oc mid & monday

SoCal Prep & High School Report

Monday's O.C. Southern Section Games
& Midseason Update--(February 3, 1998)

Last week marked the beginning of the "second" round of league play, and thus represented a "mid-season" in league play. It appears that Santa Margarita is well-deserving of its No. 1 ranking, and they are the only undefeated team in Orange County boys' basketball at 21-0 overall and 6-0 in Sea View League competition.

The impressive record has occurred somewhat quietly since even though Santa Margarita has several very strong players, they really don't have any single player who is dominant. The Eagles have several people who can make the big play, but no real star. "If some of these guys were on teams where they didn't have this much support around them," Santa Margarita's coach Jerry DeBusk told the Orange County Register, "they'd be putting up much bigger numbers."

Ryan Forehan-Kelly (6'-5" Sr. G) might be scoring 20 or more a game on just about any other team, but he's only averaging 14 for the Eagles who play a very balanced game, and Forehan-Kelly would rather create for his teammates sometimes than score himself, or so it seems. Forehan-Kelly might be the Eagles' most talented player. But their most important player is T.J. Williams (6'-0" Sr. PG) who is also averaging 14 a game, and he's become the team leader, making very few mistakes few turnovers. DeBusk likens this group to the "Krist-Keane" team that Santa Margarita had which was led by Allen Krist and Dennis Keane. That team won the CIF Southern Section Division II-AA championship in 1995-96.

The biggest surprise team though in Orange County by any account though is Magnolia, in the Orange League. The Sentinels have beaten Brea Olinda twice this season, a complete surprise to most who thought they wouldn't finish higher than third in Orange League play. And they've got a great performer in UCI Anteater-bound Zamiro Bennem (6'-3" Sr. G) who is scoring 22 points per game. In their 88-81 victory against Brea Olinda on Friday, Bennem was held to 14 points but four other Magnolia players hit for double figures, largely because of Magnolia's great ability to quickly pass the ball upcourt or find the open man in their halfcourt offense. "This team is special," Al Walin, in his 24th season as Magnolia's coach told the Orange County Register. "During the summer and just before the season started, I felt there was something there. You never really know how players are going to react to each other, but this team has put any negative stuff aside for the good of the team."

Here are the results and highlights from Monday's Southern Section Orange County Games

Academy League

St. Margaret's 70, St. Michael's 53

Alex Huff had 20 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and five steals for St. Margaret's, which is now 7-11 overall and 3-3 in league.

Garden Grove League

Bolsa Grande 74, Rancho Alamitos 50

Jon James had 16 points for host Bolsa Grande, which is 18-5 overall and 8-1 in league and ranked No. 6 in Division III-AA CIF coaches poll.

Garden Grove 52, Santiago 45

Justin Clarkson scored a game-high 22 points for host Garden Grove, which is struggling at 3-19 overall and 2-6 in league.

Pacifica 95, Los Amigos 46

Adam Rachlin, who had 12 points, made his one free throw, and has now made 54 consecutive foul shots for host Pacifica, which improved to 18-4 overall and is undefeated in league play at 8-0, a half a game ahead of Bolsa Grande.

The boys' schedule: Laguna Beach at Aliso Niguel and Dana Hills at Capistrano Valley on Wednesday. On Friday Ocean View at Tustin, Calvary Chapel at Whittier Christian, Aliso Niguel at Estancia, and Mater Dei at Dana Hills.