The 2003-04 JC Basketball season is now in the books! Compton surprised just about everyone to win the state championship after entering the playoffs with just 12 wins. American River's Kenneth Sims and LA Southwest's Michael Ford shared the state's Player of the Year award.
During the season I managed to see a total of 63 games - a new record for me and one more than my total of 62 in 2002-03. Most of that was in Southern California, but I got to a Fresno-Sequoias game, some tournaments and a pair of premier Coast Conference matchups up North.
In any case, here's the best and the brightest from the 2003-04 season...
JCHoops.com All-State Team:
South:
PG-Mike Ford, LA Southwest
SG-Tihon Johnson, Mt. San Jacinto
SF-Wendell White, Antelope Valley
PF-Tezzaray Banks, Cerritos
C-Tony Key, LA City (SoCal Player of the Year)
North:
PG-Tyrone Jackson, Fresno (NorCal Player of the Year)
SG-Mychal Green, Ohlone
SF-Lawrence Wright, Yuba
PF-Mo Charlo, Diablo Valley
C-Kavin Young, San Joaquin Delta
JCHoops.com All-Defense Team:
PG-Ronnie Holmes, Ohlone
SG-Kyle Myrick, Riverside
SF-Anthony Davis, LA City
PF-Durell Davis, Canyons
C-Tony Key, LA City
2003-04 Season Superlatives:
Most Points, Team: 125 – Fresno, 12/19 vs. Gavilan
Fewest Points Allowed: 36 – West Valley, 12/20 vs. Shasta
Largest Margin of Victory: 53 – Fresno (125) vs. Gavilan (72), 12/19
Most Points, Player: 51 - Mike Ford, LA Southwest, 11/30 vs. Antelope Valley
Most Rebounds, Player: 18 – Reggie Johnson, West LA, 12/28 vs. Moorpark
and..............................18 – Ruben Mitchell, Desert, 1/5 vs. Antelope Valley
Most Assists, Player: 15 – Carlos Rivers, LA Valley, 2/6 vs. Glendale
Most 3-point FG, Player: 8 – Mike Ford, LA Southwest, 11/30 vs. Antelope Valley
and................................ 8 – Mike Green, Cuesta, 1/7 vs. Ventura
and................................8 – Rocky Soliday, Big Bend, 12/29 vs. LA Harbor
Most Blocked Shots, Player: 10 – Andrew Bruckner, Canyons, 1/3 vs. Porterville
Most Steals, Player: 8 – Dan Stosich, Big Bend, 12/29 vs. LA Harbor
(Calif)........................7 – Adrian Walton, Riverside, 11/16 vs. Saddleback
and............................7 – Harry Holmes, Fresno, 12/19 vs. Gavilan
and............................7 – Kelvin Ivory, Lassen, 12/21 vs. Butte
Best Team: Los Angeles City.
Despite losing in the regional final, LA City showed their overall superiority all season long. Not only did they win 28 of 31 games, but when they won it was in impressive fashion. After the new year, the only game they didn't win by at least 11 points was their season-ending loss.
Best Player: Tony Key, LA City.
This was a tough call, as there were several very deserving candidates. But nobody dominated the action more consistently than Key. His numbers were good, but his impact went far beyond his stats. On offense, he averaged 14 points and shot 76% from the field in the 5 games I saw him play. But he also averaged 8 rebs per game and proved an able passer and shot-blocker. And he anchored an LACC defense that held the opposition to 36% from the field in those 5 games.
Best Game, Regular Season: SBVC 95, Chaffey 91 (OT), 1/10.
Early on, it looked like it would be a blowout as SBVC jumped to an early 21-7 lead. And Chaffey really didn't turn things around before halftime, as SBVC led by 18 at 52-34 at intermission. But in the second half, Chaffey's pressure started having an effect and the Panthers rallied. Gerald DeVance's 3-pointer with 22.1 seconds left tied it, and the game went to OT. Chaffey took the lead early on in OT, but SBVC came back in the last 2 minutes of the extra session. Still, Chaffey had one last chance, but their potential game-tying 3-point attempt in the final seconds just missed.
Best Game, Playoffs: Compton 64, LA City 63.
This one turned out to be pretty important as well, perhaps the de facto state championship game. #1-ranked host LA City came in as the heavy favorite, but Compton stood up to them physically and disrupted the LACC offense. And the Tartars scored enough to take an 11-point lead in the first half. LACC rallied to within 4 at intermission, but Compton pulled away again in the second half, only to see LA City rally to take a 6-point lead with under 4 minutes left. With the season on the line, Compton came through, outscoring LACC 9-2 down the stretch and taking the lead on a basket by Gaston Essengue with 43.8 seconds left. LACC had a pair of chances to tie the game in the final seconds, but both of Solomon Brown's shot attempts missed, sending Compton to San Diego, where they won the state title.
Best Game, Team, South: LA City, 1/30 vs. Pasadena.
In a much-anticipated matchup between the top two teams in the SCC-North, visiting LACC was absolutely dominant. The Cubs shot 57%, while holding Pasadena to 29%. And they outrebounded the Lancers, 64-24. The result: a 39-point win that all but decided the division title.
Best Game, Team, North: Sequoias, 1/31 vs. Fresno.
There was a packed house of Central Valley fans jamming themselves into the tiny gym at College of the Sequoias for the January rivalry game with Fresno. And the home squad came prepared. Apparently learning quite a bit from their 21-point loss to FCC two weeks earlier, COS broke the press and disrupted Fresno's running game from the start. They also received solid contributions from all 9 players who saw action, and shot 63% from the floor as a team. The result: a near-perfect effort, and a 98-83 win.
Best Game, Player: Mike Ford, LA Southwest, 11/30 vs. Antelope Valley.
Ford made 16 of 25 shots from the floor, including 8 threes, and 11 of 15 from the FT line to finish with a season-best 51 points. That's not just the top performance I saw, but the top scoring performance in the state of California this season! And yet, he team needed all those points in a 99-95 overtime win.
Best Overtime, Player: Terrell Stovall, Pasadena, 11/16 vs. Mt. San Jacinto.
At the end of regulation, it was tied at 86 and Stovall had a game-high 27 points. But he'd barely even gotten started! In the extra session, he went 4/4 on FGs, including a three, and 5/5 on FTs. In all, he scored a remarkable 14 points in overtime, pushing his game total to 41. And he added 2 rebs and a steal in OT as well. Pasadena won, 106-99.
Best Performance in a losing cause: Durell Davis, Canyons, 2/27 vs. LA Southwest.
Normally a reserve, Durell got the start in the playoff game. And his performance made it look like he should have been starting all season: 37 points and 15 rebounds, both easily game-highs even though ASW won the game.
Best Comeback: Chaffey, 11/28 vs. Cuyamaca.
In the early going, it looked bad for Chaffey as the Panthers missed 11 of their first 12 shots and fell behind by 20 points in the first 10 minutes. But then their press started having an effect, and Chaffey closed the margin to 12 by halftime. And in the second half, the trend continued as Chaffey pulled closer, and finally took the lead. The final numbers: Chaffey piled up 20 steals among Cuyamaca's 40 turnovers, and the Panthers won the game, 80-73.
Best Comeback that fell just shot: Chaffey, 1/10 vs. San Bernardino Valley.
Just as in the Cuyamaca game, Chaffey fell behind early. SBVC made 9 of their first 10 shots to take a 21-7 lead in the first 5 minutes of the game, and led by 18 points at halftime (52-34). But just as in the Cuyamaca game, the press gradually began to turn things around for Chaffey, and the Panthers rallied to tie the game on a three by Gerald DeVance with 22.1 seconds left in regulation. In OT, Chaffey even took the lead – twice – only to see SBVC rally in the last 2 minutes to claim a 95-91 OT win.
Best Performance, one-time Bench Player: Carlos Rivers, LA Valley, 2/6 vs. Glendale.
OK, Rivers was normally a starter, but in this game he came off the bench. And once he got in the game, he stayed in the game. The result: 22 points, 11 rebounds and 15 assists for the season's only triple-double. And a 91-87 LA Valley win.
Best Performance, "true" Bench Player, North: Adam Gilbert, American River, 12/20 vs. Yuba.
In the championship game of the Santa Rosa Kris Kringle Tourney, Gilbert came off the bench to contribute team-highs of 21 pts, 10 rebs and 3 steals plus 5 asts (second only to PG Ranaldo Spotwood's 6) in ARC's 80-70 victory.
Best Performance, "true" Bench Player, South: Clarence Womak, Mt. San Jacinto, 12/7 vs. Antelope Valley.
In the championship game of the AVC Tourney, Womak came off the bench to contribute 15 pts and 10 rebs. His rebound and coast-to-coast lay-up gave Mt. San J a lead they held the rest of the way. For his efforts, Womak was named the Tourney MVP.
Most Extensive Use of the Stat Sheet: Anthony Brown, El Camino, 11/9 vs. Victor Valley.
In the consolation game of the Vaquero Tip-Off Tourney at Glendale College, Brown finished the game with 26 pts, 3 threes, 10 asts, 4 blocks, 6 steals and 8 turnovers. He finished 10 of 22 from the floor and 3 of 7 from the FT line. The pts, asts, steals, turnovers, FGs and FGAs were all game-highs. But VVC won the game, 85-83.
Largest Margin of Victory, team: Fresno, 12/19 vs. Gavilan.
OK, this one looked like a mismatch going in, as Fresno (9-0, #1 in California) took on Gavilan (1-7) in the opening round of the Chabot Tourney. Still…it was something to see, and something else to tally up afterwards. Gavilan, remarkably, shot 67% from the floor in the first half…only to find themselves behind by 41 points at halftime! Fresno shot 57% for the game, including an unreal 20 three-pointers, and added 23 free throws. But the real story was told in the turnovers (Gavilan had 46) and steals (Fresno had 30). And it could have been worse…Fresno only pressed in the first half. Jason Walberg (30 pts, 7 threes) led the way for FCC in a 125-72 win.
Best Scoring Distribution, Both Teams, Game:
The West LA-Moorpark game in the Egg Nog Tourney at LACC was a thriller, as West LA pulled out a 100-98 OT win. But even more remarkable was the fact that no player on either team scored more than 20 points! Ten different Raiders scored for Moorpark, and Eight different Oilers scored for West LA. Phillip Givens of West LA topped the scoring chart with 20 points.
Best Games by Position:
PG – Mike Ford, LA Southwest, 11/30 vs. Antelope Valley (see above).
SG – Terrell Stovall, Pasadena, 11/16 vs. Mt. San Jacinto (see above).
SF – Wendell White, Antelope Valley, 3/3 vs. Ventura. In AVC's second-round playoff game, Wendell finished with 31 pts, a game-high, and 8 rebs. But perhaps the most remarkable part was that it came after a terrible, nervous start. However, after a brief benching, Wendell came on to lead the Marauders to a convincing 72-55 lead en route to a trip to the State Tourney. He finished 13 of 21 from the floor, including 4 threes, one of which gave AVC a lead they would hold the rest of the game.
PF – James Hudson, Oxnard, 2/4 vs. Moorpark (see above)
C – Jonathan Holland, Antelope Valley, 2/2 vs. Chaffey. The Bear was at his absolute best in this highly-anticipated matchup between the eventual Foothill Conference co-champions. In a Shaq-like performance, Holland scored 34 points on 14 of 17 from the floor (the game's next-highest scorer had just 19 points) and grabbed 12 rebounds in a 106-79 win. Plus, his large presence on defense helped hold Chaffey to just 37% from the floor.
Miscellaneous...
Davis Stole the Ball!
In the Canyons' 83-72 win over Porterville, Center Andrew Bruckner was closing in on a triple-double as the game wound down. He already had 16 points and 10 blocks as Porterville's Dominic Perry went to the free throw line for a 1-and-1. Perry missed the free throw, and the ball hit the floor. Just as Bruckner started to reach for the ball, teammate Durell Davis (always the quickest Cougar to any loose ball) stepped in and grabbed it! That left Bruckner with a total of 9 rebounds – a team-best, but still one board short of the triple-double. Oh well – there's no way Davis could have known…
Um, how 'bout some help, guys???
In Cuesta's 101-63 loss to Ventura, the Cougars shot just 35% (Ventura shot 54%) and were never really in the game. But you can't blame SG Mike Green. He finished the night by making 9 of his shots from the field, including 8 threes, and totaled 30 points – nearly half his team's total! No other Cuesta player scored in double figures.
Best Lay-up Drill, Team:
Ventura, 1/28 vs. Moorpark.
This season, Moorpark utilized a pressing style based on the one used by Fresno. But the results were mixed, and one of the lowlights had to be the game vs. Ventura. The Pirates shot an astounding 72% from the floor, mostly on lay-ups and very open looks, in a 108-85 romp. All 9 Ventura players made more than half their shots from the floor, which more than offset the 29 turnovers the Moorpark pressure created.
Almost Perfect!
It was far from a perfect season for Oxnard, which finished 8-19, but in their home game vs. Moorpark it was almost a perfect night for PF James Hudson. In the 84-82 win, Hudson made his first 2 shots before missing his third shot attempt. But that was his last miss as he sank his next 14 shots en route to a 32-point performance, finishing 16 of 17 from the floor. Oh, and he missed his only FT attempt. But it was enough – especially combined with a couple of clutch plays in the final seconds by Dwan Robinson – to get the Condors what was an all-too-rare win.
Déjà vu All Over Again:
Last season, Orange Coast shot a miserable 23.9% (16 of 67) from the floor the only time I saw them. Granted, since they're so far away, I don't see them very often and besides, that was against Irvine Valley, a fine defensive team. But this season they did themselves just a little better…or maybe worse. In their game against LA City, they shot just 23.5% from the floor (12 of 51). Now LA City was a great team, but that's still a very low field goal percentage. Maybe they're not so unhappy I don't see too many of their games...
The Last Shall Be First – Again:
Last season, Glendale's Mark Felder began the season as the last guy off the bench and ended up on the All-Conference team. This season, Mike Newton began the season as the last guy off the bench. He didn't make the All-Conference team, but was a starter at SF by midseason and was a solid performer for them all year. Perhaps next season he'll receive all-conference recognition, completing his journey from last to first.
Mr. Clutch:
Curtis Dunwoody of College of the Canyons did his best Jerry West impression vs. LA Trade Tech Dec. 27th. First, he drained a three to tie the game with 14 seconds left in regulation, and then he knocked down another three at the buzzer to win the game, 83-80, in OT. Yeah, I know they didn't have 3-point shots when West played but still...
