Boys Basketball: Top Ten
Above: Diamond Ranch standout Chris Cunningham
1. Diamond Ranch -- It would be easy for Diamond Ranch High School boys basketball coach Loren Grover to get caught up in the big picture of what the Panthers might be able to accomplish this season.
But Grover, who guided Artesia to a state title in 2007, knows that CIF- Southern Section division championships and league crowns are not won in early December. Those aspirations are achieved only by working hard and improving from day to day and practice to practice throughout the season.
He's using that approach with the Panthers, who, with Division I signees Chris Cunningham (Santa Clara) and Garrett Johnson (Fresno State), are expected to be one of the better teams in the CIF-SS and the area.
Cunningham and Johnson are considered Diamond Ranch High School's one-two punch. But the key for the Panthers this season may not rest solely with those two.
"We try not to have expectations," said Grover, whose Panthers begin the season ranked No. 1 in the area.
"We just want to improve, and go out and be competitive. We're excited about our chances, but we know we still have a lot of work to do."
But the foundation looks solid with Cunningham on the inside and Johnson on the perimeter. The duo is arguably the area's best tandem. Cunningham followed up a solid sophomore year with an even better junior campaign, averaging 14.5 points and 9.9 rebounds per game in leading the Panthers to an 18-11 record and a second-place finish in the Miramonte
Johnson was the unknown last season, but he proved to be quite an option, averaging 16.5 ppg. Grover is expecting similar improvement from the rest of the Panthers, including guards Malcom Green, Chris Adames and Justin Benson.
"We need the other guys to step up," Grover said. "Chris got the focus last year and Garrett took it upon himself to play that role and step up. We need that to happen this year.
"We're further along than we were at this time last year. They now know what to expect from me and what we want, and need to be able to do. Our schedule is tougher this year, but I think that will help us when we get into league."
For the rest of the top ten, click thread
2. NOGALES
The Nobles had their best season in recent years last season, going 23-8, winning the San Antonio League and advancing to the CIF-SS division quarterfinals.
Nogales is expecting more of the same as it returns its top three players - guards Randal Guillory, Aaron DeAnda and Gabriel Gamboa.
"Right now, we're just trying to get better," Nogales coach Ricky Roper said. "We don't have any expectations, set a goal. We just talk about improving one day at a time and concentrate on being our best that day."
3. Northview
The Vikings return four starters and are the favorite for a three-peat in the Valle Vista League after sharing the title two years ago with San Dimas and winning it last year.
They are led by seniors Anthony Farmer and Danny Silva, who averaged 13.4 and 12 points per game, respectively, from their guard and forward positions. Northview also looks to seniors John Gasper (10.9 ppg) at center and Rigel Skinner (9.5) at forward.
"We do feel good and look for good things (this year)," Northview coach Ron Rice said. "But we have a bit of a problem."
The Vikings have no home. The Northview gym is under construction, so the Vikings will play home games against Temple City today and South Hills on Thursday at Covina High. They will be on the road in tournaments for the rest of the month before playing their Valle Vista League home games at Damien High.
"It makes it difficult, setting schedules for practices, games," Rice said. "Even the practices are like road trips."
4. Bonita
The Bearcats return just one starter from last season's team that was the area's top team through the tournament season and won the Miramonte League.
But Nolan Abernathy, who averaged 11.3 ppg, may be one of the area's top gunners. The senior, along with Brandon Galindo and Tim Fassas, give the Bearcats a good nucleus to challenge Diamond Ranch.
5. Glendora
Player of the Year Dominic Tiger-Cortes is gone, but the Tartans still look capable of a big year.
Glendora's source of optimism lies in the return of four starters who played support roles last season.
The group, led by guards Kos Russell (7.1 ppg) and Calvin Smith (6.4), has the ability to step up, with Russell and Smith providing production on the outside and Brad Gatlin and Brian Downard doing the work inside.
"We'll do it more by committee (this year)," Glendora coach Mike LeDuc said.
"We have multiple guys who can score. I think we'll play good team defense and I think we have a little more depth."
6. Damien
Damien, after going 19-10 last season, replaces most of its scoring punch. But coach Matt Dunn is taking the approach that Spartans don't rebuild, they reload.
"I think our program has reached the level where we lose guys every year and we have a group of younger players who can step in," Dunn said.
"We lost a lot two years ago but came back and went 19-10. We lost a lot from last year, but this is as deep a team we've had, and we're really excited to get the season started."
Damien will look to senior point guard Jake Vieth, who averaged just 2.1 ppg last year but is expected to be one of the team leaders. The Spartans are also looking to junior wing Chris Adams, senior center Mike Jorritsma, and Justin and Jacob Latham.
7. La Verne Lutheran
The Trojans were the only area team to win a CIF-SS title last season, securing the V-AA Division and advancing to the CIF-State playoffs.
La Verne should make another run, returning its top four players. The Trojans, who were 29-1 last season, are led by sophomore Carl Cooper, who averaged just over 18 ppg, and junior Keith Shamburger, who put in 14 ppg. La Verne also looks to junior Jordan Sally (10.8) and sophomore Kevin Payne (9.6).
8. Rowland
The Raiders return four starters from a team that finished 16-14 and finished second in the San Antonio League last season.
Rowland is led by guard Brandon Stansell, who averaged 9.1 points and 5.7 assists. He will get help from BJ Oyefeso (7.7 ppg, 10 rpg), Alfonso Saavedra and Jun Choi.
9. Los Altos
The Conquerors return three starters from a team that enjoyed a solid run during the tournament season but slumped in league play.
The leader is point guard Johnny Medina, who averaged 7.3 points and 4.3 assists per game. Los Altos, which could challenge Diamond Ranch and Bonita in the Miramonte League, also looks to Gerad Chin, who scored at 8.2 ppg, and Alvin Tan, who averaged 6.2 points and 5.6 rebounds.
10. Workman
The Lobos were just 13-13 last season and lost in the first round of the CIF-SS playoffs.
But they are expected to be vastly improved with transfer Cezar Guerrero, who comes over from St. John Bosco. Workman will also look to junior guard Bobby Miles, junior forward Andrew Flores, and Carlos Molina.
Comments
Regarding Walnut bb team .. very small team to be competitive , OLU transfer in is no threat very small 5'2... sorry guys these teams cant compete with the OC Teams .. give credit to DR
Posted by: oc scout | January 2, 2009 9:34 PM
You guys are hilarious with all of the Pomona talk. Whitey-you live and work in Pomona, but still talk all of that smack. How much harder do our kids have to work to get recognized. Oh, DBar Dad-how racist to say that DBar isn't good because the school is all Asian and focuses on academics. How many students from DBar got into Ivy League schools last year? Not as many as Ganesha-but we have to work harder I guess to get any recognition. Check out the Chevron Station by Ganesha-sells way more Tribune copies than Daily Bulletin!
Posted by: GHigh | December 4, 2008 12:42 PM
Damien will win league this yera if they move up 2 sophmore renato martinez and ryan tatera, those 2 can play now. Move down that out of shape weak post pavia and move those 2 up, we need a strong post and we dont have that in 6'9 180 mike or 6'4 260 pavia, move up those 2 sophmores
Posted by: Now this is who u 2 think it is | December 3, 2008 4:06 PM
damien will be good this year. they will be the best team in the valley. they would've been better if they had moved up sophomore wing tim truax. but they should be fine with what they have
Posted by: sgvfan | December 3, 2008 3:51 PM
damien will be good this year. they will be the best team in the valley. they would've been better if they had moved up sophomore wing renato martinez. but they should be fine with what they have
Posted by: sgvfan | December 3, 2008 3:49 PM
sierra league = balls
Posted by: hdsajfhsdaljk | December 3, 2008 3:45 PM
damien will be good this year. they will be the best team in the valley. they would've been better if they had moved up sophomore wing patrick mendoza. but they should be fine with what they have
Posted by: svgfan | December 3, 2008 3:40 PM
damien will be good this year. they will be the best team in the valley. they would've been better if they had moved up sophomore wing ryan tatera. but they should be fine with what they have
Posted by: svgfan | December 3, 2008 3:24 PM
Fred any chance you could pots Workman tournament schedule? Sure wold like to see this kid in person. Go Lobos!!!!!!
Posted by: WHS BB | December 3, 2008 10:12 AM
Fan,
I think we can all laugh a little with the expression "Walnut Big Men".
And if the sophomore kid went down with cramps, then what does that say about his conditioning? They have summer leagues and practice pretty much everyday. D-Bar vs. Walnut is big no matter what the sport, so I would think it would be pretty severe for him to not come back in. Coach Cameron wants to beat D-Bar in the worst way.
And I can't see Walnut "smacking" around Workman...but whatever we will see.
Looking at Walnut's schedule it looks like a pretty easy preseason (anyone remember Walnut's football preseason? [Walnut Dad] That didn't really pan out after a 4 - 1 start did it. I expect Walnut to win some of these tournaments, but league is when it counts.
Posted by: Walnut Insider | December 3, 2008 9:54 AM
Nice opening night DBar. How did Kacy Barlow do? Oh yeah, Dranchhhhh...it would still be easier to just transfer to dranch. Then he could turn in his junior high projects and get A's in the POMONA school district. Doesn't mean we wouldn't welcome all the DBar kids to come back and help make us a power again. Maybe I'm just jealous.
Posted by: DBar Soph Dad | December 3, 2008 12:02 AM
your an idiot bblit, Diamond bar won by 15 and it was a figh all the way till the 4th quarter, but even then it was only around 12-1 pts thru half of the 4th then Walnut's best player, another soph who transfered from the Trinty league got bad legs cramps after he scored on a break away, after that the score went up to as high as 20 but ended up by 16 at the end of the game. By the way Bonita sucks and that soph guard from Walnut went for 25pts tonight. Walnut lost becaues they got out rebouded and their big men were no help tonight. But why is it that players from Trinity league come into playing in these San Gabriel Leagues and they dominate big time, Cesar Guerrero and the other kid from Walnut, is THEIR THAT MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE FROM OURS AND THE tRINITY LEAGUE?
Posted by: Fan | December 2, 2008 11:53 PM
is Cunninham rumor true? Is he at another school?
Don't matter anyways. lool for Bonita to take em down. just like last year no one saw them beating them. but they beat them twice. Bonita will prove the doubters once again.
Posted by: b-ball | December 2, 2008 10:29 PM
I dont think summer leagues or fall leagues mean much. They dont count. Coaches use those games to see how their bench players will play in situations.
DBar easily beat Walnut by around 20 but it could have been 30. I cant see either of those teams in the top 10.
Posted by: bblit | December 2, 2008 10:19 PM
correction to my last statement, workman should be in the top 3.
Posted by: boomer | December 2, 2008 9:46 PM
DBar Soph Dad,
Tell your under achieving son to ask his dad to stop spending so much time on blogs and assist him with his homework, maybe that should work!!
Posted by: DRanchhhh | December 2, 2008 8:52 PM
DBar Soph Dad,
Tell your under achieving son to ask his dad to stop spending so much time on blogs and assist him with his homework, maybe that should work!!
Posted by: DRanchhhh | December 2, 2008 8:52 PM
How Isn't SEM on the top 10??
Posted by: What ??? | December 2, 2008 7:06 PM
B-not sold on that one. Why does every school get better when Walker leaves? The players (and parents were psyched when he left and we won a CIF title the next year. Chino Hills got to the CIF Finals.
Just an observation.
Posted by: reality czech | December 2, 2008 5:58 PM
the reality is that Amat played RC the past two years during the two worst years of our existence and swept the Cougars. They chose not to renew. Don't even start with the CO talk - been down that road too. THe other reality is that both schools are LARGE schools. CO with well over 2000 and RC pushing 3000. Amat hovers around 1400.
Posted by: reality czech | December 2, 2008 5:46 PM
The C.O. Chargers under second year coach Ray Walker will make it an interesting Miramonte league this year. The roster has 7 returning lettermen ,led by Eric Rogers ,Kenny Saldana,Jaden Rycliff and Evan Barr all juniors.
Posted by: B | December 2, 2008 5:34 PM
Be real, this player didn't transfer because of his grades, it was because of the "Asian Gangs"! Hahaha.....NOT. It was his grades. Another thing that makes it hard for DBar to compete, huge asian population with a grueling academic load.
Posted by: Walnut Valley guy | December 2, 2008 5:15 PM
Don't give BS me that DR is covered because of the league they're in, Chino, Chino Hills and Ayala are in the Sierra League with Damien, Glendora and DBar and you don't cover them unless they're playing a local team! I agree with whitey, what is your boundry for coverage. BTW DR fans, my son is pretty good but he's struggling academically at DBar (B's and C's). Should he transfer to DR so he can get A's and B's like a main member of your baseball team did?
Posted by: DBar Soph Dad | December 2, 2008 5:04 PM
Wow lets see baseball-all the way to the cif championship..ya we lost but we got there..this year football..you know!!! now basketball..clearly DR is the top school in sports..hands down..WE ARE DR!!!! SGV look out!! the PANTHERS are comming
Posted by: HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL FAN | December 2, 2008 4:28 PM
Give it up, Bonita had all their players on hand when they plaed Walnut, at least the ones that start and play, excuses after excuses, In fact as mentioned Bonita was so afraid of play LV Lutheran, Bonita is a bunch of white pansies, by the way workman would kill Bonita, Nathan kid sucks
Posted by: To Bonita Fan | December 2, 2008 4:23 PM
Whitey and all you other "people". It's called the MIRAMONTE LEAGUE!! Check the teams.
Posted by: DRanchhhh | December 2, 2008 12:38 PM
fan,
fall league doesn't mean anything. most of the guys are gone from the team because of football and its against cif rules to practice with a different sport while currently active in another. bonita went to the playoffs so im sure they were missing guys. summer, fall, and spring league games are only scrimages, its WINTER that counts. im sure workman would smack walnut to the ground.
Posted by: boomer | December 2, 2008 12:16 PM
Dude, Workmen is #10, that emans they are in the top 10.
Your missing Walnut, they will be the suprise team this year. They have a solid team, lack height but not heart. They have Karlo who scores 20+ pts a game, they have big Leonard Rhodes who takes up space in the middle and then they have their own Soph Transfer from Trinity League School starting point guard Zach Galman. Watch out for them, they beat Bonita in fall league and played Los Osos tight.
Posted by: Fan | December 2, 2008 12:00 PM
im not gonna sit here and complain about workman being #10, im just gonna sit here and watch them keep winning and sooner or later you'll see them in the top 10.
Posted by: boomer | December 2, 2008 11:55 AM
Keith Shamburg of La Verne Lutheran trasnfered out of tht school. Also I think Chris Cunningham was last seen at Villa Park HS.
What about Diamond Bar? They have Kacey Barlow, he plays tonight against Walnut at Walnut. Kacey is going to drop more then 30 pts tonight. Diamond Bar should be in the top ten. Are you going to stop by and watch tonight? The game starts at 6:30pm.
Posted by: Big Dog | December 2, 2008 10:41 AM
Guys - you gotta keep up.
Diamond Ranch, Pomona, and Ganesha get Trib coverage because they are in SGV leagues. Garey doesn't because the rest of their league is in and around Ontario.
Posted by: Tar'en Supporter | December 2, 2008 10:35 AM
isn't Cal Poly about 2 or 3 miles east of DR , correct me if I'm wrong but DR is one of 4 PUSD HS and you only cover one, not very logical to me!How about covering the Pacers, Fred....they play some quality ball over there, you do know of which school I speak, right? 7-11 stores, who in the heck goes to 7-11 anymore, I concur with Whitey that this seems odd and I do remember the Tribs corporate cousin the Bulletin covering Norco, as one of their own, hilarious, btw red-ryder Farmer Boys on Garey and Bonita, the Trib rack has been empty since b4 football season and that's in Pomona too! Late
Posted by: the game with the smaller ball | December 2, 2008 10:25 AM
No, we cover Cal Poly too, :)
Posted by: FredJ | December 2, 2008 9:50 AM
Whitey.... I have my buisness in Pomona and all 711 stores carry the Trib.
Posted by: Redryder-Blue | December 2, 2008 9:48 AM
ok my bad, I guess it needs no explanation, whatever can sell a few papers, all I know is that I live and work in Pomona and can't find the trib or anyone who reads it, in this cesspool! I have no problem with DR being compared to the relative strengths of other "area" HS football and basketball teams, but do you include Colony next or Upland or Claremont, is there a line drawn or not? logical question isn't it, it is a POMONA school and the only POMONA school you include, how is that?
Posted by: whitey | December 2, 2008 9:41 AM
Whitey, have you not been paying attention, they've been one of our schools for a long time now. Don't you see our football polls?
Posted by: FredJ | December 2, 2008 9:09 AM
Fred, just how does DR qualify as being in the tribs top ten as far as geographically? I mean it's a Pomona school, and it's further east than Ganesha, another Pomona, are you just pandering to try to sell a few more papers? it's almost as bad as your sister publication the Daily Bulletin try to call Norco their #1 team in football a few years ago, it was laughable, you could barely find that rag anywhere in the city and yet they had them as their number team, I mean have some integrity, will you guys, next thing you know, it'll be St. Francis and then Oaks Christian and then De La Salle! just stay off the bandwagon will you guys
Posted by: whitey | December 2, 2008 8:59 AM