AVC NOTEBOOK AVC HOPES TO MAKE CHANGE IN DIRECTION BUT MARAUDERS ARE IMPROVING.

Byline: Sean Ceglinsky Staff Writer

Adversity tends to make any good athletic program stronger.

On the final day of the 49th annual Antelope Valley College-McDonald's mens basketball tournament, the Antelope Valley College men's team took a step in the right direction with an 86-80 victory over Santa Monica in the consolation final.

Entering Sunday's second day of the tournament, the Marauders had lost three straight games, a streak AVC coach Newton Chelette never envisioned. But after receiving balanced scoring and rebounding in the last two games, the Marauders' team chemistry is visible to Chelette, in his 13th year as head coach.

Against Santa Monica, all-tournament selections Jimmy White and Brady Chelette scored 29 and 25 points; Bo Segeberg had a career-high 37 in a 87-79 overtime victory over Canyons.

White, Chelette and Segeberg were able to concentrate on scoring thanks in large part to the play of Roger Price, who at 6-foot-5 and 200 pounds was a force inside.

Price, an Antelope Valley High graduate, had a tournament-best 32 rebounds in three games. Price's game high 16 rebounds against Santa Monica included 12 offensive rebounds, which he converted into 14 points.

--Upset minded: Entering the tournament with just one victory on the season, Los Angeles Trade Tech wasn't expected to pose much of a threat to any of the eight-team field.

Did that stop the Beavers?

No.

After opening the tournament, Nov. 30th, with a 73-71 victory over the Marauders, followed by a one-point win over Mira Costa in the second round, L.A. Trade Tech saved its best for last.

The Beavers' improbable run through the tournament culminated on Sunday with a 68-67 victory in the championship game against Moorpark, ranked No. 10 in the state,.

``If the tournament was on the books in Vegas and someone put their money on L.A. Trade Tech to win, well, let's just say they would've won a lot of money,'' said AVC sports information director Glen Haller. ``It just proves that this is the toughest eight-team tournament in the state.''

In the finals against Moorpark, all-tournament selection Gerrod Jenkins scored 20 points and tournament most valuable player Ben Davis scored added 10 for the Beavers, who improved to 4-4.

The all-tournament team:

--Moorpark's Devin Montgomery, T.K. Reed and Lester Strong.

--L.A. Trade Tech's Jimmy Baker and George Gilpen.

--Mt. San Jacinto's Derrick Jones.

--More hardware: The women's team also finished as consolation champions after a 72-51 victory over Grossmont in the Cuesta tournament on Saturday.

Palmdale High graduate Kristel Jones continued her solid play for the Maruaders (6-4). A 5-foot-8 freshman, Jones averages 15 points per game. She equaled her average in all three games of the tournament and collected 23 rebounds.

In charge of running the offense and distributing the ball, Jameka Taylor had season highs in assists (8) against Orange Coast and Monterey Peninsula. The 5-4 freshman had five assists against Grossmont on Saturday and averaged eight points in the tournament.

The Marauders will be looking for their third consecutive victory at 5:30 tonight against Bakersfield at Maruader Gym in a nonconference game.