The San Diego Section’s decision this school year to realign into three divisions, 3-A, 2-A, 1-A, based on enrollment and breaking from the 19-year, large school-small school arrangement, seemed like a good idea, but allocation of playoff berths left some good teams holding a bag of basketballs.

The 3-A group included teams from the Eastern, Palomar, and Grossmont Leagues.  Metropolitan, Avocado, and Western League teams were 2-A.  The 1-A setup was of the two-division Southern Prep loop.

A playoff season of 16 teams, the rule since the 24-team, one-week playoff was abandoned after the 1974-75 season, took place over 10 days.

The Eastern, Grossmont, Avocado, and Metropolitan leagues each received three playoff invitations.  The Western and Palomar leagues received two.

So Orange Glen, with a 21-4 record and, at one point the No. 1 team in the County with a 15-0 record, was out after tying for second place in the Palomar with Torrey Pines and losing a vote for a playoff invitation to the Falcons.

And Hoover, 20-5 overall and third in the Western League, needed to buy a ticket to get to the postseason.

Not to mention Madison, fourth in the Eastern but possessing a record of 19-7.

Teams from leagues with 3 playoff qualifiers, such as Santana, 15-9, Hilltop, 16-10, and Kearny, 15-10, were in.

The Metropolitan broke a tie for third with a playoff, Hilltop advancing over Marian, 49-43. The Avocado insisted on a playoff to determine playoff seeding, Oceanside defeating Carlsbad, 65-52.

The biggest loser was Orange Glen, which was voted out despite equaling Torrey Pines’ 8-4 league record.  That the Patriots had lost leading scorer Sean Salisbury for the last six games with an ankle injury may have played into the Palomar’s vote.

A 16-team playoff was more tidy and efficient than the 24-team setup five seasons before, but tell that to Orange Glen and Hoover…and Madison.

A few moments from almost 700 games, early December through early March:

12/2/79

Brian Caradonna scored 33 points, including 11×11 free throws as Santana got the season underway with a 73-48 victory over St. Augustine.

Four-year starter Tommy Williams, moving up among career leaders, posted 35 for Serra in an 84-50 win over Granite Hills. Williams would finish with 1,843 over four seasons, second to the 1,982 of Bonita Vista’s Paul Halupa, who negotiated the record in three seasons.

12/9/79

Mt. Carmel rolled on El Camino, 116-48, and moved into a tie for 10^th place all time for highest single-game points.  The Sundevils led, 45-19, at the half, smelled blood in the water, and scored 71 points in the second half, finishing with a 37-12, fourth-quarter flourish. Twelve Sundevils got on the scoreboard.

Thirteen Chula Vista players scored and the Spartans opened with a 30-1 first quarter in a 101-43 victory over Mar Vista.

12/13/79

Grossmont was assessed a technical foul for using too many time outs, resulting in a tech free throw by Brian Caradonna after Pat Gaffney’s two FT’s, all in the last minute of a 39-36 Santana victory.

12/17/79

Fallbrook trailed, 61-56, with 22 seconds to play, then forced three San Pasqual turnovers that led to four points and then a steal and layup by Joe Silva with two seconds left pushed the Warriors past the Eagles, 62-61.

12/20/79

Brian Carradona was 17×18 at the free throw line and scored 25 points in Santana’s 54-47 win over Mount Miguel.

1/11/80

Diego Smith, all of 5 feet, according to Steve Brand of The San Diego Union, scored 20 points on 4 field goals and 12×14 FT’s for Morse in a 56-52 win over Kearny.

1/14/80

Leading, 50-37, at the end of three quarters, San Marcos couldn’t handle a full-court press, turned the ball over 14 times in the 4^th quarter, and lost to Escondido, 61-60.  Ron Rackley’s two free throws with 10 seconds left secured for the Cougars.

Sean Salisbury scored 30 points and Orange Glen, lagging, 10-7, after one quarter, outscored Fallbrook 68-40 in the next three to win, 78-40 for its 15^th straight without defeat. Twenty-eight of Salisbury’s points came in the last three quarters.

Five days after fouling out and scoring six points, Morse’s Tony Rasheed got 16 of his 20 in the second half and buried a 15-footer with 4 seconds remaining to edge Madison, 68-66.

1/18/80

Alonzo Robinson  scored 30 points, all on 15 field goals, in Carlsbad’s 84-72 win versus El Camino.

1/22/80

Orange Glen lost its first game, 77-61 as Torrey Pines shot 52 per cent from the field and 84 per cent from the free-throw line.  Torrey outscored the Patriots, 63-41, in the last 24 minutes.

1/25/80

Officials ruled a jump ball after a struggle for possession under the basket between Mt. Carmel’s Andy Jedynak and Orange Glen’s Mark Weinberg.

Weinberg won the jump, tipping the ball to midcourt, where the Patriots’ Sean Salisbury retrieved and fired a wild shot that caromed off the basket.  Game over. Mt. Carmel won, 65-64.

Orange Glen, now 15-2, tumbled to fourth in the weekly poll.  Mt. Carmel moved to 6-0 in the Palomar League and 12-4 overall.  Patrick Henry, Sweetwater, and Monte Vista were 1-2-3.

1/28/80

Three North County clubs led in scoring:  Mt. Carmel, 74.5; Torrey, Pines, 73.6, and Orange Glen, 71.4.

1/29/80

Basketball science:  “When other players are taller you have to think position,” Crawford’s 6-foot, 3-inch center Jaffa Solomon told Steve Brand.  “If you get position by screening out, you can outrebound the bigger player.”  Hoover’s 6-5 Loren Goodwin and 6-4 Dan Wiedenhoff served as examples.  Solomon led Crawford to a 55-47 victory with 22 points and 17 rebounds.

Chula Vista’s John Heller was 7×7 from the field in fourth quarter and scored all of his 16 points in an 86-67 win over Montgomery.

2/1/80

5-9 sophomore Blake Armbrust’s first start was almost memorable.  He led all starters with 23 points but Hilltop lost to Chula Vista, 68-67.

Madison coach John Hannon’s earned his 300^th victory in 18 prep seasons with a 70-56 victory over Point Loma.  Hannon opened the Madison program in 1962-63.

Serra was 17×21 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter and outscored Crawford, 27-7, from line in a 61-53 victory. Tommy Williams had 12 charity points and 16 points total, all in the fourth quarter.

2/5/80

Tommy Williams became the eighth player to score at least 50 points in Serra’s 75-55 win over St. Augustine.  Williams was 20×23 from the field and 10×12 from the line.

Fifty points in a game:

SEASON	NAME	TEAM	OPPONENT	POINTS	SCORE
1976-77	Mitchell Lilly	Madison	San Diego	61	117-80
1957-58	Tom Shaules	St. Augustine	Crawford	60	102-38
1968-69	Rob Petrie	Julian	Mountain Empire	60	115-76
1957-58	Shaules		La Jolla	53	105-34
1967-68	Todd Harper	Santana	Granite Hills	53	90-62
1973-74	Dave (Score) Moore	San Marcos	Imperial	51	78-42
1969-70	Bill Walton	Helix	Pasadena	50	110-68
1976-77	Lilly		Torrey Pines	50	86-75
1978-79	Michael Pitts	Sweetwater	Hilltop	50	90-64
1979-80	Tommy Williams	Serra	St. Augustine	50	75-55

2/8/80

Darren Lee, a transfer from Point Loma, converted 20 of 27 shots from the field and scored 45 in Sweetwater’s 85-75 triumph against Chula Vista.

2/11/80

Steve Brand wrote of two major injuries that cut short seasons.  University’s 6-foot-9 Hans Wichary, the County’s scoring leader with a 26.5 average, was out with a fractured wrist, and Orange Glen’s Sean Salisbury was sidelined with stretched ankle ligaments.

Patrick Henry’s Steve Brown, son of a former San Diego State player and civil rights leader in San Diego, missed five games with mononucleosis.  Brown, who averaged 16.2 points, came back to help Henry win the 3-A title.

2/13/80

Torrey Pines and Mt. Carmel were in a flatfooted tie, 66-66, in the final 3 quarters, but the Sundevils’ 23-7 first quarter was the difference in an 89-73 win. Torrey, trailing, 39-13, with 4:08 left in the half, made a run, outscoring Mt. Carmel, 27-10, to trail, 49-40, with 3:58 left in the third quarter.

San Dieguito’s Keith Kartz, Carlsbad’s Glen Kozlowski, Hilltop’s Bryan Wagner, and Orange Glen’s Sean Salisbury, basketball players all, went on to play in the National Football League.

2/15/80

Marian ended Sweetwater’s 15-game Metropolitan League winning streak, 69-66, in double overtime. The Crusaders’ Gregg Welch scored five free therows in the second extra session.

2/22/80

Vista’s Bud Larsen dunked in pregame warmups and was assessed a technical foul.  Orange Glen’s Russ Riley  scored the first of his 21 points with a technical free throw before the game started.  Orange Glen won, 77-63.

PLAYOFFS

QUARTERFINALS

3-A

Mt. Carmel, 56, Kearny 53 (15-11). Palomar champs Sundevils made it 2 out of 3 over Kearny after trailing by six in fourth quarter.

Monte Vista 75, Torrey Pines 54 (17-9).  Falcons were averaging 72.6 points.

Morse 57, Helix 52, OT (18-8). Tony Rasheed scored 22 points, including pivotal, three-point play in overtime.

Patrick Henry 68, Santana 40 (15-10).

2-A

Lincoln 76, Hilltop 70 (17-11). Jared Stutts (23) and Billy Johnson (21) led the Hive.

Crawford 54, San Pasqual 48 (14-8). Colts twice made both ends of 1×1 free throws and were 10×12 from the line in the final quarter.

Sweetwater 92, Carlsbad 82 (14-10). Red Devils, leading 65-43, at one point, strolled behind Darren Lee’s 35 points and sophomore Aaron Combs’ 28 rebounds.

Oceanside 59, Bonita Vista 48 (17-6).

SEMIFINALS

3-A

Morse 57, Mt. Carmel 56 (20-5). Morse’s five-foot-six Dale Fox buried a 25-footer with 4 seconds left.

Patrick Henry 52, Monte Vista 37 (24-4). Patriots recovered from Kiwanis Tournament championship loss to Monarchs.

2-A

Sweetwater 47, Crawford 45 (21-7). Darren Lee’s 14-foot basket with 4 seconds remaining moved Red Devils past pesky Colts.

Lincoln 69, Oceanside 60 (16-6). Jared Stutts’ 22 points and 17 rebounds were key as Hornets made 29-11 run that overcame 18-4 Pirates burst that had Lincoln trailing, 49-40.

1-A

Parker 55. Julian 49.

Army-Navy 54, Borrego Springs 37.

FINALS

3-A

Patrick Henry (25-3) 70, Morse 63 (17-7). Patriots evened season series at 2 wins apiece with help from Morse coach Ron Davis, hit with two technicals after a Tigers foul when trailing, 58-56, with 1:49 remaining.  Free throws by Ernie Wright, Jr., and Steve Brown pushed Henry’s lead to four and then Wright, son of a former Chargers standout, added two technical free throws for a 62-56 advantage.

Morse had momentum, coming from 13 points down in the final quarter until Davis was whistled.  Henry drained 16 free throws in the last eight minutes and was 22×36 in the game.  Morse was 13×22 and played the last 6:27 without Tony Rasheed, who fouled out with 23 points and seven rebounds.

2-A

Sweetwater 68 (25-3), Lincoln 62 (17-9). Red Devils won first title and climaxed a three-year, 73-15 run.

1-A

Army-Navy (15-4) 30, Francis Parker 27 (16-10)  Warriors played without injured high scorer Ernie Bond but held Parker, which made its fifth straight trip to finals, to seven points in second half.

TOURNAMENTS

Mt. Helix:  Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 66, Santana 40. Brian Caradonna scored 23 for Sultans.

Hilltop:  Hoover 48, Mt. Miguel 33.  Cardinals’ 20-9 fourth quarter dispatched Matadors.

Francis Parker:  Cal Lutheran was scoreless in first and 4^th quarters, beaten by Parker, 69-7 in opener.  Lancers went on to claim title in own event, 40-31 over Army-Navy.

Jimmy Mitchell:  Mark Lebsock’s basket with 15 seconds left gave Orange Glen (12-0) a 67-66 win over Burbank Burroughs.

POST-CHRISTMAS

Kiwanis—The 33^rd event, 32 teams in Unlimited and Limited Divisions, moved to after Christmas for the first time.  Morse’s Tony Rasheed’s 40 points helped the Tigers knock off unbeaten Mt. Carmel, 86-68. Monte Vista won Unlimited, 53-46, over Henry.  Hoover beat Chula Vista, 56-55 in overtime, for Limited.

 Chino—Coronado got to the semifinals in 38^th tournament, which began in 1939-40 and featured San Diego-area teams every year since. Islanders lost to Pomona, 48-42. Escondido lost 2 games but San Pasqual got to consolation semifinals before losing to Bonita, 76-74, in overtime.  Coronado won third place, 69-54 over Pomona Ganesha.

Carpinteria—San Marcos opened with a 70-55 win over Ventura St. Bonaventure but lost in  the semifinals, 72-50, to Santa Ynez.

Santana—Patrick Henry 57, Sweetwater 55. Steve Brown’s two free throws with 5 seconds left was difference.

Baron-Optimist—Madison outscored Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley, 50-14, during a span of 14:34 from the second to the fourth quarter and won the championship, 73-48.

Point Loma Classic—Mission Bay 32, Point Loma 29.

Scoring leaders:

NAME	TEAM	GAMES	POINTS	AVERAGE
Darren Lee	Sweetwater	28	600	21.4 (3)
Tommy Williams	Serra	25	553	22.1 (2)
Steve Haupt	Mira Mesa	25	512	20.5 (4)
Bob Capener	Torrey Pines	26	512	19.7 (6)
Kevin Nelson	Poway	25	483	19.3 (9)
Bob March	Hilltop	25	462	17.1
Brian Caradonna	Santana	24	449	18.7 (10)
Jim Eischen	St. Augustine	23	447	19.43 (7)
Tony Rasheed	Morse	23	446	19.39 (8)
Ray Floyd	Madison	26	443	17.0
Hans Wichary	University	16	424	26.5 (1)
Alonzo Robinson	Carlsbad	25	424	17.0
Ray Hill	Valhalla	24	417	17.4
Larry Anderson	Torrey Pines	26	414	15.9
Eric Erickson	La Jolla	24	394	16.4
Steve Leisingring	Granite Hills	25	393	15.
Sean Salisbury	Orange Glen	19	390	20.1 (5)
Billy Johnson	Lincoln	22	388	17.6
Billy Beane	Mt. Carmel	25	386	15.4

SIGN OF THE TIMES

Kerrville High defeated South San West, 55-51, in a 10-overtime game featuring a pair of Texas squads.  The first, second, third, fourth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth overtimes were scoreless.  The teams deadlocked at 43 in regulation and at 49 after the fifth overtime.

CENTURY CLUB

TEAM	OPPONENT	SCORE
Mt. Carmel	El Camino	116-48
Sweetwater	Mar Vista	112-58
Sweetwater	Mar Vista	105-57
Chula Vista	Mar Vista	101-43

 

The best of San Diego almost always does not measure up to the best of Southern California.

It’s the law of geography and population.

There were a little less than 2 million persons in the County this year, compared with more than 8 million in Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and most of Los Angeles County, which comprise the bulk of entries from the Southern Section, against which teams from the landlocked border city always have been compared.

The comparison was stark this season.

Morse coach Ron Davis, bulwarked by three starters from a 26-4 team in 1977-78, including 6-foot, 8-inch Cliff Levingston, a consensus, preseason all-America, may have thought he had a club that would match up with the strong teams from the North.

Morse entered the powerhouse San Dimas tournament days before the mid-December Kiwanis tournament and scored a date with Los Angeles Verbum Dei two days before Christmas at Mesa College.

“If we’re playing for the championship Saturday we’ll keep our top eight kids…and send the remainder down to play in the opener of the Kiwanis Tournament,” Davis told writer Steve Brand before the Tigers took on Pasadena in the San Dimas opener.

Davis probably was answering a “what if” question from Brand, but his response seemed to indicate that the coach liked his chances.

Morse was quickly consigned to the consolation bracket, a 91-69 loser to Pasadena.  They came home in time for all hands  on board for the Kiwanis after the Tigers were beaten the next day by Downey, 67-48.

A turnout of more than 1,500 at the height of the Christmas shopping period saw Davis’ team strive against  Verbum Dei, trailing by seven at halftime but falling back and losing, 63-47.

At least the Tigers had played against the very best from the L.A. area.

Verbum Dei whipped Long Beach Poly, 67-54, for the Southern Section 4-A playoff championship and finished 28-1. Downey, 26-2, was the 3-A champion.  Pasadena, the two-time defending 4-A titlist, was 22-4 but eliminated in the 4-A quarterfinals.

WE’RE NO. 1

Morse, followed by Sweetwater, Kearny Helix, and Lincoln comprised the top five in the preseason The San Diego Union poll, but there was no doubt among the voters.  Morse had 96 points, Sweetwater 94, with Kearny back at 67, Helix at 60, and Lincoln at 48.

Things changed at the finish line.

It wasn’t Morse or Sweetwater standing on the mountain top after the 16-team playoff that was more than one week but less than two weeks (10 days).

Kearny, seeded fourth, made its way through the rounds and upset top-seeded Sweetwater, 57-50, in the finals.  No. 1 Sweetwater had beaten No. 2 Morse, 48-46, in a semifinals contest that was billed as being “for the championship”.

The win over the Morse, on 6-foot, 11 ½ Michael Pitts’ 18-foot jump shot with one second remaining,  gave the Red Devils a 2-1 edge in a competitive season series with the Tigers.

The National City club defeated the Skyline District crew, 51-50, in the Kiwanis Tournament final and Morse prevailed a few weeks later, 62-51, in a Saturday evening game at Southwestern College.

Kearny’s title was its second in four seasons under coach Tim Short and the third of the decade, following the undefeated 1973-74 squad coached by Wayne Colborne. “This,” said Short, “was more satisfying than the (1975-76) victory.  That year we were expected to win.  I didn’t have the slightest idea (this year) we would go this far.”

TALL LEGACY

Pitts, whose quick first step and turnaround jump shot was almost unstoppable and who was named San Diego Section player of the year, scored 878 points, second highest in County history to Bill Walton’s 958, and his 28.1 average was fourth behind Mitchell Lilly’s 31.9, Walton’s 29.1, and Paul Halupa’s 28.7.

Pitts also became the seventh player to score at least 50 points in a game, negotiating that figure in a 90-64, playoff victory over Hilltop.

Pitts originally broke Jim Finnerty’s school record of 37 in 1964-65 by scoring 40 points against Elk Grove in the Rancho Cordova tournament near Sacramento, and then 42 points in a 72-59 win over Hilltop, and 46 in a 90-58 win over Marian.

Pitts was selected in the seventh round of the 1984 National Basketball Association draft by the San Antonio Spurs after four seasons at the University of California at Berkeley.  He spent two preseasons with the Spurs and then three seasons with professional teams in France and Spain.

In 2016 his alma mater selected Pitts for the Pete Newell award, named after the legendary Bears coach and honoring a former basketball player who distinguished himself with career success.

Pitts worked three decades helping troubled youth and was superintendent of a 100-bed facility for delinquent, adolescent youngsters in nearby Contra Costa County.

Sweetwater retired Pitts’ jersey number 44 in 2011.

NBA BOUND

Levingston played three seasons for a nationally ranked Wichita State program and the school retired his No. 54 jersey.

The product of San Diego’s Skyline District was Detroit’s first choice and the ninth player taken in the 1982 NBA draft.

Levingston played 11 years with three teams in the NBA, earning two championship rings with Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.  He finished a 13-season professional career with a team from Greece in the European League.

Levingston was an assistant coach for one season with the Harlem Globetrotters, sandwiched around several years as a head coach of multiple teams in Midwest professional leagues.

Season leading scorers:

NAME	TEAM	GAMES	POINTS	AVERAGE
Michael Pitts	Sweetwater	31	876	28.3 (1)
Ron Edwards	Lincoln	28	627	22.4 (2)
Jerome Weatherspoon	Mount Miguel	27	570	21.1 (3)
Tom Adema	St. Augustine	27	563	20.9 (4)
Dan Frahm	San Marcos	27	553	20.5 (5)
Joe Scheuer	El Capitan	27	540	20.0 (6)
Nick Cucinella	San Pasqual	27	536	19.9 (7)
Hans Wichary	University	27	536	19.9 (7)
Mike Rebelo	Serra	27	527	19.5 (9)
Cliff Levingston	Morse	29	526	18.1
Sean Salisbury	Orange Glen	28	498	17.8
Bill Burgess	Valhalla	26	477	18.3 (10)
Steve Haupt	Mira Mesa	28	473	16.9
Ray Floyd	Madison	27	453	16.8
Mike Wills	Helix	25	450	18.0
Dave Freeman	Bonita Vista	25	450	18.0
Ed Rigney	Fallbrook	25	448	17.9
Tommy Williams	Serra	27	447	16.6
Paul Huyser	Monte Vista	27	438	16.2
Joe Smalls	Mount Miguel	27	432	16.0
Brad DeGroote	Point Loma	26	428	16.5
Keith Wilson	Southwest	25	426	17.0
Bob March	Hilltop	26	421	16.2

Antoine (Ace) Eason, Oceanside, scored 409 points, averaged 16.9.  Christian’s Greg Ward averaged 20 points.

SWEET SUCCESS

Gary Zarecky was halfway through his long tenure as coach at Sweetwater, where he lifted the Red Devils from the depths, beginning with a 6-19 record in 1972-73 followed by a deep dive to 1-23, after which his program began to rise, 11-15 in 1974-75, followed by 19-12, 15-12, 21-8, and this season’s 27-4.

CLOCK STRIKES…?

There was a question whether Hoover had enough time left in the game to launch a shot after Lincoln’s James Brown went up through a crowd to dunk and give Lincoln a 45-43 lead.

No one knew the answer.

There wasn’t any time showing on Hoover’s 1950s era scoreboard, because there wasn’t anything on the scoreboard.  Blank.

Only the individual timer knew and he was keeping time on a windup clock. Both teams looked to the timer as game officials raced to the scorer’s table.

The decision belatedly was that time had run out just after the Lincoln basket.

KIWANIS DOWNSIZED

Thirty-two teams entered the 32^nd annual Kiwanis Tournament, down from 40 last year and from 47 two years ago, with the small-school Classified Division eliminated.  The usual Imperial Valley contingent, Calexico, El Centro Central, and Brawley passed, as San Diego teams had done recently with the El Centro Elks event.

While not in El Centro, San Diego schools were everywhere else.

Seventeen December events, some before, during, or after the Kiwanis, were on the calendar, including four-team, double doubleheaders that erroneously were called “classics”.

Mt. Helix. Ron Edwards scored 18 points as Lincoln topped Chino 47-39, after the visitors upset Helix, 46-45 in semifinals, converting 22×30 free throws in second half.

Jaycees-Hilltop. Fallbrook defeated Hoover, 72-71, in overtime, preceded by one of the season’s stunners.

Fallbrook trailed Mount Miguel, 55-39 at halftime of their first-round game and scored 58 points in the second half to win, 97-88.  Mark Catalanello’s 30 points were equaled by the 30 of Mount Miguel’s Joe Smalls, but the Fallbrook player scored 23 in second half.

Parker.  Christian outlasted Army-Navy, 30-28, in somnambulant exercise.

San Dimas.  See Morse, above.

Ojai:  Parker topped Carpinteria Cate, 46-43, and host Villanova Prep, 39-32, on the same day.

Jim Mitchell Mustang Optimist:  Fallbrook 65, Orange Glen 60, in the second oldest event in the area, dating to 1960-61.  The name of the former San Dieguito star killed in Viet Nam was added to the tournament  in the 1968-69 season.

Las Vegas Bonanza:  Mount Miguel was beaten by Los Angeles Daniel Murphy, 84-71, for sixth place.  Murphy, taking advantage of five technical fouls, outscored Mount Miguel, 32-12, in the third quarter to take a 72-48 lead. Point Loma was eliminated by San Jose Gunderson, 58-48.

Kiwanis:  Sweetwater won the Unlimited Division, 51-50, over Morse. Michael Pitts scored 18, points and had 11 rebounds and 3 blocks. Cliff Levingston had 12 points, 18 rebounds, and 6 blocks for the Tigers.

El Capitan won the limited, 57-56, over Mt. Carmel.

Baron-Optimist.  Huntington Beach 60, Crawford 47.

University: Downey 76, Hoover 52.

Rancho Cordova:  Sweetwater sustained its first loss, 52-50, to Sacramento John F. Kennedy.  The Red Devils then went on to the consolation championship, 78-55 over Elk Grove and 80-50 over South Lake Tahoe.

Santana. Patrick Henry 83, Mt. Carmel 65.

Point Loma: The host Pointers and Mission Bay shared first with two victories each in the round-robin event.

Chino: Coronado became the first team from San Diego to win the tournament since Chula Vista in 1967. The Islanders defeated Pomona Ganesha, 64-56, Temple City, 53-47, top seed Cerritos, 60-59, on Ed Furey’s basket with three seconds left, and Pomona, 54-53, in overtime.

Other area winners in the 40-year event were Hoover in 1940, ’41, and ’46, and Chula Vista in 1958 and ’65. Escondido, Monte Vista, and San Pasqual also took part this season.

Granite Hills: Castle Park 55, Granite Hills 53.

Coachella Valley: Indio 52, Vista 51, OT.

Carpinteria: San Marcos outscored Los Angeles Pater Noster, 65-55, for the consolation championship.

CALLING…ANYONE

Neil Meyer, coach of tiny Cal Lutheran, a La Mesa high school with 75 students, was strapped for players.  He issued a help wanted call, gender not important.

Meyer welcomed two females, forward-center Sherry Martin and guard Lisa Rausch, a 5-foot, 2-inch freshman.

“Lisa is a very good player, and if she continues could be a very good women’s college player,” Meyer said to Linda Murphy of the Union.  “Sherry, at 5-9, shot well in P.E. class.  I use her for length.”

Title IX was passed in 1974 but girls basketball had not been implemented in the San Diego Section.

CENTURY CLUB

Mt. Carmel 102, El Cajon Valley 65.

Sweetwater 102, Southwest 72.

Christian 107, Julian 40.

Sweetwater 102, Chula Vista 57.

Christian 113-45 Julian.

PLAYOFFS

2-A

FIRST ROUND

Santana 58, Helix 55 (17-9).  Wayne Welker’s two free throws with  :08 remaining clinched for the Sultans.

San Pasqual 68, Oceanside 58. (16-9). Oceanside went the first 12 minutes before scoring a field goal.

Sweetwater 90, Hilltop 64 (15-12).  Michael Pitts scored 19 of his 50 points in a 32-16 fourth quarter.

Morse 80, Hoover 53 (17-11).  Tigers’ scoring balance:  Cliff Levingston 18, Jeff Turk 18, Keith Magee 16, Tony Rasheed 13.

Coronado 45, Bonita Vista 41 (18-10).

El Capitan 42, Monte Vista 37 (21-8).  The losing Monarchs missed all 11 field-goal attempts in the first quarter.

Orange Glen 57, Fallbrook 56 (21-5).  Rob Murray’s basket with 30 seconds left gave the Patriots, who led by 11 at halftime, a come-from-behind victory.

Kearny 60, Lincoln 55 (25-3).  The Komets, fourth in the Evening Tribune final top 10 to Lincoln’s second, ended the host Hornets’ 15-game winning streak.

QUARTERFINALS

Morse 89, Orange Glen 63 (21-7). The Tigers shot 64 per cent from the field in a 40-22 first half.

Sweetwater 64, El Capitan 52 (20-7).

Kearny 54, San Pasqual 33 (18-10).

Santana 39, Coronado 37, OT (23-5). The Islanders led, 35-33, with eight seconds left in regulation play but Wayne Welker scored on a 12-footer to send the game into overtime.

SEMIFINALS

Sweetwater 48, Morse 46.

Kearny 62, Santana 45.  Four Komets, Ken King, Ron Kirkpatrick, David Buttles, and Darryl Stokes (17) scored at least 10 points.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Kearny (27-4) 57, Sweetwater 50 (27-4).

THIRD PLACE

Morse (24-6) 43, Santana (19-9) 37.

1-A

SEMIFINALS

Christian 79, La Jolla Country Day 63.

Francis Parker 65, Borrego Springs 37.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Christian 57, Francis Parker 45.   Parker’s Matt Crosbie led all scorers with 30 points.

JUMP SHOTS

Jerome Weatherspoon, The San Diego Union football player of the year, drained 16 field goals that covered all of his 32 points in a 85-73 win over Granite Hills…Cliff Levingston scored 30 points and Morse, trailing, 33-32, at halftime, drilled San Diego, 89-59, including a 34-14 fourth quarter… Christian’s Greg Ward set a school record with 43 points in a 113-45 win over Julian…averaging 26 points in his last six games, including 36 against Escondido, San Marcos’ Dan Frahm rose to fifth among scoring leaders, finishing with a 19.8 average…Morse’s Cliff Levingston made his final regular season game one to remember: 30 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 rejections as Morse reached a season high in points in a 98-84 win over Madison…the game was one to remember also for 52 personal fouls being called and nine players leaving with five personal fouls…Michael Pitts came down with 38 rebounds in a 79-53 victory over San Diego and was announced as having broken Bill Walton’s record of 34 for Helix in 1969-70…Pitts, however, also was credited with 38 rebounds in a 73-66 win over Bonita Vista…Joe Scheuer scored 49 points in two El Capitan overtime wins, 53-52 over Grossmont and 77-76 over Helix…Scheuer tied the school record by converting 17 consecutive free throws and had a stretch of 41×42 free throws…Morse almost blew a 19-point lead but the Tigers held on to beat Kearny, 60-58, to end the Komets’ 37-game, home-court winning streak…Sweetwater almost ran the table in the 18-game Metropolitan League schedule but runner-up Coronado (16-2) upset the Red Devils at the Islanders’ Carrothers Gym, 54-53, when Ray Pepper drained 2 free throws in a 1-and-1 situation with 12 seconds left to give the hosts a three-point lead…old school:  Crawford outstalled St. Augustine, 20-19…longest game, two overtimes, Point Loma 73, San Diego 71; Coronado 56, Hilltop 54; Oceanside 60, Escondido 58, and El Capitan 77, Helix 76….

 

 

 

Gordon Nash retired, taking with him a legacy of great teams and great players, and a sour finish.

Nash’s coaching record of 259 wins against 69 losses for a won-loss of .790 was forged over 11 seasons in which Helix won two San Diego Section championships, appeared in five title games, was runner-up three times, and third once.

The Scots were in the finals again this year, but a referee’s decision in a 58-57 loss to Torrey Pines provoked a belch of acid reflux from one of  the most successful mentors in San Diego Section history.

“The glass slipper fit for Torrey Pines but for years to come Helix High basketball fans will swear the officials supplied the shoe horn,” wrote Steve Brand of The San Diego Union.

It appeared for a moment that Helix had sent Nash out victorious with a last-second basket by sophomore Larry Brooks.

The Scots celebrated, as did many in the Sports Arena crowd of 8,199.

But referee Jack Miyamoto emphatically signaled no shot had been taken (because) time had run out before Brooks put the ball in the air.

“There was no question, the game was over,” Miyamato told reporters.  “There was appreciable time between the horn and the gun, but the ball wasn’t even up yet”.

“The horn at the Sports Arena was not very loud,” said Brand.  “There also was an official at the scorer’s table with a starter’s pistol, which sounded almost simultaneously and which was the official time.”

“We should have won; there is no question about it,” said Nash.  “The ball obviously was in the air.  All they had to do was listen to the gun.”

Nash said that he spoke with four coaches who “told me the ball was in the air before the game ended.”

“It was never in doubt; time had run out,” not surprisingly stated Torrey Pines coach Clete Adelman.

Remembered Brand:  “I think Miyamoto got it right.”

NASH AND WALTON

Nash, who succeeded Bob Speidel in 1967-68, was 21-10 in his first season and reached the CIF finals, but it was in the next two years with 6-foot, 11-inch Bill Walton scoring, rebounding, and defending that Helix became a program of almost national import.

The Highlanders were 29-2 in 1968-69 and 33-0 in 1969-70, including a record, 49-game winning streak and a home winning streak of 40 games.

Other than a 10-15 slump in 1974-75, Helix’ decade-plus record never was poorer than 19-11 and Nash’s last two teams, although beaten in the finals, were 55-4.

“I’m not dissatisfied with coaching,” Nash, 45, told Nick Canepa of the Evening Tribune. “It’s just that when you reach a certain stage in life people have certain things they want to do.  We’ve had a lot of success.  I just think the time is right…to step down and let someone else have that opportunity.”

Nash, the fourth head coach in Helix’ 27 seasons, didn’t elaborate but remained a biology teacher at Helix.  Nash also credited his two predecessors, Bob Divine (1953-60), who campaigned for years for an on-site gymnasium and who “got the La Mesa Recreation Department to set up good basketball recreation leagues,” and Bob Speidel (1960-67), who coached the 1963-64 championship team.

WINNING (minimum 75 games)

NAME	SCHOOL	YEARS	WON-LOST	PERCENTAGE
John Kovac	Coronado	1953-54-1955-56	63-13	.829
Gordon Nash	Helix	1967-68-1977-78	259-69	.790
Charlie Hampton	Hoover	1952-53-1962-63	222-65	.774
Larry Armbrust	Chula Vista	1963-64-1967-68	103-31	.768
Rickey Wilson	Hoover	1940-41-1945-46	80-25	.762
Merrill Douglas	San Diego	1940-41-1942-43-1946-47-1955-56	236-76	.756

TORREY TURNS TERRIFIC

“Massive underdog Torrey Pines completed a magic sweep through the CIF basketball playoffs many felt the team didn’t even deserve to be in,” wrote Steve Brand.

A fourth-year program that had growing pains of 3-17 and 6-18 before rising to 16-10 in its third season, the Falcons, strengthened with the arrival of Don Capener, a 6-foot, 4-inch transfer from San Rafael who scored almost 21 points game, averaged more than 70 points, and had a 21-3 regular-season record.

The Falcons were not getting much respect, coming from the historically weak North County and rolling on the puny Avocado East, whose Fallbrook (14-10), San Dieguito (14-12). El Camino (10-17), Oceanside (13-12), Vista (7-16), and Carlsbad (10-16) were a combined 68-83 in the regular season.

Torrey was 10-2 in the league, including losses of 34-32 to Oceanside and 66-61 to Fallbrook, and had to fight before getting past El Camino, 62-61.

Given little credence was the Del Mar quintet’s 15-1 record in non-league contests. The Falcons were 10^th in the final, regular-season Evening Tribune poll. They would face and defeat three teams above them in the one-week, one-bracket tournament of 16 teams, No 1 Helix, No. 4 Morse, and No. 7 Sweetwater.

PLAYOFFS

FIRST ROUND
Sweetwater 68, Bonita Vista (19-10) 61.
Torrey Pines 77, Orange Glen (13-11) 55.
Escondido 66, Fallbrook (14-11) 53.
Helix 53, Santana (16-10) 44.
Kearny 59, Lincoln (21-4) 56.
Morse 59, St. Augustine (17-12) 56.
Monte Vista 59, Mount Miguel (22-6) 51.
Marian 61, Montgomery (17-11) 53.

QUARTERFINALS
Helix 57, Kearny (19-9) 47.
Torrey Pines 69, Sweetwater (21-8) 67.
Marian 56, Escondido (14-14) 50.
Morse 53, Monte Vista (22-7) 47.

SEMIFINALS
Helix 40, Marian (25-4) 37.
Torrey Pines 65, Morse (25-4) 57.

CHAMPIONSHIP
Torrey Pines (25-3) 58, Helix (28-2) 57.

THIRD PLACE
Morse (26-4) 64, Marian (25-5) 60.

CLASS 1A
Christian (18-8) 42, Francis Parker (17-7), 41.

KIWANIS TOURNAMENT

In its 31^st year, the annual carnival continued to feel its age.  Forty teams, down from 47 a year ago, opened play at four area sites. Visitors included El Centro Central, Brawley, and Calexico.

Twelve different tournaments provided indirect or direct competition for the venerable mainstay, while redoubtables University and Bonita Vista also felt the pinch.

—Mt. Helix: Host Helix topped Sweetwater, 61-59, for the second annual title as the Highlanders’ 6-9 1/2 Mark Snow and Sweetwater’s 6-10 Michael Pitts each scored 28 points.

— Hilltop-Chula Vista:  Mount Miguel beat Hilltop, 67-60.

—Francis Parker:  Christian defeated Julian, 50-44.

—Apple Mountain: Host Julian played Eagle Mountain for championship.

—Jimmy Mitchell Mustang Optimist: Don Capener’s 26 points moved Torrey Pines past host San Dieguito, 75-50.

—University:  Fourteen teams, lower than usual 16, including defending champion Huntington Beach, played at one site, the University of San Diego gym.  Downey defeated Lincoln, 58-56, and Huntington Beach claimed third place, 77-76 over Kearny in two overtimes.

—Baron-Optimist, 11 teams, down from usual 16:  Morse defeated host Bonita Vista, 90-53.

—Eagles Classic at Granite Hills: Four teams. Second-year Mira Mesa, featuring brothers Chris and Steve Haupt, edged Castle Park, 57-55.

—Chino:  San Diego squads had participated since the first tournament in 1939-40.  Escondido and Coronado quickly went into and then out of the consolation bracket. Mt. Carmel made the consolation semifinals before bowing Cerritos, 84-71.

—Grossmont-Santana: Bellflower defeated Grossmont, 66-50.

—Tracy:  Mount Miguel earned fifth place, 87-73, over Livermore.

—Rancho Las Vegas:  Vista was 0-2, losing to Las Vegas Western, 72-64, and Palos Verdes Miraleste, 71-53.

—Kiwanis:  Helix defeated Monte Vista, 65-49 for the Unlimited Division title as Mark Snow scored 28 points and pulled down 12 rebounds.  Mira Mesa topped La Jolla, 55-37, in the Limited Division, and Marian won the eight-team Classified, 60-57, over Lincoln.

TECHNICAL ISSUE

–Santana led Burbank, 41-40, with three seconds to go in the Santana-Grossmont Tournament.

–The visitors heaved a length-of-the-court pass and drew a questionable foul.  Santana coach Bart Hare protested, mildly, according to writer Steve Brand.

–Because Santana had not committed enough personal fouls to warrant a one-and-one free throw situation, Burbank got the ball out at halfcourt.

–The Bulldogs’ inbound pass from halfcourt hit the backboard and a Santana player hugged the rebound.

–So far, so good.  No problem? Santana wins?  Wait a minute.

–A whistle blew in the moment between the ball hitting the backboard and being retrieved by the Sultans player.

–One official, according to Hare’s account, said the throw was an illegal attempt and awarded the ball to Santana.

–The other official huddled with his partner and said the ball was not intentionally thrown at the backboard, so there was no infraction.

–Burbank was awarded the ball again.

–Hare went Code Red.

–The Santana coach was hit with a technical foul, then another, then another, then another, and finally with a fifth, for not leaving the bench area after the second.  If this was baseball, Hare would have earned a platinum sombrero or the  “Olympic Rings”.

–Burbank then drained a 20-foot shot at the buzzer to win, 42-41.

BART EXPLAINS BLOWUP

“There are only five reversible calls in basketball and that isn’t one of them,” Hare declared to Steve Brand the next day.  “It wasn’t a judgement call.  The rules say whatever the call, even if it’s wrong, must be upheld.

“We should have had the ball out of bounds.”

The coach had a postscript:

“What really hurts is they’ve cracked down on the coaches this year but they haven’t upgraded the officiating. The guy who called that one was a ten-year veteran.”

SHARPER HARPER

Santana’s Tod Harper became the sixth player in County history to score at least 50 points in one game with 53 in the Sultans’ 90-62 win over Granite Hills.

Harper broke the Grossmont League scoring record of 47, set by Granite Hills’ Tim Doerr in 1968-69.  Harper also scored 41 in another game, which was the school record, set in 1962-63 by Bob Lundgren.

Madison’s Mitchell Lilly and St. Augustine’s Tom Shaules (table below) are the only players to score 50 or more twice.

HALF CENTURY

NAME	TEAM	YEAR	POINTS	OPPONENT	SCORE
Mitchell Lilly	Madison	1976-77	61	San Diego	117-80
Tom Shaules	St. Augustine	1957-58	60	Crawford	102-38
Rob Petrie	Julian	1968-69	60	Mountain Empire	115-76
Shaules		1957-58	53	La Jolla	105-34
Todd Harper	Santana	1977-78	53	Granite Hills	90-62
Dave Moore	San Marcos	1973-74	51	Imperial	78-42
Bill Walton	Helix	1969-70	50	Pasadena	110-68
Lilly		1976-77	50	Torrey Pines	86-75

SUNDEVILS’ PECCADILLOES

All 12 Mt. Carmel varsity players were suspended for two weeks by principal David Stine for breaking “athletic department rules”.

The players were cited after their participation in the post-Christmas Chino Tournament. No report on any action involving coach John Marincovich.

“The commitment to the varsity program will be fulfilled by other members of the program, junior varsity and freshman players,” said Stine, who said no CIF violation was involved.

“We wanted a significant punishment but one that was fair to the players as well,” said the boss.

Mt. Carmel, 9-4 and league favorite entering Avocado East play, was competitive but lost four consecutive games during the varsity hiatus, 48-44 to Orange Glen, 47-41 to San Marcos, 65-59 to El Camino, and 49-47 to Poway.

The losses left the Sundevils 0-4 in the league and 9-8 overall. Then came a remarkable turnaround, nine wins in a row to close the season 18-8, third in the Avo East behind Escondido and Orange Glen, but out of the playoffs.

DOUBLE TAKE

Marian’s Phil Bryant turned in one whistle for another.

Bryant coached the Crusaders’ football team to a 7-3 record and second place in the Metropolitan League and then, because of a staff situation, moved over and coached basketball.

Led by 6-foot, 9-inch, 240-pound Mighty Joe Evans, the Crusaders reached the section semifinals and finished with a 25-5 record.

Marian was 17-1 in Metropolitan play and clinched the league title with a 55-48, final-night win over Sweetwater.

TAKE A CHAIR

Four of Morse’s starting five could do that when coach Ron Davis employed his “rocking chair offense.”

While the starters stood on the sideline, teammate Keith Magee would dribble forward and backward (forward so as not to be penalized with a five-second call).

Magee went into the rocking chair with 1:55 remaining and Morse tied with Kearny, 47-47.

Then, with three seconds left, Magee drove toward the basket and attempted a field goal, but the Komets’ Darryl Stokes blocked the shot. The ball rebounded directly to Morse’s Jeff Turk, who hurriedly fired and made a buzzer-beating basket for a 49-47 win.

SCORING LEADERS

NAME	TEAM	GAMES	POINTS	AVERAGE
Don Saemenes	Castle Park	26	652	25.5 (1)
Joe Evans	Marian	30	632	21.1 (4)
Todd Harper	Santana	25	616	23.7 (2)
Jim Freeman	Bonita Vista	29	592	20.4 (6)
Michael Pitts	Sweetwater	29	580	20.0 (9)
Don Capener	Torrey Pines	28	579	20.7 (5)
Curtis McQueen	Mount Miguel	27	568	21.5 (3)
Mark Snow	Helix	30	568	18.9
Richard Walker	Point Loma	26	523	20.1 (8)
Rusty Whitmarsh	Monte Vista	29	513	17.7
Clyde Smith	Mar Vista	25	483	19.3
Robert Moore	San Diego	23	464	20.2 (7)
Tommy Williams	Serra	26	460	17.7
Steve Haupt	Mira Mesa	26	451	17.3
Greg Engler	San Dieguito	26	447	17.2
Bob Dean	La Jolla	23	441	19.2
Reggie Younger	Mira Mesa	26	431	16.6
Dave Sullivan	El Capitan	24	415	17.3
Vernon Van Buren	Clairemont	27	411	15.2
Mike Doucet	Mt. Carmel	21	410	19.5 (10)
John Baumgardner	Kearny	28	408	14.6
Cuchinella	San Pasqual	25	396	15.8
Todd Flores	University	23	393	17.1
Marcus Allen	Lincoln	22	392	17.8
Catalano	Fallbrook	25	370	14.8
Dokie Williams	El Camino	27	369	13.7
Mandry	Escondido	28	368	13.1

JUMP SHOTS—Lincoln’s football all-America, Marcus Allen, made third team all-CIF with a 17.8 average and reportedly had scored 63 points in a Summer League game…University’s Todd Flores sat on the bench for the first three minutes against Serra and then scored a school-record 40 points in an 89-69 win…Crawford stalled almost all of the last 4:30, setting up a shot, then missed, but blanked St. Augustine in overtime to win, 41-37…it took Oceanside 4 overtimes, but the Pirates shut out San Marcos, 8-0, in the final three-minute session to win, 56-48…Sweetwater’s Michael Pitts was reported to have 38 rebounds and 18 points in a 73-66 win over Bonita Vista, after Pitts scored 30 points and had 29 rebounds in an 83-44 rout of Southwest….Sweetwater was led by the 6-10 Pitts and 5-6 James Davis…Kearny’s 43-41 win over Morse, the Tigers’ first Eastern League loss after a 9-0 start, was the Komets’ 99^th win in their last 100 home games…the last loss at home was in 1975 to Crawford, 57-50, which snapped a 50-game streak…after a 49-47 win over Santana, Helix coach Gordon Nash was succinct:  “I didn’t see anything good out there. Nothing.”…St. Augustine won a Western League playoff for entry to the postseason with a 54-46 victory over La Jolla…Todd Harper scored 41 points, but Mount Miguel, with Jerome Weatherspoon scoring half of his 32 points in the fourth quarter, came from behind for a 79-77 victory over Santana…Helix’ first loss in the 28-2 season was 50-48 in overtime to Monte Vista….single game team season highs:  Mount Miguel, 102-72, versus Valhalla with Curtis McQueen leading with 42 points;  Julian 98, Mountain Empire 63; Morse 96, Madison 66; Torrey Pines 96, El Camino 61….

The arrival of San Diego County’s first 30-points-a-game scorer this year was via a curious journey, from Iceland to Pacific Beach, to Linda Vista, and to North San Diego, where Marshall and Mitchell Lilly landed at Madison High.

The twins, who spent the 1974-75 school year in the near-Arctic Circle country (see 1975-76: Patrick Henry, University Played…) before leading Mission Bay to a 22-7 record and the second round of the section playoffs in 1975-76, transferred to Kearny and helped the Komets win the Summer League title.

Then they moved again, to the awaiting whistle of Warhawks coach John Hannon, who played on championship teams at Coronado in the early ‘fifties and had started the Madison program in 1962-63.

Marshall had the most cachet, having averaged 16.4 points at Mission Bay, but Marshall sustained a season-ending broken navicular bone in his right wrist in Madison’s second game.

Mitchell scored 26 points and Marshall 19 in an opening-game, 71-59 loss to Helix. Marshall scored 6 points but was injured in the second quarter of the next game, a 75-62 win over Poway, as Mitchell scored 23.

Marshall’s season was over, but Mitchell’s was just getting started.

Mitchell scored 27 in a 56-50 win over Monte Vista, 35 in a 59-55 tightrope with University, and followed with 32, 36, and 38, the latter in a 73-59 Kiwanis Tournament loss to eventual CIF champion Santana.

Madison then moved to the South Bay and the Baron-Optimist, post-Christmas tournament hosted by Bonita Vista.

THE BIG FIVE-OH

Lilly earned a seven-column headline in The San Diego Union after scorching Torrey Pines for 50 points in an 86-75, opening-round victory.

Lilly made 15 of 24 attempts from the field and was 20×23 for free throws.  He had 22 points in the second quarter and was at 48 when the 6-foot, 1-inch senior launched a 25-footer with seconds to play to reach the half-century mark as the game-ending buzzer sounded.

Crawford was on the receiving end of Lilly’s 38 points in a 98-70 loss. Madison then upset 12-0 Bonita Vista, 92-75, as Lilly knocked down 42 points.

MITCHELL WHISTLED

Lilly had 22 points but fouled out driving to the basket with one second left in the first overtime in a game that went three overtimes before the Warhawks edged Pleasanton Amador, 72-70, for the championship.

Amador took a physical approach to Lilly, defending the Warhawks’ sharpshooter with  four different players, who acquired multiple infractions.  “At times they would double and triple team me,” said Lilly.  “Even on my last foul I was hit pretty hard.”

Lilly’s teammate, Remond Wells, scored a season-high 30 points, including 10 in the extra sessions. Anthony Roberts’ basket with 30 seconds left in the third overtime finally decided the game in favor of the Warhawks.

Lilly’s 130 points in the four games (32.5 average) broke the Barons-Optimist tournament record of 100, set by Bonita Vista’s Jim March in 1972.

THE BIG SIX-ONE

Three weeks later, the 6-foot, 1-inch senior guard broke the County record with 61 points in a 117-80 rout of visiting San Diego.

Evening Tribune writer Nick Canepa broke down Lilly’s outbursts with contributions from the scoring king:

First quarter, 10 points.  “I was off to my usual miserable start.”

Second quarter, 13 points:  “I felt better, but, still, there was no special feeling.”

Third quarter, 16 points:  “I started warming up. Things started clicking.”

Fourth quarter, 22 points:  “San Diego was in a full-court, man-to-man press.  I was hot.  Everything I was putting up was going in.

“At the end of the third quarter they told me I had 39.  Coach Hannon told me to go for it, but (to) take my time.”

Lilly also was informed when his total reached 55:  “So everyone on the team just gave me the ball after that.”

Lilly, who averaged 12.7 at Mission Bay the previous year, retired with 1:24 remaining in the game.

The sharpshooter was 24×41 from the field for 59 per cent and 13×17 on free throws. He was averaging 32.9 points a game and 37.5 in the Eastern League.

The 61 points topped the record of 60, shared by Tom Shaules of St. Augustine in a 102-38 win over Crawford in 1957-58 and Rob Petrie of Julian in 115-76 win over Mountain Empire in 1968-69.

Lilly would end the season with a CIF-record 31.9 average and his 893 points were second only to the 958 by Helix Bill Walton in 1969-70.

Lilly’s sniping kept Madison in every game but his 47-point effort days later against Kearny was not enough as the Komets, winners of 20 in a row at home and 45 of its last 46 at home,  scored an 86-80 victory.

BELIEVE IT

There were defenses and other maneuvers to stop Lilly, sometimes with unintended consequences.

Lilly scored Madison’s only point in the fourth quarter, after he was fouled as the game ended. He converted a single free throw to give the Warhawks a 32-31 win at Point Loma.

The Pointers had stalled much of the game and for almost all of the fourth quarter and made 2 free throws with 40 seconds left for a 31-31 tie.

Point Loma’s accomplishment in defeat was to hold Lilly to 12 points, his lowest total of the season.

CAVERS REVENGE

San Diego, 5-16 on the season and experiencing its poorest stretch since the John Hobbs-coached clubs went 2-10 and 4-9 in the mid-1920s, upset Madison and knocked the Warhawks out of the playoffs, 67-66, in a rematch of Lilly’s record contest.

San Diego’s Caesar Scott scored only 6 points but was credited with holding Lilly to 26, six points below his average, and only nine points in the second half.

NO POSTSEASON?

The Warhawks were mathematically eliminated largely because CIF bosses had again changed the playoff format, reducing participation from 24 to 16 teams and, in a strange twist, extending the postseason to two weeks.

Madison was out of the money despite a season record of 19-9.  Oceanside (18-8) also was out and Orange Glen (14-12) and Hilltop (14-13) were in.

The bosses had created 4 “conferences”, moving away from the “City” and “County” conference format, at the start of the school year.

Sixteen teams from the 6 major leagues, City East and City West, Grossmont, Avocado East and Avocado West, and Metropolitan qualified.

This meant the East and West, representing the City conference, would qualify two each.  Same for the Avocado East and West.

However, there would be four teams from the Grossmont and Metro conferences.

Madison was third behind Patrick Henry and Kearny in the City East, and Oceanside finished third in the Avocado West behind Fallbrook and Vista.

PLAYOFFS

FIRST ROUND

Santana, 0-2 against Grossmont “Conference” rival Monte Vista, defeated the Monarchs (19-8), 48-38.

Vista 49, Mt. Carmel (22-7), 47.  The Sundevils took their first home loss.

Fallbrook 63, Orange Glen (14-13) 45.

Marian 66, Sweetwater (15-12) 57.

Lincoln 71, Patrick Henry (21-8) 59.

Hilltop 70, Bonita Vista (27-2) 59.  Disregarded Hilltop stunned the Barons with a 31-15 third quarter.

Helix 68, Mount Miguel (16-12) 49.

Kearny 69, St. Augustine (21-7) 59.

QUARTERFINALS

Kearny 68, Hilltop (15-13) 55.

Santana 57, Fallbrook (24-1) 44.  Not as much a surprise as Hilltop’s win over Bonita Vista, but the Sultans were proving, as they did last year, a formidable team in the playoffs.

Jack Sandschulte, in his 21^st season, won his 300^th game as coach at Fallbrook, 84-66 over Torrey Pines, and could rely on his son, John, who averaged 22.8 points, and big man Bob Bartholomew, 18.0.

“Any time the other team (Santana, with CIF player of the year Todd Harper, Mark Price, and Barney Hinkle)  has three good players and you have two, the odds are against you,” said the elder Sandschulte. “The odds have been against us going unbeaten all season and it finally caught up with us.”

There were 2,500 persons at Grossmont College, including many red-clad supporters of Fallbrook, which trailed by  three points with six minutes to go.

Helix 75, Vista (19-11) 52. The Highlanders, 16-0 in Grossmont conference play, had lost only to Kearny, 68-64, in the Kiwanis tournament.

Marian 68, Lincoln (21-5) 64. A near overflow crowd at Chula Vista, saw the Crusaders overcome a 62-59 deficit by outscoring the Hornets, 9-2, in the last 1:54.

Kearny 68, Hilltop (15-13) 55, at Torrey Pines.

SEMIFINALS

Helix 63, Kearny (27-2) 57, before 3,000 persons at Cal Western University.  In previous playoffs, the No. 1 and No. 2 teams would have been seeded to meet in the finals.

Santana 52, Marian (21-9) 40.

CLASS 1-A

Army-Navy 64, Mountain Empire (14-8) 42.

Francis Parker 58, Christian (8-16) 36

FINALS

Santana (26-5), 54, Helix (27-2) 42.  The Sultans had lost to Helix, 44-40, 72-66, and 51-40.

A surprised gathering of 7,233 in the Sports Arena watched patient, deliberate Santana make only 12 shots from the field but 30×38 from the free throw line.

Helix converted 17 field goal attempts but only 8×14 that were free.

Helix led 14-5 early in the second quarter but 6-10 center Mark Snow got into foul trouble and Santana, behind Harper and center Mark Price, took a 26-20 halftime lead.

Snow took a seat after picking up his fourth personal with 6:13 remaining in the third quarter. Santana coach Bart Hare went to what was known as a four-corners offense.

Hare said he took this approach because his center, Price, also had 4 fouls.  No Santana players fouled out, but Helix’ Snow, Mike Durden and Mark Barnes did.

The Sultans held a 39-28 lead entering the fourth quarter against a team that averaged almost 70 a game.

THIRD PLACE

Kearny (28-2) 91, Marian (21-10) 82.

Typical of the consolation games, Kearny and Marian let it all hang out.  Komets coach Tim Short played everyone and 12 players scored.

1-A

Francis Parker (15-7), ahead, 25-8, at halftime, topped Army-Navy (14-4), 35-30.

TOURNAMENTS

Forty-seven teams accepted invitations to the 30^th annual Kiwanis, with El Centro Central, Calexico, and Brawley comprising a visiting contingent.

The Kiwanis still held sway but it was feeling pinched.

There were 12 different December tournaments, four of which, the 10-team Mt. Helix Invitational, Jim Mitchell San Dieguito Mustang-Optimist, Julian, and the Southern Prep League, even got on the calendar before the venerable Kiwanis took its place just before the Christmas holiday.

Winners and championship scores:

Mt. Helix, Helix 60, Oceanside 39.

Julian: Julian 69, Mountain Empire 58.

Southern Prep, Francis Parker 43, Mountain Empire 34.

Jim Mitchell Mustang Optimist: Fallbrook 60, Oceanside 53.

Kiwanis:  Unlimited, Kearny 68, Helix 64; Limited, Bonita Vista 69, Granite Hills 57; Classified, Lincoln 47, University 33.

University:  Huntington Beach 69, Kearny 59.

Grossmont-Santana:  Santana 82, Grossmont 64.

Eagle:  Granite Hills 60, Mira Mesa 58.

Chino: Pomona Ganesha 70, Mt. Carmel 58.

El Centro Elks: El Centro Central 46, Vista 43.

Baron-Optimist: Pleasanton Amador 78, Madison 72.

Western Association Christian Schools:  Western Christian 47, Christian 46, OT.

THAT’S A NO-NO

Bonita Vista coach Bill Foley had his team practice on Sunday and later admitted that he misread a rule against activity on the Sabbath.

Bonita officials reported the gaffe to the CIF, which suspended Foley with no contact with his team for a period of the Barons’ next six games.

MILESTONES AND MARKS

–Escondido’s Jerry Hacknal scored 44 points in a 76-72 loss to San Pasqual and broke the school record of 35 points by Rich Gehring in a 74-44 win over San Dieguito in 1952-53.

–Fallbrook’s John Sandschulte was over 30 five times and reached a career high 39 points as San Dieguito fell, 74-44.

–On the same night that Mitchell Lilly scored 47 against Kearny, Michael Gay of Henry had 36 in an 81-53 rout of Morse, and Rod Dingler of Mt. Carmel had 32 in a 90-45 win over Orange Glen

–Seventy-seven fouls were called during Madison’s 86-66 win over Morse.  The Warhawks’ Mitchell Lilly scored 23 points but fouled out in the third quarter.

THROWBACK

These weren’t scores from decades past, but were typical of the eras cited.

–1930s-‘40s score:  Mt. Carmel 25, Chula Vista 23.

–1920s-‘30s score:  Francis Parker 25, Palos Verdes Chadwick 10.

BROADCASTER’S NOTE

It’s Brazil, as in “frazzle”.  That’s how Bonita Vista’s Scott Brazil pronounced his last name.

Leading scorers:

NAME	TEAM	GAMES	POINTS	AVERAGE
Mitchell Lilly	Madison	28	893	31.9 (1)
Mike Stockalper	Marian	31	719	23.2 (2)
Michael Gay	Patrick Henry	29	641	22.1 (4)
Scott Brazil	Bonita Vista	29	614	21.2 (6)
Rich Beeson	Poway	28	596	21.3 (5)
Bob Bartholomew	Kearny	31	596	19.2
John Sandschulte	Fallbrook	25	562	22.5 (3)
Barney Hinkle	Santana	30	552	18.4
Rod Dingler	Mt. Carmel	29	539	18.6
Jerry Haynal	Escondido	26	536	20.6 (7)
Dave Sullivan	El Capitan	27	514	19.0
Joe Naylor	Oceanside	26	508	19.5 (10)
Allen Gates	Marian	31	503	16.4
Van Note	San Pasqual	26	501	19.3
Gary Davila	San Marcos	25	493	19.7 (9)
Eddie Mendoza	St. Augustine	28	483	17.3
Joe Lehr	St. Augustine	27	474	17.6
John Laidlaw	Torrey Pines	26	468	18.0
Oscar Lopez	Montgomery	24	464	19.3
Ron Hoag	El Capitan	27	463	17.1
Terry Thomas	Orange Glen	25	462	18.5
Mark Snow	Helix	28	456	16.3
Bobby Dean	La Jolla	26	455	17.5
Todd Harper	Santana	31	453	14.4
Bob Bartholomew	Fallbrook	25	449	18.0
Bob Taylor	Chula Vista	25	431	17.2
Ceasar Scott	San Diego	23	392	17.0

Class A, minimum 15 games: Chelette, San Diego Military, 17×339, 19.9 (8). Looten, Borrego Springs, 18×321, 17.8.  Bauers, Mountain Empire, 22×352, 16.0.  Nettles, Army-Navy, 15×256, 17.1.

JUMP SHOTS

Alhambra High of Martinez, located in the north East Bay area of San Francisco, won third place in the Jim Mitchell event, behind the steady play of guard Stan Van Gundy, years later a head coach in the National Basketball Association…Fallbrook had its Bob Bartholomew and Kearny its Bob Bartholomew…they were not related…Marcus Allen was known for football but he was an effective forward for Lincoln, averaging 14 points … Helix’ 6-foot, 10-inch junior Mark Snow, who scored 34 points in a 72-66 defeat of Santana, started as a sophomore at Poway…Helix’ 28-3 record gave coach Gordon Nash a career record of 230-67 and winning percentage of 77.4….

CENTURY CLUB

TEAM	OPPONENT	SCORE
Army-Navy	San Miguel School	122-31
Madison	San Diego	117-80
Grossmont	Granite Hills	114-79
Bonita Vista	Marian	106-85
Torrey Pines	Ramona	101-42
Mt. Carmel	El Camino	101-62
Borrego Springs	Cal Lutheran	100-14

—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 29^th 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

Dave Moore topped with a 51-point game, but Patrick Henry’s Mark Fitzner had the most points and held off “Score” Moore for highest average among players from large schools.

The breezy sobriquet for Moore, courtesy of Bill Finley of the Evening Tribune, fit the San Marcos senior, who scored 594 points in 27 games for a 22.0 average, but Fitzner held sway  with 704 points in 31 games and 22.7 average. Clarence Clark of San Diego Military had a 25.8-point average in 19 games, leading small schools players.

Moore and Fitzner earned rank among the all-time leaders with their individual and seasonal efforts.

Moore became the fourth player in San Diego County history to score at least 50 points in one game.  Fitzner moved to 14^th in all-time season scoring.

Fitzner was an exception in what seemed to be a downward trend in scoring.

There were eight players who accounted for at least 500 points this season, compared with 15 in the Bill Walton-dominated season of 1969-70.   Four players scaled 700 that season and six were at 600 or more.

There were eight over 500 in 1970-71, 12 in ‘71-72, and 10 in ’72-73.

Nine players averaged 20 points or more this year, compared with 12 in 1968-69, 20 in ’69-70, 4 in ’70-71, 11 in ’71-72, and 4 in ’72-73.

Fitzner became the 42^nd in the County to score at least 1,000 career points.

Poway’s 108-79 win over San Dieguito in a Coast League game was the single score at or above 100.

THIS SEASON

NAME	TEAM	GAMES	POINTS	AVERAGE
Mark Fitzner	Patrick Henry	31	704	22.7(1)
Dave Moore	San Marcos	27	594	22.0(2)
Andre Robinson	Morse	28	580	20.7(4)
Ron Thomas	Hoover	32	580	18.2(9)
Art Leahy	Madison	17	547	20.3(5)
Mike Milke	Hilltop	25	533	21.3(3)
Ron Wiggins	St. Augustine	26	518	19.9(7)
Rick Taylor	Kearny	32	505	15.8
Robin Harvey	Mar Vista	24	479	20.0(6)
Dean Miller	Poway	26	470	18.1(10)
Ron McFarlin	Lincoln	31	469	15.1
Joe Sobkowiak	Clairemont	25	462	18.5(8)
Paul Robinson	Poway	28	457	16.3
Gary Walin	Bonita Vista	27	450	16.7
Terry Belsan	Marian	27	446	16.5
Eddie Newell	Crawford	27	446	16.5
Dan O’Neill	Marian	29	438	15.1
Kerman	La Jolla	29	437	15.1
Richard Ridgway	Monte Vista	26	435	16.7
John Frise	Bonita Vista	29	435	15.0
Tom Ford	Granite Hills	25	381	15.2
		CLASS A
Dan Stockalper	Ramona	26	580	22.3
Clarence Clark	San Diego Military	19	490	25.8
Partch	Julian	23	404	17.6
Kyle Spain	La Jolla Country Day	16	363	22.7
Dave Cook	Francis Parker	16	310	19.4
Temple	Army-Navy	16	258	16.1

ONE SEASON

NAME	SCHOOL	YEAR	POINTS	AVERAGE
Bill Walton	Helix	1969-70	958	29.0
Ralph Drollinger	Grossmont	1971-72	868	27.4
Dave Smith	Madison	1969-70	776	26.8
Wilburn Strong	Kearny	1968-69	774	25.8
Phil Edwards	Madison	1968-69	766	23.9
George Evans	St. Augustine	1969-70	748	23.4
Larry Blum	Crawford	1962-63	737	23.8
Tom Shaules	St. Augustine	1957-58	736	28.3
Paul Halupa	Bonita Vista	1968-69	718	28.7
Von Jacobsen	Crawford	1965-66	712	24.6
Cedric (Ric) Reed	Morse	1969-70	711	24.5
Clarence Brown	Lincoln	1969-70	709	24.4
Ron Dahms	Madison	1967-68	706	22.1
Mark Fitzner	Patrick Henry	1973-74	704	22.7

ONE GAME

NAME	SCHOOL	YEAR	POINTS
Tom Shaules	St. Augustine	1957-58	60
Rob Petrie	Julian	1969-70	60
Shaules			53
Dave Moore	San Marcos	1973-74	51
Bill Walton	Helix	1969-70	50
Shaules		1956-57	49
Jody Schmitz	Fallbrook	1972-73	49
Ken Leininger	Morse	1963-64	49
Bill Flohr	Julian	1960-61	48
Frank Petersen	Clairemont	1967-68	48
Paul Lockridge	Fallbrook	1950-51	47
Bill Froehling	Army-Navy	1960-61	47
Tim Doerr	Granite Hills	1968-69	47
Blaine Bundy	El Capitan	1965-66	46
Earl May	San Dieguito	1967-68	46

The season and game scoring tables above are historically complete through 1973-74.

TOURNAMENTS

Three local events, the 27^th Kiwanis, ninth University, and fourth Baron-Optimist, took the pre-league spotlight.

KIWANIS

Hoover or San Diego won the event 8 times in the first 10 years of the event and usually was a finalist in years they didn’t win.

The Cardinals and Cavers were dropped into the Limited Division this year because of declining enrollment and recent years of mediocrity.

No matter. San Diego whipped El Cajon Valley, 74-27, and Hoover mashed Orange Glen, 70-45, in opening-round games.  San Diego defeated Hoover, 61-58, for the division championship.

Patrick Henry extended its winning streak to 26 games, including 1972-73, and rocked Santana, 68-38, in the Unlimited Division final. Mark Fitzner had 22 points, 14 rebounds and made 55 per cent of his shots from the floor.

The Cavers’ James Pipkins was spotted wearing a Bonita Vista wrestling shirt after an 86-64 win over Bonita Vista.  “My collection includes a shirt from almost every school in the County,” said Pipkins.

Lincoln topped Brawley, 55-45, for the Classified championship.

Grossmont claimed fifth place in the Limited Division, 76-66, over Hilltop despite 36 points by the Lancers’ Mike Milke, whose total was a tournament high for one game.

COVINA

Poway lost to Long Beach Millikan, 68-60, beat Santa Fe Springs Santa Fe, 57-37, beat Pasadena Blair, 67-63, and lost to West Covina, 78-55, in the consolation bracket semifinals.

EL CENTRO ELKS

Dave (Score) Moore made 21×29 field goal attempts and 9×11 free throw attempts to score 51 points in a 78-42 San Marcos win over Imperial. Moore’s total was the highest since St. Augustine’s Tom Shaules scored 60 in 1957-58 and Rob Petrie of Julian scored 60 in 1969-70.

The Knights dropped the Limited Division championship game to Calipatria, 35-33.  Coronado beat Antelope, Arizona, 83-58, for third place. San Pasqual topped Orange Glen, 57-47, for the Limited consolation title.

BRETHREN

Christian’s trip to the Huntington Beach was short-lived.  The Patriots were defeated by Cerritos Gahr, 100-54, and Montebello Cantwell, 77-56.

CHINO

Escondido was chased out in the first round by Claremont, 67-47, and in consolation play by Montclair, 78-55

RIVERSIDE RUBIDOUX

After a 66-61 loss to Colton, Vista rebounded to defeat Bloomington, 61-43, and Riverside Norte Vista, 49-39, for consolation honors.

TRACY

Mount Miguel traveled 450 miles to the community east of Oakland and lost to the host school, 81-74, and defeated Stockton Franklin, 80-61. We’re still looking for the Matadors’ next-game result.

POST-NEW YEAR

Thirty-one teams entered the University and Baron Optimist tournaments, which began after the first of the new year for the first time. Seedings for both tournaments were done before the season.

The seeds held up at Uni, as Kearny was ranked No. 1 and Patrick Henry No. 2, with Lincoln 3 and Hoover 4.  The Baron-Optimist seeds, not so much.  Monte Vista, with a 5-4 record, was ranked ahead of 9-2 Morse and 11-1 San Diego, with the host Barons seeded fourth with a 4-6 record.

UNI

Kearny topped Patrick Henry in the Kiwanis rematch, 49-47.  Hoover edged El Capitan, 53-52, for third place.  Lincoln beat Santana, 52-45, for fifth, and Granite Hills won consolation by outscoring La Jolla, 45-41.

BARON-OPTIMIST

Bonita Vista lived up to its seeding and even upset No 2 Morse, 64-62, in the semifinals, while unseeded Helix beat Marian, 58-47, pitting two surprising clubs in the finals, the finish of which veered from usual script.

Helix led, 67-66, and had the ball with 22 seconds remaining in the game, at which time the Highlanders signaled for a time out.

Oops.

The Scots did not have any time outs, as was pointed out by the official scorekeeper.

The Barons’ Gary Walin stepped to the line and converted the technical free throw to tie the score at 67.

Bonita Vista then took possession of the ball at side court and worked the ball to Bart Helms, who drilled a 15-footer with 6 seconds left and the Chula Vista squad escaped with a 68-67 victory.

FIRST ROUND PLAYOFFS

Hoover’s 13-1 run at the end of the second quarter led to a 37-29 halftime lead in a 71-55 victory over Marian (21-8). San Diego walloped San Marcos (15-12), 76-58.  Kearny conquered Chula Vista (16-13), 60-45.  Lincoln edged University (13-14), 68-64.  Helix beat Poway (21-7), 76-71.  Henry nipped Mount Miguel (16-12), 62-59, and Grossmont ousted La Jolla (15-14), 46-35.

QUARTERFINALS

Charles McLemore scored all of Lincoln’s overtime points to eliminate San Diego (24-6), 70-69.  The teams were deadlocked, 64-64, after regulation play.  Patrick Henry retired Grossmont (20-9), 56-48.  Kearny dumped Vista (16-10), 76-47, and Hoover, which went to a press against Marian, continued pressing and beat Helix, 55-43.

SEMIFINALS

Hoover topped Lincoln (25-5), 77-63.  Kearny again beat Patrick Henry (23-8), 73-57.

FINALS

Kearny dispatched Hoover (24-8), 71-50 (Search 1973-74: Kearny’s Double Unbeaten Komets).

SWEET IT IS

Sweetwater would finish 1-23 this season and took special delight in its only win, which snapped the Red Devils’ latest losing streak at 22.  Coach Gary Zarecky’s battlers knocked off blood rival Chula Vista, 9-2 in league play and 15-10 overall, 49-46.

HIS BEST

Evening Tribune writer and basketball maven Bill Finley picked his favorite players: 1—Mark Fitzner, Patrick Henry. 2—Donald Page, Kearny. 3—Rick Taylor, Kearny. 4—Mike Milke, Hilltop. 5—Mark Hoaglin, Kearny, 6—Terry Belsan, Marian

MILITARY TRAVEL

Clarence Clark of San Diego Military Academy, which had an enrollment of 200 students, averaged 25.8 points and had been the Southern League player of the year in baseball as well as basketball.

During the summer Clark played for the Los Angeles High Romans near his home. Clark’s father, a retired Army major, sent his son to the military school in Del Mar.

“Let’s face it,” said Eagles coach Rick Stewart.  “The teams in this league aren’t world beaters, but he could play anywhere.  People ignore Clarence because he plays at San Diego Military, not Kearny.”

JUMP SHOTS

Poway’s 108-79 win over San Dieguito bettered the Titans’ record, which had come in a 90-50 win over Orange Glen in December, 1971…San Dieguito (10-17) got even with the Titans in the rematch, 66-63, with a 21-11 fourth quarter…winless Poway Christian after a series of blowouts suspended its program and forfeited the remaining three games on its schedule…Jeff Worley’s two free throws with 5 seconds left got Coronado past Vista, 45-44…Marian’s Terry Belsan was 8×8 from the floor and 9×9 from the free throw line for 25 points and had 21 rebounds in an 88-53 win over Point Loma…Mike Milke scored 24 of his 33 points in the first half as Hilltop ran away from Montgomery, 76-59…St. Augustine’s Ron Wiggins scored 17 of his 33 points from the free throw line but Patrick Henry held on for a 79-74 victory…Wiggins scored 15 fourth-quarter points and the Saints won the quarter, 27-15, but couldn’t overcome Henry’s 67-47 lead….