CHATTER: VALENCIA COACH OK AFTER SURGERY.

Byline: GERRY GITTELSON Staff Writer

Valencia High boys' basketball coach Rocket Collins is in good condition following emergency hernia surgery last Tuesday and again Sunday. Collins, 52, is scheduled to be released in a few days from Holy Cross in Mission Hills.

``I'm feeling much better now,'' Collins said. ``I was up walking around (Thursday) morning, just trying to get my strength back. The doctors told me that they can't believe how well I'm doing. I've had a lot of support from everyone during the last couple of days -- the administration at the school, my fellow teachers, my players. It's been great.''

Former USC quarterback Matt Leinart is scheduled to co-host a ceremony for the Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year nominees at a pre-ESPY award luncheon, July 12 in Hollywood.

Five Little League teams remain undefeated in the District 40 baseball tournament (12-under), including favorite Northridge (2-0), which has outscored opponents 32-0 and has allowed a total of one hit.

Led by power hitters Bretton Bowman (two home runs) and Kirby Shaw (two home runs), Northridge, celebrating its 50th anniversary, faces either Sherman Oaks (1-0) or defending district champion Woodland Hills (1-0) in a winner's bracket semifinal at 5:15 p.m. Monday at Woodland Hills. In the other semifinal, Granada Hills (2-0), which won the Little League World Series in 1963, faces Encino (2-0) at 2:15 p.m. Sunday at Woodland Hills.

The winner of the 13-team district tournament advances to the Sectionals, followed by the Southern California Divisionals, the Western Regionals, then the World Series in Williamsport, Pa.

Keri Lemasters from Santa Clarita is among 30 players selected to attend the USA Baseball Women's National Team trials later this month. Amber Slaton of Van Nuys is an alternate.

After the final 18-player roster is announced July 23, the team will head to Taiwan for the IBAF World Cup.

Calabasas graduate and USC sophomore tennis standout Amanda Fink is one of 12 players selected to compete on the 2006 USTA Summer Collegiate Team.

Fink, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Rookie of the Year, is joined on the team by USC teammate and NCAA national runner-up Lindsey Nelson.

Harvard-Westlake of Studio City's Ryan Thacher and Thousand Oaks' JT Sundling begin competition Sunday in the USTA 16-under Intersectional Team Championships at Pierremont Oaks Tennis Club in Shreveport, La.

Campbell Hall of North Hollywood's Katarina Reveche has been selected for the second consecutive year to represent Southern California at the USTA 18-under National Team Championships.

The competition, formerly known as the Junior Federation Cup, will be held Aug. 1-4 at Blackhawk Country Club in Danville. Reveche and Mission Viejo's Maggie Mello are the veterans on this year's seven-player Southern California roster.

Sean Ceglinsky and Erik Boal contributed.

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