With the 2009-10 JC season about to get underway, I’ve put together previews for both Southern California and Northern California. This is the preview for Southern California.
The preview for Northern California, and also the individual team previews for Bakersfield, Citrus, LA Trade Tech and Santa Monica, are linked at the bottom of the page.
Most of this information comes from the summer shootouts, but there are also items from other things, far too numerous to mention, that I’ve seen and heard …
I’ve listed it by conference and division, with teams listed in their anticipated order of finish for the upcoming season.
Foothill Conference:
San Bernardino Valley: On paper, the obvious choice as preseason #1 in California. Last year the Wolverines won the Foothill Conference and advanced to the state tourney, and they only had one sophomore. Everyone else returns, specifically PG Nate Roth, SG DShaun Holden, SF Maurice McGee, PF Aaron Edwards, Ctr Orlando Brazier, C/PF Curtis Wilkerson, and G Sydney Hall. And SF Tre Brewer transfers in from Fullerton. That’s scary.
Mt. San Jacinto: The Foothill Coaches’ pick to win the conference, Coach Patrick Springer always has plenty of talent on hand, and this year should be no exception. SF Jeffrey West PF Terrance Williams return from last season, and onetime Louisiana Tech recruit D.J. Wright and SD State signee PG Eric Lawton, who helped West Valley Hemet to a section title in 2008 (21 pts in the title game) are two high-profile additions. Also, super-shooter SG Dominic Tiger-Cortes brings an outside scoring threat; he had 8 threes and 35 points to capture MVP honors in the Pasadena-San Gabriel Valley (HS) All-Star game in 2008.
Antelope Valley: That a team this talented could be picked for 3rd shows how tough the top of this conference is. PGRod Singleton and SG Anthony Sanchez return to form a veteran backcourt. And the frontcourt has both quality and depth with USC signee Ctr DeWayne Dedmon, PF George McGrew, PF Matt Stern and PF Gary Winfield. SF Donald Williams is a remarkable scorer and captured MVP honors at the California JUCO Shootout. Losing ultra-talented PF Kyisean Reed to academics will hurt though.
Chaffey: That a team this talented could be picked for 4th shows how ridiculously tough the top of this conference is! The Hustlin’ Panthers will bring their usual brand of chaos, and in a summer tilt 8 different players hit 3-pointers so shooting will of course be a strength. SG Anthony Cammon, PG Trone Jackson, PF Jeremy Veal and SF Zach Von Pertz are the most prominent returnees. Since the summer they’ve also added PG Matt Wallace, who once had 19 pts (5 threes) and 9 asts to capture MVP honors in a Fullcourt Press Showcase during HS.
Desert: COD’s Roadrunners should be improved a bit this year if for no other reason than the return of PG Antoine Davis, who made a strong impression in 2007-08 (19 pts, 8 rebs, 5 asts, 5 steals vs. eventual state champion Citrus) but sat out last year. Former 29 Palms star SG Nico Matthews, who earned first-team All-Star honors at the California JUCO Shootout in July, Ctr Conner Madden and SG Chaz Pio were the other top performers in July.
Rio Hondo: These Roadrunners should have one of their better teams of the decade this season. The Big Three – returning sophs PG Maurice Cole, sharpshooting SG Darryl Alexander, and freshman Ctr Ryan Jefferson (13 pts, 10 rebs at the California JUCO Shootout) are the keys.
Victor Valley: The Rams will miss do-everything wing Dwight Gordon, now at UC-Riverside, but have a solid nucleus in PF Alan Alston, SF Victor Barner and underrated Ctr Eric Bailey. PG Randy Ornoz looked good in July (8 asts, 2 turns) and SF Harold Riley showed his versatility (6 pts, 10 rebs, 4 asts) in the Say No in Pomona. Still, they’ll be hard-pressed to score enough to keep up with the big guns in this conference.
Barstow: The Vikings have nowhere to go but up after going 0-27 last year. Onetime Oregon State recruit SF Martez Walker, who was a reserve on the champion team in the Say No (10 pts in the championship game), and former Etiwanda HS starter SG Rome Draper headline the newcomers, and PF Galander Abdelrahman is the top returnee.
Orange Empire Conference:
Riverside: The defending state champs are a threat to take it all again, with several key components returning and a strong infusion of new talent arrives. Vastly underrated PG Daniel Redmon, leaping SG Donovan Buford and Ctr Kevin Bradshaw, the best post defender I’ve ever seen at the JC level, headline the veterans. SF Andrew Fisk, SG Willie Trimble, PF Jordan Richard and PF Orion Palmer headline the newcomers. SF Valentine Ike transfers in from Citrus to provide frontcourt depth. And it’s all under the care of Coach John Smith one of the very best in the business, as he demonstrated last year in leading the team to the title despite the mid-season loss of then-Washington signee Charles Garcia.
Saddleback: The defending state runner-up is a bit of a mystery. PG Perry Webster, who missed last year’s run with a broken foot, is back. SG Marquis Green and SF Terrell Mack, whose marvelous games off the bench in the regional final helped get the Gauchos to the state tourney, return on the wings. And talented-but-underachieving Ctr Sarunas Jackson and Citrus transfer PF Nathan Gibbs figure to start in the frontcourt. That’s all based on the summer. But Coach Andy Ground is capable enough that he might have a surprise or two waiting in the wings, or he could bring this group to new heights.
Irvine Valley: SF Durell Norman transfers in from AVC, and he had a field day at the California JUCO Shootout with 18 ts and 9 rebs in a running-time game. The rest of the squad is a bit of a mystery, particularly since their top returning player figured to be PF Kwame Alexander, who has apparently left. PG Travis Ballard returns from last year and SG Chris Taylor looked good this summer (6 pts, 2 asts, 3 steals). Coach Jerry Hernandez has long been recognized as one of the best. I’ll see how good they are in the season’s first week vs. Southwestern.
Cypress: A program on the rise, the Chargers boasted five players with at least 9 points in the summer game I saw, a marked change from recent years. SF Devin Golston (14 pts), PG Tyquan Lee (10 pts, 4 asts, 4 stls) and SG Troy Baugh (9 pts, 7 rebs) were the top perfomers. With the rest of the OEC seemingly a little down this season, this could be Cypress’ chance to make a run.
Orange Coast: Coach Steve Spencer always gets the most out of his teams, playing a helter-skelter pressing style on defense and an orderly style on offense. Lack of height and D-1 talent usually limit the Pirates to the middle of the pack, and that will probably hold true again. But SG Martin Whitmore is a good scorer, and Ctr Stefan Thomassen shows flashes in the middle. PG Chris Curtis and multi-skilled incoming freshman John Russo should see plenty of action as well.
Fullerton: Former top assistant Andre Smith takes over this year, and he had a lot of players vying for roster spots at the Hoop Review event. Ctr Joshua “Byrd” Rayne and PG Matthew Rice were the top performers, and onetime Dominguez HS prospect SF Aaron Moore was in the fold. The Hornets played solid defense but had trouble scoring (22 pts in a loss to Pierce and 40 in a narrow win over Palomar). They should be tough to play against, but don’t seem to have much firepower.
Santa Ana: The Dons edged Grossmont at the Hoop Review event in July, but their top scorer that day has moved on to Trade Tech. So the top players appear to be PF Rod Ulmer (8 pts, 10 rebs), SG Charles Glaster (10 pts, 2 threes) and Dominguez HS alumn SF Robert Mandingo.
South Coast – North:
LA Trade Tech: LATT looks loaded (see my team preview, link below) and especially with the demise of LA City seems to be the heavy favorite in the tougher half of the SCC.
Mt. San Antonio: Coach Allen Caveness was extremely successful at Compton (state tourney in 2007) and Fullerton (state championship game in 2008) and there’s no reason to believe he won’t be successful here. They didn’t play the summer events I attended so this is a bit of a guess, but I think it’s a good guess that they’ll be pretty good.
Pasadena: Another bit of a guessing game, in that neither PF Eliott Berry nor Ctr Tyree McCary played in the summer. Berry was away at Jerry Mullen's (national JUCO) camp, however, and was expected back. If so, he’s the obvious marquee guy and an all-state candidate. SF Jordan Block transfers in from Chaffey and was excellent in the summer (20 pts vs. OCC). PF Tony Adams, PF Troy Allen and SF Dannon Harris also looked good. I’ll get a chance to see how they look early on as they come up to COC for tip-off weekend.
East LA: The Huskies were hammered, 77-43, by Chaffey in the summer, but the way Chaffey plays tends to lay waste to teams in the summer sometimes. East LA returns a few sophomores – PG Derrell Wallace, SG Lester Keys, SG Jeremy Gerardo, SF Ian Fennell and Ctr Sergio Lugo and that appears to be the basis of any hope of challenging the top 3.
Compton: Former Reseda HS Coach Keith Higgins takes over for the Tartars. Reseda had one of its best seasons in memory last year, so maybe he’ll bring some of that magic (or some of those players) with him. They didn’t play anything in the summer so otherwise they are a surprise package, at least to me.
South Coast – South:
El Camino: The big news is that SF Wendell Lee has apparently joined the team, which immediately elevates El Camino’s status and gives us a preseason favorite as SCC-S Player of the Year. Wendell, from Washington HS in LA, played at a prep school last season and for Belmont Shore’s secondary team this past summer and was a true standout, pouring in 28 on one occasion when I saw him. Add in SF Chuck Gray and Ctr Daryl Townsend, both of whom were impressive at the California JUCO Shootout, forwards Isaiah Jenkins and Kris Griffis, and veteran PG Vince Fuller and you have the SCC-South favorite.
LA Southwest: PG Blake Beason and SG Adrian Session look like a good backcourt, and AVC transfers SF Chevoirye Wade and Ctr Chris Clayton are quality starters in the frontcourt. PG Carmillo Valencia and SG Alan Mitchell also did well in the summer. In the SCC-North they’d be in tough, but they look like the top threat here.
Long Beach: LBCC has some talent, though it was still in the sifting stage at the California JUCO Shootout in July. PG Lauren Heard, SG Leo Arnold, SG Will Ervin, PF Stephen Gwin, PF Lane Whitney and PF Isaiah Bridgette are all good players. And if PF Chris Brown can return in any kind of shape after two years out he could give the Vikings a huge lift.
Cerritos: The Falcons looked solid in claiming a narrow decision over Canyons in July, but that was before the departure of Coach Jesse Tiplitzky. Now it’s hard to know what to expect this year. PG Wayne Chapman returns after a year out and SF Sean Chennault and Ctr Marcellus Jackson both played well as starters last season. SG Greg Howell played at Artesia alongside James Harden and Renardo Sidney, and Ctr Leon Gibson showed potential last year at Serra HS in Gardena and was one of the top players at the Fullcourt Press Senior Showcase (16 pts, 14 rebs, 5 blks).
LA Harbor: The Seahawks were 5-24 last year, 2-26 the year before and 4-25 the year before that. SG John Raquel is a good player (21 pts, 7 rebs, 3 asts, 3 stls vs. West LA last year; 11 pts in California JUCO Shootout for an independent team in July).
WSC – North:
Citrus: The two-time defending champs look as good as ever. Check out my team preview (link below) for details.
Bakersfield: But the Renegades could give them a strong challenge, as they look to be improved from last year. Check out my team preview (link below) for more details.
Santa Monica: The Corsairs boast perhaps California’s top player in Bryant Crowder and could challenge the top two teams. Check out my team preview (link below) for details.
LA Valley: The Monarchs return quite a few players in PG Robert Brown, SG Jerome Lowe, PF Chris Lenik, Ctr Pierre Prince and PF Sulaiman Sekamwa. AVC transfer PF Hassan Stephens and Sylmar HS grad PG Darius Hooks also join the mix. With Coach Virgil Watson the whole usually exceeds the sum of the parts, so don’t count Valley out as a challenger.
Glendale: The Vaqueros played a summer event for the first time in memory, a reflection of Coach Brian Beauchemin’s optimism regarding his returning sophomores. PG Jose Garcia returns after a year off, PG Cory Davis is a spark plug, SG Deonte Wyatt is a scorer and Ctr Antonio Garrett showed his ability in the Hoop Review shootout (8 pts, 11 rebs) as well as when he was at Monroe. Unfortunately, the best returning soph, PF Peter Newell, had to leave school due to a family situation, and he will be missed.
Canyons: PF Brannon Bradley is a superb athlete and an all-conference candidate, and SG Brian Kimble returns after a redshirt year and can do a lot of things. After that, however, there is a bit of a dropoff. PF Parker Dominguez was a beast in HS, and if SG Rasheem Harris is still here (his HS coach is the new head coach at Compton) he provides offense. Coach Howard Fisher’s teams are always well-coached and difficult to play against.
West LA: New Coach Ron McClurkin takes over and since West LA didn’t play any summer events they are a surprise package. If PG Jason Pruitt is still there, he will again contend for all-conference honors. McClurkin’s last few years at Oxnard were pretty ugly; maybe the change of venue will help.
WSC-South:
Moorpark: PG Dallas Rutherford bounces back from CSUN and will probably lead the conference in scoring; this offense fits him beautifully and he can shoot. He’s from Campbell Hall in North Hollywood, and most of the key players are local. That includes PG Matt Mazarei (Westlake), SG Kyle Olandt (Westlake), SF Eric Strangis (Crescenta Valley), PF Mike Meza (Simi Valley) and Ctr Dalton Francis (Newbury Park). They look like the team to beat.
LA Pierce: This looks like Coach Ed Babayan’s best team yet. PG Ever Lopez returns after missing two years, and he is the key. SF Daniel St. Hubert, SF Ritzie Williams, SG Juan Gil, PF Malcolm Collins and PF Bertrand Kamga all return, and there is incoming talent in Ctr Michael Aguilar from Calabasas, SG Josh Thomas from Renaissance and SG Ryan Rubino from Chatsworth. And don’t forget the most important newcomer…Ctr Terran Carter. The CSUN signee who started 3 years for local powerhouse Taft will make his presence felt as soon as he’s done playing football.
Oxnard: A very solid team with PG Tony Rowe, SG Dario Jokic, SG Ryan McLucas, SG Phillip Holmes, SF Craig Lee and Ctr James Ennis forming the nucleus. They’ll miss PF Omar Ibraham but could challenge for the division crown.
Ventura: The traditional favorite still has some talent, but things are not like they used to be. Athletic PF Jordan Harris, USF bounceback SF Pierce Brooks and veteran PG Troy Watson, who played at Ventura in 2006-07, are the top players. PG Nolan Smith is solid, SF Randy Gonzales is a do-everything if undersized forward and Ctr Eysan Toole will provide rebounds and shot-blocking.
Santa Barbara: PG David Lane is superb, SG Steven Saenz and SF Lucky Teeguarden are deadly shooters and Ctr Ryan Gosselin is very productive inside. But overall, they’re just not as talented or athletic as the top 4. Still, they could cause some trouble for somebody along the way.
Allan Hancock: AHC doesn’t play any summer events so I have little idea about them.
Cuesta: Cuesta also didn’t play at any summer events I attended, so they are also a surprise package. I only listed Allan Hancock before them because A comes befor C in the alphabet.
Pacific Coast Conference:
Miramar: Last year the Jets shocked the JC world with a playoff win at Fullerton, and they’ll be the PCC favorite this year on the basis of some good returning talent. Starters PG Bryant Taylor, SF Tyler Fricke and PF Steve Jones are back, and that’s a good threesome. Ctr Nate Easterman looked good in July with 11 pts and 6 rebs. Reportedly Seattle Univ bounceback SG Jywrell Wilson from The Bishop's School is on board; he averaged 23.6 pts per game as a senior in HS.
Imperial Valley: The Arabs made a science of losing close games last year, but with an excellent backcourt of PG Robert Ellis and SG Isaac Waters they should win some of those close ones this time around. They had Michael Bostic with the team in July but apparently he’s gone now; they really could have used him. Still, they’re well-coached and should contend for a playoff berth.
Mira Costa: Defeated Glendale at the Hoop Review event, 63-55. The Spartans had a balanced scoring attack with PF Thomas Nesbitt leading the way (12 pts, 7 rebs) but SF Zach Fleichman also scoring in double figures (11 pts, 5 rebs, 4 stls), and PG Chris Raybon (9 pts, 6 rebs, 6 asts), SG Daveon Woods (8 pts, 3 asts, 2 stls) and Ctr Jeremy Avriette (8 pts, 6 rebs) also performing well. SG Matt Cain came out of the bullpen…oops, that must have been the other Matt Cain; this one came off the bench…and provided a boost.
Palomar: The Comets are always among the best-coached teams in SoCal, and they have some firepower in SG Kevin Deeb (who was a super-scorer in HS at Burroughs in Burbank). Ctr Jeremy Ford is athletic and had 9 pts and 5 rebs vs. Glendale in July. Ctr Martez Christian (6 pts, 7 rebs, 2 blks vs. Fullerton) and SG Dorian Reese (11 pts vs. Fullerton) also looked good in July.
Grossmont: In what was believed to be Grossmont’s first-ever appearance in a summer event, the Griffins had just seven players available (6 after PF Antoine McNeill suffered a gash on his face) but still only narrowly lost to Santa Ana. Ctr James Josephson was the eye-catcher, hitting 3 threes and finishing with 11 pts, 5 rebs and 7 blocked shots. He might be the most talented played in the conference this season. PG Brandon Pride had 13 pts, 5 asts and 4 steals, while SF Dan Eberhardt had 11 pts, 4 asts and 3 stls.
San Diego Mesa: The Olympians fell to Oxnard at the Hoop Review event, but they seemed more athletic and more capable defensively than in previous seasons. Ctr Broxton Dawson led the way with 13 pts, and SF Josh White had 9 pts.
I didn’t get to see Cuyamaca, San Diego City or Southwestern this summer. However, I’ll see Cuyamaca Nov 8th at the Canyons Tip-Off event, Southwestern Nov 10th at Irvine Valley and SD City (hopefully) at either the Citrus Tourney over Thanksgiving weekend or the AVC Tourney the following week (or perhaps both of those).
This means that for the first time ever, I'll likely see all the teams from the Pacific Coast Conference, either in the summer or during the regular season (or both)!
Individual Team & Northern California Previews
Bakersfield preview
Citrus preview
LA Trade Tech preview
Santa Monica preview
Northern California Preview
