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SoCal Prep & High School Report

Citrus Belt League: Redlands
High School Varsity--(February 11, 1998)

Yet another report from the Riverside Press Enterprise. Since they don't archive their articles, we're going to reproduce it here in it's entirety. Redlands High School plays in the Citrus belt league, and tonight in their game against Rialto, they have a chance for the first time in seven years to win a league title. Here's the PE's preview take on the game, the team and their chances.

The Redlands boys' basketball team could clinch a share of its first Citrus Belt League title since 1991 tonight, but there might be little time to celebrate it. Even with a victory at Rialto -- and that's no sure thing -- the Terriers still could end up entering the playoffs as the CBL's No. 3 playoff team and possibly playing their first-round game on the road. Lose their next game, at second-place Fontana on Thursday, and that's what could happen.

But Redlands coach Randy Genung is not looking that far ahead. Instead, he'd rather look back at how far his team has come. "Nobody gave us much of a chance when the season started," Genung said. "I know some people picked (Fontana) Miller to finish ahead of us and other people picked Rialto to be ahead of us. I'm just excited to be where we are right now."

Since the first league game, the Terriers (7-1 in league, 19-5 overall) have been at the top of the standings. But defending co-champion Rialto Eisenhower (6-2, 20-4) and Fontana (6-2, 18-6) never have been far behind. And if this week follows form -- each team wins tonight and Fontana and Eisenhower win Thursday -- there will be a three-way tie for first that will have to be broken by a coin flip. And each of the top three CBL teams will enter the Division 1AA playoffs with at least 20 regular-season victories.

"I still don't think our league gets the recognition it deserves," said Eisenhower coach Steve Johnson, whose team is ranked sixth in the most recent CIF poll. He may be right. While Fontana is ranked eighth, Redlands never has made an appearance in the top 10 despite leading the CBL all season. And don't think that doesn't bother Genung. "You're wondering where they're coming from," Genung said of the pollsters, who are fellow coaches. "We've lost to Fontana, (San Bernardino) Cajon, Eisenhower, Etiwanda -- all ranked teams. We didn't lose to some scrub teams."