SoCalHoops Tournament News
SoCalHoops Tournament News
40th Annual Best In The West--Program Notes:
Lakewood--(Dec. 26, 1999)
What: 40th Annual Best in the
West Invitational
Where: Long Beach State & Lakewood High School
When: December 27, 28, 29 & 30, 1999
Who: 32 of the top boys' teams in the West
| 1:05 p.m. | East Gym | Lakewood v. #6 St. Ignatius | Game No. 12 |
| [Note: These are the program notes we wrote for the Official Best in the West Program. We know for a fact that many of the team profiles were edited to save space in the program. So, we thought we'd at least make some use of the original material by posting it up here. Additionally, with some of these teams, we've already done previews here at SoCalHoops, and where they exist, we'll link to them. |
Lakewood HS (Lakewood, CA): Coach Matt Ruiz is expecting better things from this year's team, and is hoping for a shot at a playoff spot. The team is 6-4 right now, and they've been having some fun lately, and winning. According to Ruiz, he's pretty pleased about the start to the season. He told Louis Johnson of the Long Beach Press Telegram last week: "We're putting a more talented team ont he floor. . . We''ve been fortunate to have some players transfer in and they've made a big difference,' Ruiz said. "Plus, I have two outstanding assistant coaches in Andre Sparks and Edgar Williams with me this season. I've always had good people at different levels in the program, but I haven't had tose kind of guys at the varsity level."
He's been getting some early preseason help from Armond Ivory (6'-3" Jr. PG/SG) and Robert Hicks (5'-10" Jr. PG/SG), both transfers from Artesia; Hicks is averaging about 20 ppg, and Eugene Carey (5'-8" So. SG), is also helping and he exploded for 21 points in his varsity debut. Others to watch are Tezarray Banks (6'-7" Sr. C), Daniel Cuellar (5'-11" Jr. G), and Lamar Benjamin (6'-2" Sr. F), all players who will contribute on both ends. Adam Sahagun (6'-4" Sr. F) is an excellent shooter; Raymond Wright (6'-1" Sr. SF) will play some at the post; Barry Barnes (5'-6" Fr. PG) will challenge for a starting spot and he's extremely quick, a good passer; Curtis Phillips (6'-1" Sr. SG/SF) is inside guy, a transfer from LB Poly, who may be the most athletic player on the team; Emmanuel Green (5'-11" Fr. PG) is a speedy defender with good on-ball defense who will contend for time; Joshua Anderson (6'-1" Fr. PF) another freshman, is an inside rebounder with good hops. Ese Lemusu (6'-3" So. C/F) will backup at the five; Tyrell McLaurin (6'-0" So. SG) another young defender can finish; and Johnny Matthews (5'-9' Jr. SG) another on-ball defender, may also challenge for a starting spot.
Lakewood's top players have been making a lot of difference this year, and Carey is covering the point most of the time, while Ivory and Hicks shoot the ball a lot. Carey is an sdept ballhandler who has been difficult to pressure by the other team's defense, and he can break down a man one on one pretty effectively. Hicks is an excellent shooter and between the two of them, they've led the offensive charge this season, and they could do very well, a lot better than anyone might have suspected, here at the Best in the West.
| 3 | Robert Hicks | 5'-10" Jr. G |
| 5 | Emmanuel Green | 5'-11" Fr. G |
| 10 | Barry Barnes | 5'-7" Fr. G |
| 21 | Eugene Carey | 5'-8" So. G |
| 30 | Lamar Benjamin | 6'-2" Sr. F |
| 31 | Raymond Wright | 6'-1"So. F |
| 32 | Tyrell McLaurin | 6'-1" So. F |
| 33 | Adam Sahagun | 6'-4" Sr. F |
| 42 | Curtis Phillips, Jr. | 6'-1" Sr. F |
| 44 | Tezaray Banks | 6'-7" Sr. C |
| 45 | Joshua Anderson | 6'-0" Fr. F |
| Daniel Cuellar | 5'-11" Jr. G | |
| Jerome Moss | 6'-0" Sr. G | |
| Armond Ivory | 6-2" Jr. PG/SG |
See you there.
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