DIIIB312.htm

SoCal High School & Prep Report

CIF State Playoffs: Southern Region
Division III Semifinal Preview--(March 12, 1998)

Ocean View (26-4) v. Fresno Washington Union (25-3)
Thursday 3/12
Fresno Washington Union High, 7:30 p.m.

There will be two games played tonight in Division III, hence the name "semifinals", and both will be played at opposite ends of the region, one in Fresno, and the other in San Diego. The Ocean View v. Washington game is but one of them. If you start driving now, you might just be able to make this game, especially if you're from Orange County. You might want to fly, but just remember, there are no flights out of Fresno to LA after about 10:00 pm, so plan on staying over. Ocean View comes into this game at 26-4, while Fresno Washington Union comes in at 25-3.

Washington Union, the top-seeded team in the Southern California Division III playoffs, is averaging 90 points a game and has not lost to any team from California. Washington Union did lose twice in Las Vegas at the Reebok Holiday Classic, and then once more in another tournament, to whom we don't know (the LA Times this morning says they lost "three times in a tournament in Kentucky". That's wrong.)

Washington Union features Deshawn Stevenson (6'-5" So. G), Shammel Stallworth (6'-4" Jr. F), Coupe Taylor (6'-0" Jr. G), Richard Millsap (6'-5" Sr. G), and all world Chris Jeffries (6'-8" Sr. G/F/C) who will attend the University of Arkansas next season. Jeffries is averaging 19.8 points per game; Stallworth is averaging 20.3; Deshawn is averaging 16.3, and Coupe is hitting for 10 ppg. Washington Union also features the player with our favorite name (and he can also play) Carvel Wafer (6'-5" Jr. F) off the bench. We saw Washington Union play in Vegas, and they just took Simi Valley apart. Prior to that, in their first game in Vegas in December, Washington Union destroyed Woodinville High (from Washington) 44-77, and Fresno's Shamell Stallworth ( 6'-5" Jr. F) was the game's MVP with 26 points including four three pointers on 8 attempted. Chris Jeffries had 19 points while Deshawn Stevenson had 15 and Richard Millsap had 9; in their second game in Vegas, Washington Union again destroyed an opponent, this time Saint Thomas from Houston, Texas, 83-52. In that second game, Jeffries was named the game MVP and he had 19 points again, while Stallworth had 28 points, including another 4 for 8 on three pointers. Millsap had 12, and Carvel Wafer -- you've got to admit, it's a great name--had 6.

Ocean View features Tony Dow, a junior guard, who was named the co-most valuable player of the Golden West League and reserve forward Garid Beeler, a senior, who came off the bench to score 13 points in the Seahawks' 54-48 victory over Torrance Bishop Montgomery in Tuesday's first-round game. Dow had 11 points. Ocean View also has Kevin Hanson (6'-10" Sr. C) who has signed with the University of San Diego, so Ocean View is also not without it's D-1 talent. Look for Ocean View's other players to make solid contributions, including David Hatch, a senior forward, senior forward Matt Kiemle forward, and junior guard Casey Lawson.

While Ocean View is good, Washington Union is really good. And they've got big-time tournament experience this year, and with the home-court advantage, this could be the one game Ocean View really wants to get up for. Stay tuned for the results.