Boys Basketball: The Tribune's All-Time, All-Area team

I really enjoyed reading this post. Great step by step description!

Wow!, this was a real quality post. In theory I'd like to write like this too - taking time and real effort to make a good article... but what can I say... I keep putting it off and never seem to achieve anything

Specifically, to the point and factual. I like it!

Hendricks, Chamberlain's, Murray's and even the Van Horns.... Who is the best sibiling team?? Murrays.. I think!!

Go DB players! Keith, Damon and Olin Chamberlin were the best team put together until Olin left us high and dry for San Dimas. We still did ok.

more please !

I have been watching basketball in this area for a long time. I don't think that this area received enough credit for having some good players. I used to coach for traveling teams and would see some of these guys come to the city and compete with those city boys. People would say that the guys in the SG Valley were soft. I beg to differ because I saw it with my own eyes. I remember a distinct time when I watched Keith Van Horn go head up with some of the cities best players and he came away looking like the best player there.

I saw Casey Jacobsen kill some guys for about 40 points one day in a game. We played against a traveling team that had Blake Johnstone on it. He went for about 15 straight points on us and I remeber thinking how we couldn't stop him and he made it look easy. Schea Cotton was a man among boys and overpowered guys at will. Tracy Murray had unlimited ranger and his brother Cameron (a lot smaller) commanded the same respect. There were so many guys and most of them shined better outside of high school games during summer tourneys or pick up games.

Of the players I have seen with my own eyes I have a lit of who were the better players in this area. There is no particular order.

Keith Van Horn
Reggie Miller
Casey Jacobsen
Tracy Murray
Cameron Murray
Blake Johnstone
Brian Jackson
Victor Leslie
Donte Quinine
Kevin Turner
Rico Harris
Khalif Ford
Jelani Gardner
Schea Cotton
Miles Simon
Jaque Vaughn
Paul Pierce
Shomario Richard

and I could go on and on......

I wish all of these guys could have went on and been paid to play the game. Some of the guys on this list played in the NBA and some went overseas to play. While others didn't make it at all. I heard that the Shomario kid didn't quite make it. Thats a shame because he was talented. Too bad Miles Simon never caught on with the NBA but I enjoyed watching him in College. Blake Johnstone was an ultra talented guard and I had the pleasure of coaching him in a tournament in Las Vegas one summer. I lost track of him after he left to go overseas. I heard Casey Jacobsen was enjoying a career overseas as well. I recall having my nephew play against Kahlif Ford and Khalif showed flashes of greatness.

Great topic Mr. Robledo. We need more topics like this as these players past, present, and fuftre deserve their due.

and MANY MORE.....

This is a great debate. My cousin played on a team with a guy named Jeremy Veal at San Dimas High School. I went to Ayala back then. I was one of the stat girls. I admit to being a huge basketball fan.

There have been some really good players out of the SGV.

I would say the Keith Van Horn was the best because he was drafted number 2 overall behind Tim Duncan. Then a host of great players such as Cameron Murray, Tracy Murray, Victor Leslie, the chamberlin's, the hendrick brothers, Jameel Mahmud, Blake Johnstone, Casey Jacobsen, Shomario Richard, Tyuan Berry, Kevin Turner, Kaleef Ford, and many more....

I guess I would say I an a historian of SGV Basketball thanks to my dad. What happened to a list for the best girls in this category???

Some needs to make that list.

I came across this by accident. This is a great topic. Keith Van Horn was definitely Diamond Bar High School Greatest Player. They also had a VERY underrated player by the name of Blake Johnstone. I was in italy and saw him playing. He wasn't used correctly in High School by their coach. I went to baldwin park and I remember seeing Blake personally demolish our team. We weren't very good back then but I remember thinking how talented that kid was. He changed his name (which currently escapes me) but he was enjoying a great career overseas.

My Top people would be:

K. Van Horn
B. Johnstone
C. Murray
V. Leslie
J. Veal
J. Mamud
T. Berry

I came across this by accident. This is a great topic. Keith Van Horn was definitely Diamond Bar High School Greatest Player. They also had a VERY underrated player by the name of Blake Johnstone. I was in italy and saw him playing. He wasn't used correctly in High School by their coach. I went to baldwin park and I remember seeing Blake personally demolish our team. We weren't very good back then but I remember thinking how talented that kid was. He changed his name (which currently escapes me) but he was enjoying a great career overseas.

My Top people would be:

K. Van Horn
B. Johnstone
C. Murray
V. Leslie
J. Veal
J. Mamud
T. Berry

I came across this by accident. This is a great topic. Keith Van Horn was definitely Diamond Bar High School Greatest Player. They also had a VERY underrated player by the name of Blake Johnstone. I was in italy and saw him playing. He wasn't used correctly in High School by their coach. I went to baldwin park and I remember seeing Blake personally demolish our team. We weren't very good back then but I remember thinking how talented that kid was. He changed his name (which currently escapes me) but he was enjoying a great career overseas.

My Top people would be:

K. Van Horn
B. Johnstone
C. Murray
V. Leslie
J. Veal
J. Mamud
T. Berry

what ever happened to Blake Johnstone who played for DB?

Where is Damon and Olin? Anyone know? I know this is old but if anyone reads this respond. Olin was real cool, he would always say whats up no matter who he was with and Damon was cool too when he wasnt acting like he didnt care

I really think Olan was a better teammate style player. He had a WAY better attitude than his brother. I went to Diamond Bar. Olan then transfered to San Dimas the question comes in... Who was the better team San Dimas with Olan Chamberlain, newphew of Wilt Chamberlain, Brad Alley and Jermey Veal or Glendora with Cameron Murray, Adam Jacobsen and Brandon Lee? Why are we discussing The Chamberlains when we have the Murrays? By the way Oliver went on to play college ball while I hear Olan is some executive in banking. Thats cool but lets look at The Murrays went to the next next level, Cameron at USC and Louisville and Tracy at UCLA and a decent NBA player.
One last thing if we talk about ego's The Chamberlain's nevertalked about their famous uncle. I remember me finding out when he came to Olan's game when he was a Jr. (before he transfered to San Dimas). I am still down with the Murrays even if they ego trip.

Olin brother was Oliver Chamberlein. Oliver was the better of the 2 brothers. Another good brahma player I did not mention was 6'8" Mark Jecman who went on to play baseball for Stanford.

We know about Damon's brother, Brian, and Keith's sister, Kim. Who was Olin's sibling?

I personally think the team was DBHS when they had Keith Van Horn, D. Hendrick and Olin Chamberlain. All three of them and siblings that could ball. They were hurting everyone from Elemetry to High School. They beat a team in middle school 90 - 4 I heard.

Joe Amat, I stand corrected. You these guy were teammates on an all-star team.

You would rather have Cameron Murray at PG than Shomario Richards?

If SHO took his studies more seriously, he could be in the league right now.

Well Ramirez, you really stirred up a hot topic here! I have to correct Joe Amat. Brad Alley went to San Dimas. I actually played against him and his brother, Greg (both good players) in the finals of the San Dimas tournament. GHS fan, though I'm only familiar with Brian and Keith (who were at DBHS when I was, from what I hear about the other guys, your team look like it's on point (thought I was a little disappointed you didnt have any of us '91 guys on there!). I loved Joey Maddot as a 6th man. Freakin dude had 15 steals in a game. He was cool too. He was a sr. my freshman year and we used to play pickup ball together a lot. There's a lot of 30 somethings posted here. I probably know (and/or played with) a lot of you!

As far as the Murray's go, I like Tracy and Cameron both, I got along with both of them, but they are some arrogant SOBs. But don't blame them. Blame your sportswrite, Mr. Ramirez! He created this monster. Keep posting, this is fun!

Before mosts time, but 6'10" Jeff Cook from Edgewood High School went on to have a 10yr+ career in the NBA.

I remember some wars between Diamond Bar and amat in the finals of the Covina Tournament during Hendricks Jr/Sr years. amat won both and their big men may have got the best of Brian on those two nights 6'9" Pat Chilinski went on to play at UCR and overseas and Geoff Lear starred at Pepperdine on the same teams as Doug Christie. Lear is still playing overseas (in France I think).
That amat team also had Stephon Pace who might have been the 2nd best PG in California (behind Darrick Martin) but chose football at USC. amat had the Lamb twins and one of their sons is a top player now at Colony HS.
Funny that you mention Maddot as a 6th man. If I remember, he was the one who got involved in a scuffle late in one championship game and Maddot got T's and ejected, DB lost the ball for like a 7pt play, and the lancers came back from a double digit deficit to win the title. Two really good valley teams and amat went to the CIF finals only to lose to Mater Dei(after beating them twice in league)

Jameel Mahmud from west covina 93 should be coming off the bench also. i personally saw him put up about 34 points in the valley all star game against a team that had Keith Van Horn, Damon Hendricks, Olin Chamberlain, Brad Alley and many others that was suppossed to dominate them.

Where are all the players from the Pasadena area??...ie...Augmon,Vaughn, etc. Aren't they SGV as well or is it just the area's the Trib. covers and not the Star?

I think Jameel Mahmud from West Covina class of 93 should be considered for at least 2nd team also. He did some big things against some of the big names on the list as well. I saw him in the valley all-star game at Glendora put up 34 or 36 points against the valley's best.

It is a fun topic. DB fan, I'm looking for a Tartan all-time team to take it to your's just like this year's version.

F Tracey Murray
F Davon Roberts
G Casey Jacobson
G James Powell
PG Cameron Murray

Off the bench:
Spenser Foster
Chris Clark
Josh Giles
Justin Sapp
Adam Jacobson........

Maybe Tiger deserves to be on there as well.

As a long time brahma fan here is my all time DBHS team.
F Keith Van Horn
C Brian Hendrick
G Collin Robinson
G Kalief Ford
G Spencer Oborn or Kevin Turner
6th man Joey Madott

Forgot all about Brian Hendrick. I played rec league ball with his younger brother Damon (and against Keith). He was good, and probably would be on my second team all-time list (I think Cameron beats him out in my top 5).

Also what about Shamario Richards from Nogales? Led them to a CIF Final (even though they got killed in it).

I love this topic.

I played ball against Tracy Murray and still consider him a friend. Yes, him and his brother do have huge egos, but the sportswriters and fans during the late 80's fueled them. Tracy has done a lot to help out the kids since he retired (his basketball camp was one of them).

Hey no one mentioned the great Nogales teams during this time period: Cory Rogers, The Nicholas brothers, etc. Also there was Jason Ferguson of Workman (may he rest in peace). There was also Tony Magee at Azusa HS. 1989 was a great year for basketball in the SGV.

Anyone who really wants to see the Murrays in action catch their ACT at LA FITNESS in La Verne on Saturday mornings at 9am. These guys THINK they invented basketball. Arguing EVERY call, STACKING their teams and basically BULLYING everyone with their EGOS!

Is this what happens to every hometown community when their heroes come home?

Best part is watching Mr. Murray gloat.

What ever happened to Cameron Murray? That kid was dunkin back in HS. It was GREAT to watch! Damien HATED him! He was a talent back in my days.

One more thing. Keith graduated in '93.

Here's my take on this. If there was a list of players who ultimately made the biggest impact in the sport, yes, Keith should be at the top of this list. Keith was a great player and student, and worked his tail off to get to the NBA, and he deserves all the success he had. However, having played with Keith for a year (he was a soph my senior year), in my opinion Keith wasn't even the best player in Diamond Bar history. The best player ever at DB was Brian Hendrick. I know first hand, because I've seen them both. While both had great stats, Brian played on elite teams. Mr. Ramirez, you ought to know this. You've been covering prep sports since I was in high school.

Another great player from the SGV was Brian Hendrick a four year starter for DBHS and 4 year starter for CAL. If not for an knee injury and unsuccesful surgery he would have had a nice career in the NBA. In addition a great baseball player who gave up his senior year because of his scholarship at CAL. Would have been another great bat along with Jim Edmonds,Tony Darden,ect. Keith Van Horn was a 3 year starter and played with Brian's brother Damon. Keith had a great senior year averaging near 30 ppg and good rebounder.

If you're going just off high school career Van Horne shouldn't be on the list. I knew him back then and I love the guy, but Diamond Bar back then had no idea how to use him. He was the best pro out of all of them, but Cameron Murray would probably be a better pick if you just were looking at High School.

Other than that I agree with every pick (my history with HS basketball only goes back to early 80s so you picked people I've seen a lot of).

Josh Giles and Adam Jacobsen of Glendora were not too bad either.

Jelani Gardner from Amat ,Cal and Pepperdine and Pro Europe should be at least a bench player on this team.

I drank a 40oz. Olde English with Keith 'Tall Can' Closs 2 weeks ago. Give him his due Fred and Steve ! ! !

Greatest, Most Successful Basketball Player to ever come out of the San Gabriel Valley EVER is MICHAEL COOPER. (Player: Pasadena HS/New Mexico State/Lakers. Head Coach: L.A. Sparks WNBA)
Can you say CHAMPION ? ? ?

cameron murray is a sub on that team for sure

Casey is STILL a journeyman in the NBA. He's on his 3rd team with Memphis, although he is not getting much time lately.

So was Reggie Millers.

I heard that Keith sister Kim was better then him in High school.