunities like this don’t come around often,” he said. “I felt like I had to jump at it but will always be grateful for my time at Chino Hills.”

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Chino Hills boys basketball team collects honors: Baik confirms new job

The undefeated and national champion Chino Hills boys basketball team was honored in festivities at the school’s football stadium Friday night.

Representatives from MaxPreps were on hand to present the Huskies their national championship trophy with coach Steve Baik, who resigned two weeks ago, accepting on behalf of the team.

USA Today, another of the outlets that crowned the Huskies national champion, presented a banner.

The Huskies went 35-0, winning CIF Open Division honors and going on to win a state title as well.

They scored 100 points or more 18 times and won every playoff game by 20 points or more. That kind of dominant effort has most basketball experts putting the Huskies among the best high schools teams ever assembled.

Lonzo Ball, the lone senior on the squad, was presented an award for being named National Player of the Year.

Younger brother LaMelo and Onyeka Okongwu were joint recipients of the Freshman of the Year honor. Okongwu was not on hand but LaMelo collected his award.

Baik confirmed that he had just accepted the head coaching position at Los Angeles Fairfax High School but didn’t want to comment on that and take attention away from his team.

 

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