Here’s to some senior athletes who provided us with great moments the last four years

It is always fun to look back when a school year is over and reflect on the individuals and teams that made it a memorable run.

So just for fun here are athletes I’ll miss covering next year. Nothing against those not singled out here because I have enjoyed my interactions with all the coaches and athletes in the Inland Valley.

But there are some that have been so successful since their freshman year I have had more dealings with them then most. So here goes.

Damien High's Bryce Peters (#23), right, speeds down court with Rancho Cucamonga High's Daniel Embry (#40) in tow at Damien's La Verne, Calif. campus gym January 12, 2016. (Photo by Leo Jarzomb/San Gabriel Valley Tribune)

Bryce Peters, Damien basketball
He was a key player as a junior in helping the Spartans to a state championship but probably didn’t get the credit he deserved because of the more heralded seniors around him. This year he excelled in a starring role and it was nice to see him flourish in that role. He’s headed to Colorado State.

Rancho Cucamonga Kylie Miller is Inland Valley Daily Bulletin Volleyball Player of Year.

Kylie Miller, Rancho Cucamonga volleyball
She was a four-time first team All-Inland Valley selection and that’s an accolade very few can claim. There are few athlete more humble or soft-spoken but her talent did the talking. The Under Armour All-American is headed to UCLA.

Colony's Josh Thompson (#12) scrambles out of the pocket looking to pass against Kaiser during the first half of Friday's CIF-SS Central Division first round playoff game at Colony High School in Ontario, Ca., November 13, 2015. (Photo by John Valenzuela/ Inland Valley Daily Bulletin)

Josh Thompson, Colony football
Grabbed the starting job early his sophomore year and never gave it up, leading Titans to a CIF title as a junior. Oh, and he did that in the title game after missing a month with a separated shoulder. He is about as tough as they come. I will never forget a Pomona player grabbing him by the face mask with such ferocity it turned the helmet all the way around. He got up without skipping a beat and was ready for the next play. He’s headed to Dixie State.

 

Upland High School’s Jacob Beltran had a seizure on Wednesday and a 10-hour surgery to resolve a vein issue. He was selected the SoCal Prep Legends Most Inspirational Athlete this month,

Jacob Beltran, Upland baseball
How can you not root for a kid that had brain surgery and went from having to learn to walk again to returning to the playing field in seven months. We have all heard the tragic stories of athletes who collapsed on the playing field and didn’t make it. So it is nice to have a happy ending. He’s probably headed to a community college, since he missed is entire junior season.

Michael Dean

Mikey Dean, Chaffey football/track
Who doesn’t love Mikey Dean? Guys that small shouldn’t be able to do what he does both on the football field and the track. Rushing for a ton of yardage is one thing. But taking up a new track event – long jump – this year and then placing at state in California which has so many elite athletes. Well, that pretty much says it all. He is headed to Idaho State where he’ll compete in both sports.

 

Chino Hills’ Lonzo Ball (#2), drives to the basket against Immanuel High School during the frist half of Friday’s CIF-SS Open Division State Playoff game at Chin Hills High Schoolin Chino Hills , Ca, Friday, March 11, 2016. (Photo by John Valenzuela/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin)

Lonzo Ball, Chino Hills basketball
There isn’t much to say that hasn’t already been said. I have been covering high school sports for 30 or so years (yes I am aging myself) but I have never enjoyed watching a player or a team as much as I did the Ball and the Huskies. The last thing I remember close was seeing Deion Sanders in high school in my Florida tenure. I definitely don’t remember the last time i saw an athlete with such a complete skill set at such a young age. Can’t wait to see Lonzo doing his thing at Pauley Pavilion for the UCLA Bruins.

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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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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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Honors continue to roll in for Chino Hills basketball players

 

Chino Hills' Lonzo Ball has been chosen as the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin's boys basketball Player of the Year.   (Will Lester/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin)

Chino Hills’ Lonzo Ball has been chosen as the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin’s boys basketball Player of the Year. (Will Lester/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin)

The storybook season for the Chino Hills boys basketball team, continues to lands its players individual accolades.

Senior guard Lonzo Ball, who has already garnered four national player of the year and a state player of the year awards, has been named Mr. California Basketball by CalHi Sports. He averaged a tripled double – 23.9 points, 11.3 rebounds and 11.5 assists, adding in 5.1 steals and 2 blocks a game.

He is the first state player of the year from the Inland Empire since current San Antonio Spurs standout Kawhi Leonard (Riverside Martin Luther King) in 2009. If you consider the San Gabriel Valley as part of the greater Inland Empire region along the 60-71 corridor, Ball joins Corey Benjamin (Fontana ’96) Casey Jacobsen (Glendora ’99) and Scott Williams (Hacienda Heights Wilson ’86) as winners of the state’s most prestigious honor from the vast region in the last 30 years.

In addition, CalHisSports named 6-foot-9 center Onyeka Okongwu the state freshman of the year. He averaged 7.9 points and 8.2 rebounds but upped that to 11 points, 9 rebounds and 7.4 blocks in the playoffs. His defensive presence was also evident in the number of shots he affected in the paint.

Here is the link to CalHi Sports players of year and link to overall player of year for those who want more information to see complete list of players honored.

Lonzo’s younger brother LiAngelo got recognition elsewhere. He was named second team “Junior Class” All-American by MaxPreps which picks All-American teams for each of four classes. He averaged a team-high 27.4 points with a best of 41 against High Point Christian (N.C.)

Here is link to that list of honorees.

 

 

 

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Baseline League honors: Boys basketball

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)

MVP: Lonzo Ball, Sr., G, Chino Hills

First team
LaMelo Ball, Fr., Chino Hills
LiAngelo Ball, Jr., Chino Hills
Garrett Carter, Sr., Etiwanda
Tian Daniels, Sr., Rancho Cucamonga
Dion Hamilton, Sr., Los Osos
Miles Oliver, Jr., Etiwanda
Bryce Peters, Sr., Damien
Elizjah Scott, Jr., Chino Hills
Isaiah White, Sr, Damien
Nate Williams, Sr., Upland

Second team
Kessler Edwards, Soph., Etiwanda
Justin Hemsley, Jr., Damien
Shane Johnson, Jr., Los Osos
Darren Jones, Fr., Upland
Kyle Lounsbury, Sr., Rancho Cucamonga
Elijah McCullough, Soph., Damien
Onyeka Okongwu, Fr., Chino Hills
Liam Ryan, Sr., Damien
Cameron Shelton, Soph., Chino Hills
Krystian Wilson, Soph., Etiwanda
Kelvin Wright, Soph., Rancho Cucamonga

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Ball lands fourth national award, Baik chosen for All-Star game

Chino Hills senior guard Lonzo Ball has landed a fourth national player of the year award, this one coming from MaxPreps.

Ball led the Huskies to a 35-0 record, the Open Division state title and a No. 1 national ranking. The UCLA signee averaged a triple-double in doing so and was the central figure on a dynamic and entertaining team most are putting among the best high school teams ever.

Here is the link to the MaxPreps announcement of that honor:

Ball landed the Naismith and Wooten player of the years earlier this month, along with the honor doled out by USA Today.

In other Chino Hills news, Huskies coach Steve Baik has been selected to coach in the BallIsLife All-Star game to be played April 30 at Long Beach City College. Ball will also play in that game which will be his last wearing a high school uniform.

The other coach for that game will be Josh Giles of Corona Centennial.

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Chino Hills’ Lonzo Ball dazzles in All-American game

Chino Hills High School junior Lonzo Ball has been chosen as the 2015 Daily Bulletin boys basketball player of the year. (Staff photo by Will Lester/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin)

Lonzo Ball of Chino Hills showed off his passing skills at the McDonald’s All-American game tonight at the United Center in Chicago.

Ball, who has signed with UCLA, didn’t score a point but dished out 13 assists in the 114-107 win by the West. He also had four rebounds, two blocked shots and a steal.

Josh Jackson from Prolific Prep in Napa and Frank Jackson from Utah Lone Peak were named co-MVPs, each with 19 points.

In the girls’ game, Sabrina Ionescu from Orinda Miramonte scored 25 points to help the West defeat the East, 97-88, in overtime.

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Chino Hills’ Lonzo Ball gets third national player of year 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)

The awards continue to roll in for senior guard Lonzo Ball of Chino Hills.

Ball, who propelled the Huskies to a 35-0 record and No. 1 national ranking, added a third national player of the year award to his resume, being named by USA Today.

Earlier this month the UCLA-signee was named recipient of the Naismith and Wooten awards. He has also been named Gatorade state player of the year.

Ball averaged 23 points, 9.4 rebounds, 9.4 assists, 4.7 steals and 1.9 blocks per game. He had 16 triple-doubles on the season, nearly averaging a triple-double.

In addition, Huskies coach Steve Baik has been named USA Today Coach of the Year, his second national coach of the year accolade.

 

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Lonzo Ball lands a second national player of year honor

Chino Hills boys basketball coach Steve Baik has said all along he believes he has the best player in the country in senior point guard Lonzo Ball. Well a lot of experts agree.
The UCLA-bound senior picked up his second national player of the year award on Thursday when he was named Naismith High School Player of the Year by the Atlanta Tip-Off Club.
Chino Hills High School's Lonzo Ball dunks against Mater Dei High School during the CIF Open Division semifinals on Wednesday, February 24, 2016 in Chino, Ca. (Micah Escamilla/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin)

That comes one day after he was selected the 2016 Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year.

“It’s a great honor,” Ball said. “Right now I am just focused on the team and winning, I think when the season is over all of those other things will sink in.”

Ball has been the catalyst of a Huskies team that is 31-0 and ranked No. 1 in multiple national polls. Chino Hills won its first Southern Section Open Division championship last Saturday at the Honda Center defeating Sierra Canyon, ranked sixth nationally, 103-85. Ball tallied 20 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists in that game, making for an unprecedented 15th triple-double of the season.

On the season he is averaging 24 points, 13 rebounds and 11.7 assists. Averaging double figures in three categories was his goal going into the season.

“That was something I really wanted to do because I just missed it last year,” he said. “I knew I had a good team around me so it was possible.”

Making the individual honors all the more rewarding is that it comes in a year when he is playing with his two brothers as well as teammates to whom he is close.

“The chemistry is there and we all really like playing together,” he said. “I definitely couldn’t do it without them.”

The Huskies begin the state portion of the playoffs tonight hosting Immanuel at 7 p.m.

The team success has also earned recognition for Baik has been named Naismith High School Boys Coach of the Year.

The Huskies have topped 100 points in 17 games this season and outscored the opposition in the Southern Section playoffs by an average margin of 34.5 points per game.

The winners were decided by a select group of journalists around the nation based on outstanding coaching performances during the 2015-2016 high school basketball season.

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Chino Hills’ Lonzo Ball lands national honor

Chino Hills senior Lonzo Ball led his Huskies to the MaxPreps Holiday Classic Open Division title and MVP honors after a 96-80 defeat of Redondo Union. (Photo: David Hood, MaxPreps.com)

Chino Hills High School senior point guard Lonzo Ball has been named 2016 Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year.

Ball, a UCLA signee who is ranked No. 1 overall among point guards in the ESPN 100, recently led the Huskies to their first Southern Section Open Division crown after a 105-83 thrashing of Sierra Canyon Chino Hills (31-0) is the top ranked team in the USA Today Super 25.

“Words cannot express how honored I am to be chosen as the 2016 McDonald’s All American Games Player of the Year,” said Ball, who scored 20 points, snagged 17 rebounds and dished out 10 assists in the win over Sierra Canyon. “This honor is shared by so many people in my life. I have great coaches, I’ve played with great teammates, I have a family that believes in me, and I have fun playing basketball every day. There have been so many basketball successes along the way, but this one is definitely one of my greatest achievements.”

Ball will be honored during the McDonald’s All-American Game on March 29 in Chicago.

 

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