BIG MAN ON AND OFF THE COURT: A CHANGE FOR THE BETTER TROY ROSS, WHO RAN WITH L.A. GANGS, FINDS A NEW LEASE ON LIFE AT QUARTZ HILL.

Byline: Kevin Connelly Special to the Daily News

Quartz Hill High center Troy Ross remembers when his basketball career - and his life - did not appear so promising.

Ross, who leads the Rebels with 18 points and 13.6 rebounds per game, was a 15-year-old freshman at Jefferson High of Los Angeles immersed in the violent gang scene in South Central Los Angeles. Schoolwork was secondary at best, and his grades dropped so low, graduating seemed remote.

``I was just involved with the wrong people back then,'' said Ross, now a senior. ``I didn't play ball at all. There were some things I needed to get away from, and I came to Quartz Hill to start a better life.''

The turning point came his sophomore year, when his family moved to the Antelope Valley, and he enrolled at the local high school. Ross adapted quickly to his new surroundings, but there still was the difficult task of making up the classes to graduate.

At 6-foot-5, 274 pounds, Ross couldn't help drawing the attention of boys' basketball coach Bernard Nichter. Initially wary of the youngster's inexperience and troubled background, Nichter began to notice Ross' potential on and off the court.

``I'll be honest,'' Nichter said. ``I really didn't think too much of Troy's (basketball ability) at first. If you would have told me a few years ago he'd be this good, I would have called you crazy.

``But what I always like to do in evaluating talent is play with the kid before I judge him. When I played with Troy for the first time, I realized he was impossible to move. I've never coached anybody so naturally strong.''

By his junior year at Quartz Hill, Ross was playing a significant role for a team that finished 19-7 overall and won the Golden League with a 9-1 record. Ross averaged 7.8 points and a team-high 9.4 rebounds.

Despite his new-found success, Ross still experienced setbacks. Jeff Smith, the coach at Highland of Palmdale, said Ross occasionally lost his temper in games, argued with officials and berated teammates.

It was not until Quartz Hill defeated Highland 60-44 last week that Smith noticed a difference in Ross.

``Troy has really matured a lot this year as a person and a player,'' Smith said. ``He is still very powerful, and he will not back down to anyone, but it seems like he has learned to contain his temper this year.''

Although Nichter considers his center too raw to be a top Division I prospect, Ross has 14 double-doubles in the first 19 games this year. He had five in 26 games last year.

Quartz Hill also features junior guard Alex Dantzler, who averages 14.5 points per game and a team-best 4.3 steals per game.

With the graduation of top scorers Lawrence Tyson (24.4 points per game) and Nate Forte (17.6), the Rebels (9-10, 2-2) already have lost more games than last year's team.

But Quartz Hill defeated league-favorite Lancaster 70-64 Dec. 21 in the San Fernando Valley Tournament. The Rebels will face Lancaster twice this year in league, on Friday night at Lancaster (11-7, 3-0) and Feb. 3 at Quartz Hill.

More important to Ross than his double-doubles is his grade-point average, which is better than 3.0. He is scheduled to graduate on time.

With help from Nichter, family and friends, he certainly has come a long way.

``Troy has a big heart, and he's really a good kid,'' Nichter said. ``He's got a tough exterior and all, but he's a big softie.''

Kevin Connelly, [phone]

dnlasports(at)dailynews.com

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(1 -- 2) Senior Troy Ross, below, uses his 6-foot-5, 274-pound frame to dominate in the pivot for Quartz Hill. Ross credits Rebels coach Bernard Nichter, above with Ross, as a guiding influence in his life.

Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer