1975-76: Patrick Henry, University Played and Played, and…
—Patrick Henry and University struggled through a twilight zone of 8 overtimes in a season that had at least 24 games that went beyond regulation, including a four-overtime contest, a three-overtime joust, and three of two overtimes.
—Grossmont League bosses were overruled after they socked Valhalla with 16 league losses, before it played a game.
—Chula Vista outscored Castle Park, 11-4. No one turned out the lights and the referees didn’t suspend play.
—A late-season scholastic ineligibility caught up with defending champion San Diego High.
Those were a few of the more notable takeaways from a competitive campaign that still included only one week of playoffs.
THE LONGEST GAME
Patrick Henry and University battled for 2 hours and 37 minutes, at least one hour longer than the usual high school game. Actual playing time was 56 minutes, each overtime session lasting three minutes.
Henry finally won, 66-61.
The first and fifth extra sessions were scoreless.
Uni coach John Cosentino approached Patriots coach Alan (Fritz) Ziegenfuss during a time out.
“I told Fritz that if it wasn’t over in that overtime (No. 5) we’d go at it one on one,” said Cosentino, joking…maybe.
Three more periods followed before the Patriots’ Ernest Jackson scored and added a free throw, Rich McKee scored, and Tom McGovern made another basket as time was expiring.
The Patriots’ 7-2 advantage in Round 8 was enough to bring matters to a close.
Matt Gorder of Henry had knocked down two free throws with 30 seconds remaining seemingly eons before to etch a 43-43, regulation tie.
SHORTER BUT STILL LONG
Rob Ridgway scored with 17 seconds remaining in the fourth overtime to deliver Monte Vista to a 65-63 victory over El Capitan in a Grossmont League game. A basket by the Monarchs’ James Carley with 1:01 remaining tied the score at 51 and activated OT.
NOT THAT LONG
Sweetwater, comatose since the late 1950s, awakened in Coach Gary Zarecky’s fourth season and its 19-12 record included a triple overtime, 77-75 win over Fallbrook, which had won 16 in a row, in a quarterfinals playoff at Point Loma.
Ten seconds into the third overtime the Red Devils’ Tom Vance, who had a game-high 26 points, drained a long jump shot for the deciding points.
Henry played back-to-back overtimes. Mike Gay scored with 10 seconds remaining in the second three minutes to topple St. Augustine, 71-69, in an Eastern League contest that followed the marathon with University.
San Pasqual’s Rick Roberts nailed an eight-foot jump shot with four seconds left in a second overtime to lift the Eagles to a 55-53 victory over Vista.
Francis Parker edged Pasadena Poly, 41-39, and Clairemont beat Morse, 72-68, in two extra sessions.
DAY BEFORE A NO-NO
Valhalla was charged with opening practice the day before the legal start date, a violation of a Grossmont League and CIF rule.
A special committee from the foothills circuit declared the Norsemen would forfeit all 16 league games, although none had been played.
Valhalla officials cried foul.
A month later, on Jan. 19, 1976, after the San Diego Section requested a revisiting of the original decision, Grossmont bosses reaffirmed their stand.
At this point in league play Valhalla was 3-3 competitively but 0-6 legislatively.
The case against Valhalla, wrote Henry Wesch of The San Diego Union, “is built around a school bulletin notation advising of basketball ‘tryouts’ prior to the CIF-approved date for practices.”
Valhalla claimed there was no tryout, the notice having been issued only to gauge interest and that no coaches were present when the gym was open and aspiring players were on the floor.
On Jan. 27, another session was convened.
Valhalla and league officials met with a special, three-man panel from the CIF board of managers.
Board honcho Dr. James McDonald, a former basketball game official, later issued a statement that overruled the forfeits.
McDonald praised Valhalla principal George Benson, who apparently laid down the law to coach Bob Speidel.
Speidel, who had won championships at Helix, was perceived by league bosses of trying to circumvent the CIF rule.
“In light of the principal’s intervention, the board of managers lifts the team penalty imposed by the Grossmont League and places the present head basketball coach on probation for a two year period,” was the gist of a four-paragraph statement by McDonald.
“In simplified language, the statement means no forfeits for Valhalla, tread lightly, coach Bob Speidel,” wrote Wesch.
Valhalla finished with a 13-10 record, including 10-6 in the league and in a three-way tie for the last playoff spot with Monte Vista and Grossmont.
Grossmont representatives voted in Monte Vista and the Foothillers.
BASEBALL OR BASKETBALL?
Castle Park shot 100 per cent from the field and lost.
The Trojans attempted just two field-goal attempts and Chula Vista defeated its neighboring rival, 11-4.
Castle Park scored on a second quarter basket by Bob Gadaska and on another in the fourth quarter by Dave Arana.
Chula Vista, however, never trailed, taking a 2-0 lead on Bryan Cottingham’s field goal and converted 5 of 12 attempts from the field.
A six-point outburst in the second quarter provided an 8-2 Spartans halftime lead.
Castle Park went down to its 16th loss in 17 games.
“Chula Vista is one of the best teams ever to come out of the South Bay area and there was no way we could match up with them,” said Trojans coach Ron Wey, explaining his team’s stalling tactic when it possessed the ball.
“We did what we felt we had to do in order to win the game,” said Wey. “If we had tried to stay with them they might have scored 120 points.”
VICTORY, AT LAST!
Castle Park’s plunge toward the abyss of a winless season was interrupted by a victory after 14 straight losses.
Following a 64-60 win over Mar Vista, Trojans coach Ron Wey reported that there was a two-car victory parade through National City’s Mile of Cars area.
Wey was driving one of the vehicles, his wife the other.
Castle Park closed with a 1-23 record.
CAVERS STUMBLE
At 21-2, San Diego High was in good position, led by superstars Willie Brigham and Percy Gilbert, to claim a consecutive San Diego Section championship, until second semester academic grades were released.
Gilbert reportedly was ruled ineligible for not maintaining good class attendance and the Cavers, while still formidable, no longer were favored.
Ceasar Scott picked up the slack, connecting on 13×15 field goal attempts to score 30 points, and Brigham added 21 as the Cavers demolished Point Loma, 81-55, in their first game sans Gilbert.
The Cavers were 3-2 in Gilbert’s absence, including a 57-52 loss to Kearny, which had nipped them earlier, 69-68, in overtime.
San Diego met a hot Chula Vista team in the playoff quarter finals and went down, 68-42.
The Cavers’ chances of victory were whistled by officials, who stunningly saddled Brigham with his fourth personal foul midway through the second quarter.
MVP TWICE
Kearny’s Alan Trammell scored a rare double in his brilliant career.
He was the most-valuable player, as voted by members of the media, in the postseason, leading the Komets to their second title in three years.
Eight years later Trammell, with a .450 batting average and two home runs in the Detroit Tigers’ five-game near sweep of the San Diego Padres, was named MVP of the World Series.
Trammell had a conversation with himself and coach Tim Short during the season when his shot was not finding the bottom of the basket and his technical fouls were rising.
“Alan started going on the court expecting bad calls by the officials,” Short told Steve Brand of The San Diego Union. “For some reason he could not accept human error in his own play and that started spreading to the officials….”
“The problem was my shots just weren’t going in,” said Trammell. “I’d explode. Afterward, when I calmed down, I regretted what I’d done.”
Trammell, who scored 412 points in 31 games and averaged 13.3, gathered himself and his steady play was vital in Kearny’s march down the stretch to the title.
Kearny defeated Santana, 57-44, for the championship before 6,000 persons in the San Diego Sports Arena.
The Sultans of coach Bart Hare were 27-5 and, led by junior-to-be Todd Harper, would be back in 1976-77.
HOOPS IN FAR NORTHEAST
Iceland, sitting just outside the Arctic Circle, is known for lava lands, volcanoes, and weather that befits its name. Basketball, not so much.
But a couple Mission Bay juniors, twins Marshall and Mitchell Lilly, picked up some valuable experience in the Nordic island country.
The youngsters’ father had accepted a civil service position and the family lived there for a year.
The boys gravitated to a recreation hall, according to Nick Canepa of the Evening Tribune.
“It was tough there, believe me,” Marshall told Canepa. “We were playing against men. You had to be tough or you didn’t play. The recreation hall was open 24 hours a day and we played ten, eleven hours a day.”
Marshall was one of the County’s leading scorers with a 16.9 average for the 22-7 Buccaneers, coached by Larry Willis, a Crawford teammate in the early ‘sixties of Patrick Henry coach Fritz Ziegenfuss.
Mitchell was voted most-valuable player of the University Tournament and Marshall was voted most-inspirational as the Bucs topped Lincoln, 70-62, for the championship.
DON’T INVITEMS
Clairemont opened in 1958 and was followed in 1963 by Madison, about 5 miles northeast.
There didn’t appear to be enough distance.
For the second straight year a game between the neighboring rivals was suspended after benches cleared.
Game officials Dave Melton and Jim Uebbing declared Clairemont a forfeit winner. The Chieftains led, 60-54, with 42 seconds remaining.
When a fracas occurred in the 1974-75 season, Madison was declared winner.
Warhawks coach John Hannon sustained two technical fouls after repeatedly coming off the bench to complain.
“I feel the whole thing was handled poorly,” Hannon lamented to writer Henry Wesch. “The officials could have ordered the teams back to the benches and played the final 42 seconds.”
SUNDEVILS ARRIVE
Coach John Marincovich’s first-year Mt. Carmel Sundevils posted an 18-11 record and third-place finish in the Coast League with an all-underclass team.
Junior Rod Dingler was fourth in the County with a 20.53 average and 575 points
KIWANIS TOURNAMENT
Forty-six of the 48 teams entered in the 29th annual were from the San Diego Section. Outsiders were Calexico and Cerritos Gahr.
Kearny topped Santana, 64-53, for the unlimited Division championship. St. Augustine rolled Lincoln, 68-47, in the Classified Division.
Game of the tournament matched 8-1 San Diego and 9-0 Chula Vista before more than 3,000 persons at Peterson Gym in the Limited final.
San Diego won, 70-62, despite Bryan Cottingham’s 34 points. Willie Brigham had 18 points and 10 assists and Percy Gilbert pulled 18 rebounds to go with 16 points for the winners.
CHINO
Mt. Carmel reached the championship bracket finals before losing to Rancho Cucamonga Alta Loma, 51-43.
Escondido was beaten in the fifth place game by Santa Ana, 62-57.
COLLEGE OF DESERT
Vista topped Thermal Coachella, 64-61, for the championship after beating Indio, 63-45, and Twentynine Palms, 58-40.
Coachella was the essential tournament host, although games were played at the junior college campus in nearby Palm Desert.
BARON-OPTIMIST
San Diego defeated Madison, 51-46, for first place.
Reported scoring leaders:
| NAME | TEAM | GAMES | POINTS | AVERAGE |
| Bryan Cottingham | Chula Vista | 32 | 658 | 20.56 (2) |
| Victor Edwards | Sweetwater | 31 | 579 | 18.6 (9) |
| Rod Dingler | Mt. Carmel | 28 | 575 | 20.53 (4) |
| Mark Johnson | Clairemont | 27 | 555 | 20.55 (3) |
| Chris Smith | San Marcos | 29 | 543 | 18.7 (7) |
| Wayne Smith | Mar Vista | 24 | 519 | 21.6 (1) |
| Barney Hinkle | Santana | 32 | 519 | 16.4 |
| Mike Heaton | Carlsbad | 25 | 510 | 20.4 (5) |
| Jeff Ward | Grossmont | 27 | 510 | 18.9 (6) |
| Rich Beeson | Poway | 24 | 496 | 17.1 |
| Dave Ferguson | Madison | 28 | 491 | 17.53 |
| Marshall Lilly | Mission Bay | 29 | 490 | 16.9 |
| Willie Brigham | San Diego | 28 | 489 | 17.46 |
| Bob Chambers | Mission Bay | 29 | 476 | 16.4 |
| Skeeter Freeman | Lincoln | 27 | 463 | 17.1 |
| Jeff Lee | Madison | 28 | 462 | 16.5 |
| Scott Brazil | Bonita Vista | 28 | 447 | 16.0 |
| Kevin Paulson | Poway | 27 | 446 | 16.5 |
| Rob Gay | Hoover | 27 | 446 | 16.5 |
| John Kentera | Torrey Pines | 24 | 442 | 18.41 (10) |
| Jim Ferrari | Point Loma | 25 | 441 | 17.6 |
| Ray Nagem | St. Augustine | 26 | 438 | 16.8 |
| Randy Long | El Cajon Valley | 24 | 430 | 17.9 (10) |
Campbell, Coronado 21×387, 18.42 (8). David Cook, Francis Parker, reportedly led County with 23-point average and scored more than 600 points.
PLAYOFFS
FIRST ROUND
University, with a 7-18 record, was one of 16 teams invited. The champions of the 6 County Leagues and second-place finishers from the Western and Grossmont League had first-round byes.
North County squads were 5-1 out of the gate, with a couple upsets. Oceanside (10-13) defeated Clairemont (14-13), 59-58, and San Dieguito (11-13) topped St. Augustine (14-12), 60-50.
Escondido went the long way to oust Uni, which took the Cougars into overtime before bowing, 59-58.
Other scores:
Patrick Henry 58, Hilltop (15-13) 49.
Sweetwater 74, Morse (11-16) 62.
Poway 75, Monte Vista (17-11) 56.
San Marcos 81, Marian (21-8) 71.
Grossmont 62, Mt. Carmel (18-11).
SECOND ROUND
Escondido 59, Mission Bay (22-7) 57.
San Diego 83, San Dieguito (12-14) 45.
Fallbrook 62, Poway (16-13) 58, OT.
Chula Vista 88, Oceanside (11-14) 39.
Sweetwater 80, Lincoln (22-5) 77, OT.
Kearny 73, Grossmont 53 (15-14).
Santana 54, Patrick Henry (19-11) 39.
Helix 75, San Marcos 63 (17-12).
QUARTERFINALS
Sweetwater 77, Fallbrook (21-5) 75, 3 OT.
Chula Vista 68, San Diego (24-5) 42.
Santana 65, Escondido (20-10) 63.
Kearny 59, Helix (18-6) 57.
SEMIFINALS
Santana 55, Chula Vista (29-3) 46.
Kearny 67, Sweetwater (19-12) 48.
FINALS
Kearny (29-2) 57, Santana (27-5) 44.
JUMP SHOTS
Francis Parker (24-3) defeated Christian (9-14), 74-48, before a crowd of 2,000 at Patrick Henry for the 1-A championship…David Cook led the Lancers with 33 points…Mark Malone of El Cajon Valley was more prominent in another sport…quarterback-wide receiver Malone was a No. 1 draft choice of the Pittsburgh Steelers out of Arizona State in 1980 and played 10 seasons in the NFL…the total of 15 points in the Chula Vista-Castle Park game represented the fourth lowest total in state history, according to Cal-Hi Sports…Stockton beat Lodi, 10-0, in 1925; Whittier knocked off San Clemente, 6-4, in 1979, and Sacramento Encina defeated Sacramento Mira Loma, 8-6, in overtime after a 2-2 regulation score in 1975…Castle Park tried stalling again in the rematch with Chula Vista but the Spartans won, 59-27…San Diego was waltzing, 75-46, after three quarters against St. Augustine, which mounted a 29-7 fourth quarter that made the final score, 82-75…Ray Nagem had 34 points for the Saints, but Percy Gilbert had 26 and Willie Brigham 22 for the Cavers…Madison edged Patrick Henry, 64-63, on Dave Ferguson’s free throw after the final buzzer…Mar Vista’s Wayne Smith took a 28-point average into the Kiwanis Tournament but finished with a 21.6 average, still tops in the County…Smith had back-to-back games of 36 in a 88-55 win over Christian and 37 in a 71-54 triumph against El Cajon Valley…Crawford’s Vince Badinovatz had the season’s reported high score, 38 in a 72-51 Kiwanis Tournament victory against Oceanside…Carlsbad’s Mike Heaton took 30 shots in three quarters, knocked down 18, finished with 37 points and 12 rebounds in the Lancers’ 88-56 romp over Christian….
CENTURY CLUB
| TEAM | OPPONENT | SCORE |
| Julian | Borrego Springs | 116-83 |
| Julian | Borrego Springs | 113-54 |
| Crawford | Coronado | 107-46 |
| Chula Vista | Montgomery | 105-51 |
| Helix | Granite hills | 101-43 |