A LITTLE BIT OF STRATEGY GOES A LONG WAY VERSATILITY HELPS HART.

Byline: Scott Magoloff Staff Writer

VALENCIA - There are too many differences to list when explaining the improvement of the Hart High of Newhall boys' basketball team.

Perhaps the most significant change for the Indians (8-12, 2-2), who went 1-9 in Foothill League play last season, has been in the rotation coach David Montgomery designed for his guards positions and small forward.

The rotation begins with Tamir Barkan at point guard and Travis Nichol at shooting guard. The pair switches defensively, allowing Nichol's stalwart play to pressure the opposing point guard and free up Barkan on offense.

Kyle Matter, who led the Hart football team to the Southern Section Division III championship as the quarterback, has been starting at small forward. His 6-foot-3 frame and long arms, along with his defense, creates mismatches in Hart's favor.

When it comes time to make substitutions, one of the team's captains, Casey Johnson, has been the first one off the bench. He moves into the shooting guard spot and displaces Nichol, who then replaces Matter at small forward.

Matter's versatility allows him to move to the four or five spot or rest on the bench when Johnson enters the game. Matter's ability to play multiple positions and Johnson's satisfaction with being switched from a starter to reserve have been keys to the rotation. Johnson had been starting until a sprained ankle kept him out of the lineup for a few games.

``He's a starter, but he's not a starter,'' Montgomery said of Johnson, who is the team's third-leading scorer at 8.5 points per game. ``He says, `Coach, (I'll do it) if it's better for me to come off the bench.' That's the type of kid he is. Travis is playing good defense and he understands that.''

This level of versatility permits the Indians to assume different identities depending upon their opponent. For instance, when Hart beat Valencia last week, center Tom Dolinsky was called for two early fouls. Matter filled in as center and joined Liam Waters, Nichol, Johnson and Barkan for the majority of the game.

The four-guard lineup may be used again tonight, when Hart plays at Burbank. The Bulldogs (11-7, 2-2) are coming off a heartbreaking double-overtime loss to cross-town rival Burroughs of Burbank on Tuesday and have the similar high-tempo style of play as Valencia.

``I'm ready to go to that, definitely,'' Montgomery said. ``We'll do whatever it takes to put ourselves in a position to win.''

--Thin and thinner: It was bad enough for Canyon of Canyon Country when forward John Divon was lost for the season. Things only worsened when forward Thomas Kemp sprained an ankle and missed two games. He may be out another week or more, coach David Humphreys said.

Just when Humphreys thought the situation could only get better, forward Brian Waite sprained an ankle in practice Monday. He played through the pain in Tuesday's 64-57 loss to Valencia and scored eight points but was physically limited. Waite averages 11 points per game, the team's second-highest total, and a team-high eight rebounds per game.

The forward position for the Cowboys is now without any reserves, unless Humphreys substitutes a player out of position. Jeremy Haggerty stepped into Kemp's role and had 13 points against Valencia (8-11, 2-2).

``We have no backups whatsoever,'' Humphreys said. ``There's nobody behind Haggerty and Waite. They'll be carrying a lot of minutes until Thomas can get back.''

--Etc.: Saugus (13-7, 2-2) hasn't resembled the league-title contender it was predicted to be at the start of Foothill League play. Coach Jeff Hallman said his players have been playing with a lack of discipline, although he saw promise in the Centurions' 59-49 victory over Hart on Tuesday.

``Everybody tries to make a great play on every pass and that's not always the way the game goes,'' Hallman said. ``We need good ball movement, make the extra pass, get good shots and knock them down.'' . . .

Canyon's Matt Nelsen has seen his scoring average dip from 18 points per game to about eight since the start of league play. With Jeff Gucelski's return last week - he scored 15 points Tuesday - defenses will have to stop focusing solely on Nelsen. . . . Hart's loss to Saugus on Tuesday was the second game in a stretch that has the Indians playing four of five games on the road. They end the season with consecutive home games against Saugus and Burbank.