2002 PREVIEW BOYS' BASKETBALL: THE FOOTHILL LEAGUE'S NO. 1 CONTENDER IMPROVED VALENCIA EXPECTED TO CHALLENGE HART.Byline: Ramona Shelburne Ramona Shelburne is an American sports journalist currently writing for the Los Angeles Daily News. Shelburne was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She attended El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills, California where she was a class valedictorian. Staff Writer The Valencia Valencia, region, Spain Valencia (välān`thēä), autonomous region (1990 pop. 3,902,429) and former kingdom, E Spain, on the Mediterranean. It now comprises the provinces of Alicante, Castellón, and Valencia. High boys' basketball team might have finished 13-13 last year, including a 5-5 mark in the Foothill League, but the Vikings Vikings, Scandinavian warriors who raided the coasts of Europe and the British Isles from the 9th cent. to the 11th cent. During the Neolithic period the Scandinavians had lived in small autonomous communities as farmers, fishermen, and hunters. are the team opposing coaches and players say is the top contender for defending league champion Hart. ``We're expecting them to come back real well this year,'' said Hart's Adam Rich Adam Rich (born on October 12 1968) is an American actor born in Brooklyn, New York City. He is arguably best remembered for playing youngest son Nicholas Bradford on the 1970s television drama Eight is Enough , a first team all-league forward last year. ``I think Valencia has a real good athletic team.'' Added Hart point guard Mike Gentry: ``Valencia's definitely a rival. They have some real athletic players, and Curtis (Dunwoody) is a great shooter.'' Despite losing seven players to graduation Graduation is the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the associated ceremony. The date of event is often called degree day. The event itself is also called commencement, convocation or invocation. , including all-league pick Ryan Zike, Valencia returns one of the most imposing big men in the league in 6-foot-8, 250-pound senior center Andrew Rucker and one of the top point guards in 6-2 senior Scott Domingo. Rucker averaged 10 points and 11 rebounds last year, and Valencia co-coach Rocket Collins said he's gotten bigger, stronger and faster. Domingo, who played a little bit of everything last year, was converted to point guard in the offseason. Domingo is replacing Mike Morales, who averaged 12 points and five assists last year. ``He's almost like a coach on the floor,'' Collins said of Domingo. ``I decided to make him the point guard because he reads the floor so well.'' Add 6-0 senior marksman Curtis Dunwoody to the mix, and Valencia has one of the best side-out games in the league. Dunwoody, Collins said, is a heady head·y adj. head·i·er, head·i·est 1. a. Intoxicating or stupefying: heady liqueur. b. player and pure 3-point shooter capable of putting up big numbers. ``He's fun to watch,'' Domingo said of Collins. ``He's a real flashy player.'' Senior Brett Bissett has earned the starting nod at power forward and is expected to be among Valencia's leading rebounders. At the beginning of last year, Bissett was one of the guys near the end of the bench. However, ``By the end of the year, he played some important minutes for us,'' Collins said. Junior guard Allen Al·len , Edgar 1892-1943. American anatomist who is noted for his studies of hormones and for the discovery (1923) of estrogen. Husted will add another outside scoring threat, and senior transfer Triayr Owens will be an explosive player once he works his way into the system. Tony Kerr, an All-Southern Section selection in volleyball volleyball, outdoor or indoor ball and net game played on a level court. An upright net, 3 ft (or 1 m) high, the top of which stands 8 ft (2.43 m) from the ground for men, 7 ft 4 1/8 in (2. , will see time at guard and forward. Junior Jason Lot will back up Domingo at point guard. ``We had some talent last year but were never able to put it together,'' Collins said. I think we're going to be a lot better this year because we play a lot better together as a team.'' AT A GLANCE Team: Valencia boys' basketball Coach: Rocket Collins 2001 Record: 13-13, 5-5 in Foothill League League finish: Tied for 3rd Key returnees: Andrew Rucker (Sr., C); Scott Domingo (Sr., PG); Curtis Dunwoody (Sr., G); Brett Bissett (Sr., F); Allen Husted (Jr., G) Top newcomers: Jason Lot (Jr., G.); Triayr Owens (Sr., F/G.); Tony Kerr (Jr., G); Aaron Smith Aaron Smith may refer to:
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