Boys basketball: Northwood could make memorable PCL debut

Barry Faulkner

Northwood High boys basketball coach Tim O’Brien is celebrating the

10th anniversary of the only Pacific Coast League championship he won in

a five-year stint at Estancia that ended in 1992.

And, chances are, he’ll do so by adding the first of what could be

several league titles for the Timberwolves (10-3), who, despite making

their PCL varsity debut without any seniors, are the Daily Pilot’s title

favorite as league play tips off Wednesday.

Northwood’s primary competition figures to come from Coach Mike

Dinneen’s University Trojans (8-7), while Costa Mesa (10-5) puts hopes of

earning the first league crown in its 41-season varsity history on a

scrambling, three-point shooting attack that should, at the very least,

be eminently entertaining.

Estancia (5-9) is led by Chris Sorce, one of the three coaches making

their PCL varsity debuts at their present schools. The Eagles, as well as

defending champion Corona del Mar (6-9), will need to show improved

consistency to crack the top three.

Laguna Beach (4-11) faces an uphill battle in a league that

collectively takes a noticeable drop-off from the talent-rich rosters

that fueled last year’s brutally balanced competition.

Indeed, not a single player among the 2000 coaches’ first- and

second-team all-league selections returned.

Mesa Coach Bob Serven took the Mustangs to the CIF Southern Section

playoffs for the first time in eight years last season and needs just one

win to assure back-to-back appearances.

Senior Steve Whittaker is the poster boy for the type of effort Serven

demands and is, arguably, the league’s most dangerous three-point

shooter. Whittaker (12.9 points per game) has produced nearly 86% of his

points with his 55 three-pointers.

Junior Chad Vakili (11.5 ppg with 37 three-pointers) and junior point

guard David Conte (10.9 ppg with 27 threes) add to the bombing brigade

that operates around 6-foot-7 senior center Mike Payne (8.5 ppg).

Payne’s ability to defend the paint and rebound, however, may be the

pivotal factors that decide just whether the Mustangs can threaten the

school single-season victory record of 18 they missed by one last year.

Estancia is fueled, offensively, by its lone returner, senior guard

Eliasar Maldonado (16.9 ppg), as well as junior forward Micah Young

(17.6). But the Eagles have a sound, if small, supporting cast, which

always competes hard. This combination renders them perpetually

dangerous. Whether they can sustain their sporadic hot streaks, remains

the biggest question. They need either six wins or a top-three finish to

extend theirplayoff-appearance streak to 14 seasons.

Corona del Mar opened 1-5, but has won three of its last four. The Sea

Kings rely upon senior guards Eric Snell (11.6 ppg) and Idean Shahangian

(10.9 ppg).

Northwood capped its league preparation with an 81-79 come-from-behind

win over a solid Aliso Niguel team. Sophomore Drew Terry drilled eight

three-pointers in the game, en route to 39 points.

Dinneen’s up-tempo scheme is paced by senior guards Jason Carey (20.1

ppg) and Hiro Christoph (16.8 ppg).

Laguna Beach, under first-year head man Clayton Olivier, is paced by

senior Will Blodgett, a second-team all-league pick by the Daily Pilot

last year.

HANDICAP -- school, odds, comment

1. Northwood (3-1)... Seniorless T’wolves still have fangs.

2. University (5-1)... Run-and-gun Trojans have a solid shot.

3. Costa Mesa (9-1)... Bombers create outside (the arc) chance.

4. Estancia (20-1) ... So tenacious and not without talent.

5. Corona del Mar (30-1)... Must battle small margin for error.

6. Laguna Beach (50-1) ... Iowa talent pipeline all dried up.