BOYS' BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS: AGOURA: SURPRISE TEAM : LEPISTO LED CHARGERS INTO THE POSTSEASON.Byline: Jim Inghram Daily News Staff Writer If there was a surprise team in the Marmonte League The Marmonte League is a high school sports league primarily made up of schools from Ventura County. The Marmonte Leauge is part of the CIF Southern Section. Click here to view the league schedule. , a team that nobody expected to be playing after the regular season ended, it was Agoura. The Chargers were expected to finish at or near the bottom in the league standings. There seemed to be little hope of cracking the top four, let alone make it to one of the guaranteed playoff play·off also play-off n. Sports 1. A final game or series of games played to break a tie. 2. A series of games played to determine a championship. Noun 1. spots in the top three. The Chargers suffered heavy losses to graduation from a team that finished fourth last season. Only three players had any significant varsity action and the tallest player was 6-foot-4 - and he was a sophomore. ``We kind of had to piece a team together,'' said coach Bill Sanchez. ``A lot of kids that hadn't played varsity before had to come through.'' They did. With a little guidance from the team's one certainty, Garrett Lepisto. Lepisto, a 6-2 shooting guard The Shooting guard (SG), also known as the two or off guard,[1] is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. , turned in the type of season you would expect from a third-year varsity player. Lepisto, a standout wide receiver on the Chargers' football team, was one of the league's top scorers with a 19-point per game average. However, it was Lepisto's intangibles that might have meant the most. ``We knew Garrett was going to be our cornerstone, our go to guy,'' said Sanchez. ``He had a heavy load to carry and for the most part he carried it.'' He didn't do it all, of course. There were contributions from Mike Patterson For the baseball player, see . Mike Patterson (born September 1, 1983 in Sacramento, California) is an American football defensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL. , Adam Sacks, Andrew Morrow and sophomore Adam Allegro (operating system) Allegro - The code name for the major Mac OS release due in mid-1998. http://devworld.apple.com/mkt/informed/appledirections/mar97/roadmap.html. , but when it came to crunch time and Agoura needed a basket, the ball was always in Lepisto's hands. ``I knew I would be the guy in our offense this year,'' Lepisto said, ``but I welcomed it. I want the ball. I couldn't wait to be the focal point focal point n. See focus. .'' He led the Chargers to a 7-5 league record and third-place finish Noun 1. third-place finish - a finish in third place (as in a race) finish - designated event that concludes a contest (especially a race); "excitement grew as the finish neared"; "my horse was several lengths behind at the finish"; "the winner is the team with the . The team is 13-13 overall. Four of the five league losses were to the top two teams Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. and Newbury Park. The other was at Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks, residential city (1990 pop. 104,352), Ventura co., S Calif., in a farm area; inc. 1964. Avocados, citrus, vegetables, strawberries, and nursery products are grown. . Even in those losses, Lepisto made his presence felt. He scored 26 points in the league finale Friday against Simi Valley. It was one of the highest individual point totals allowed by the Pioneers. ``Garrett is a very good player,'' said Simi Valley's Brett Michel. ``I've been playing against him for a long time. He's always been one of the top athletes. He was definitely the guy you had to stop when you played Agoura.'' As much as Lepisto stands out on the basketball court, he is an even better football player. He set school records for receptions in a season (62) and most yards in a game (223) and it's the sport that he figures to continue playing at the university level. For now, Lepisto has at least one high school basketball game left. The one tonight against Redondo in the first round of the Southern Section II-AA playoffs. It's another challenge for the Chargers and Lepisto, who have been meeting them all season. ``We had some high goals set for ourselves,'' Lepisto said. ``People underestimated us, but I thought we would be good enough top earn a playoff spot. I think we proved some people wrong.'' TODAY'S GAME AGOURA AT REDONDO Records: Agoura 13-13, 7-5; Redondo 19-6, 10-0 Redondo outlook: The Sea Hawks Sea´ hawk` 1. (Zool.) A jager gull. have one of the best big men in the national class of 2000 in 6-foot-9 Andrew Zahn. He can play with his back to the basket but is just as adept at roaming out to the wing and can hit his jumper from 15-feet out consistently. He averages near 20 points and 10 rebounds a game. The Sea Hawks also return point guard Keith Allison, who missed significant action with a stress fracture stress fracture n. A fatigue fracture of bone caused by repeated application of a heavy load, such as the constant pounding on a surface by runners, gymnasts, and dancers. in his foot. ``This is the first time we've had everyone available in six weeks,'' said Redondo coach Jim Neilsen. Agoura advantages: The Chargers have sharp-shooter Garrett Lepisto and good team cohesiveness. Agoura disadvantages: At 6-foot-4, sophomore Adam Allegro is the tallest Agoura player. He will be at a severe height disadvantage against Zahn. What has to happen for Agoura to win: Coach Bills Sanchez said: ``We will have to shoot well to give ourselves a chance. We will have our hands full, that's for sure.'' The Chargers must also guard against allowing a big man to go wild. Friday, Rafael Berumen had 53 points and 24 rebounds. Zahn is just as good as Berumen. Directions: 101 south, 405 south, exit Hawthorne Blvd. west, to Del Amo south, go west to Vincent Park Rd. TEAM-BY-TEAM BOYS' BASKETBALL PLAYOFF ANALYSIS Westlake didn't know they made the playoffs until Monday, but their opponent, Dominguez of Compton, is very well known. The Warriors, overlooked on Sunday, replaced Moorpark as the USA Today USA Today National U.S. daily general-interest newspaper, the first of its kind. Launched in 1982 by Allen Neuharth, head of the Gannett newspaper chain, it reached a circulation of one million within a year and surpassed two million in the 1990s. ninth-ranked Dons' opponent in the first round of the Southern Section Division II-AA playoffs. The game is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday at Dominguez. ``We're happy to be there,'' said Westlake coach Gary Grayson. ``The kids are excited to play a team like Dominguez.'' SIMI VALLEY Record, league finish: 25-2, 12-0, first place Coach: Dean Bradshaw Key starters: Rafael Berumen (24 ppg, 10.9 rpg), Branduinn Fullove (17.0 ppg), Brett Michel (17.6 ppg), Shaun Michel, Dustin Villepigue Key reserve: Tony Ward Biggest win: Too numerous to single out. Biggest loss: To St. Anthony of New Jersey in December at the Reebok Ree´bok` n. 1. (Zool.) The peele. Invitational in·vi·ta·tion·al adj. Restricted to invited participants: an invitational golf tournament. n. An event, especially a sports tournament, restricted to invited participants. Adj. 1. national tournament in San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. . It was also the team's last loss. How they got there: Won the Marmonte League Strengths: Many. Every starter is capable of scoring and each fulfills his role well. The Pioneers are an offensive machine and play a tough, aggressive defense that fuels their fast break. Weaknesses: The Pioneers are a little thin in terms of depth and are not as quick as some of the top teams in the division. How far can they go? Simi Valley could easily win the division, but getting through Mater Dei Mater Dei is Latin for "Mother of God", referring to the Virgin Mary. The term has been used to name various institutions, often Catholic, including:
Miscellani: The Pioneers are a little banged up - Fullove (ankle) and Berumen (knee). Fullove is questionable. . . . Team scored more than 100 points four times and more than 90 nine times. Intangibles: The maturation maturation /mat·u·ra·tion/ (mach-u-ra´shun) 1. the process of becoming mature. 2. attainment of emotional and intellectual maturity. 3. of sophomore point guard Shaun Michel has elevated the Pioneers to a championship-caliber team. Point-guard play was the ingredient missing from last season's team. WESTLAKE Record, league finish: 11-15, 4-8, tied for fourth place Coach: Gary Grayson Key starters: Tyler Adamczyk, Jake DeGennaro (17.0 ppg), Dan Dehner, Jake Pullen, Albert Kim Key reserve: Mike Field Biggest win: The ruling the Southern Section made to allow them into the playoffs. Biggest loss: The ruling the Southern Section made to allow them into the playoffs. How they got there: At-large entrant en·trant n. One that enters, especially one that enters a competition. [French, from present participle of entrer, to enter, from Old French; see enter. from the Marmonte League. Strengths: Play of guard Jake Degennaro and post player Tyler Adamczyk. Weaknesses The Warriors lack height and bulk in the post. How far can they go?: To Compton and back. The Warriors will be out after the first round. CAPTION(S): 2 Boxes BOX: (1) TODAY'S GAME (See text) (2) TEAM-BY-TEAM BOYS' BASKETBALL PLAYOFF ANALYSIS (See text) |
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