For the second time this decade, head coach Tim Sweeney Jr. and his squad at M.L. King of Riverside have beaten Mater Dei of Santa Ana in a historical boys basketball game. The 71-56 win in the CIF Southern Section finals will drop the previously unbeaten Monarchs from No. 1 in the state and nation.

By Ronnie Flores, Senior Editor

Since it happened, Mater Dei of Santa Ana, the nation's No. 1 team in the ESPN RISE FAB 50 boys basketball ratings, had not missed a beat. "It" is the season-ending injury to Stanford-bound forward Andy Brown that occurred on January 28 in a 102-57 Trinity League rout of Anaheim Servite.

Mater Dei continued to roll through the end of its regular season schedule and on into the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern Section playoffs. The injury was eventually going to be a factor for the Monarchs, but with a lineup that included four other players bound for major colleges, they had hoped to weather the storm and complete an undefeated season and capture the program's first mythical national boys basketball title.

It wasn't to be, as Martin Luther King of Riverside took control of Saturday night's CIFSS Div. I-AA title game with a decisive 15-0 run that began at the end of the third period. Mater Dei trailed the Wolves 41-35 after three periods and was never able to make a run of its own as King won its second straight divisional title with a 71-56 victory.

"This was our team, Andy didn't play," remarked Mater Dei head coach Gary McKnight. "King played with a purpose and sometimes it hard to hold up when you got a big bulls-eye on your back."

McKnight did not want to make excuses for the loss in the light of Brown's season-ending injury, but the Mater Dei players felt his absence.

"Andy would have guarded Kawhi Leonard," remarked Mater Dei point guard Gary Franklin. "Not to take anything away from David (Wear), but we could have used him more on offense as guarding Kawhi took away some of his legs on the offensive end."

Guarding Leonard was a big chore indeed, as he came out and hit the game's first field goal on a long three-pointer from the top of the key and never let up. He dominated the glass and neutralized the Wear twins, David and Travis, with his length and defensive instincts. San Diego State head coach Steve Fisher has to be smiling from ear to ear as the Aztecs' signee finished with 11 points, 20 rebounds, three steals and six blocked shots, not to mention the scoring opportunities he created for teammates with his unselfish play.

"They were emotionally fired up and we didn't match it," McKnight added. "Leonard was the best player on the floor tonight."(Read full post)

ESPN analyst still part of state boys-girls hoops combo record, at least until Mater Dei this year gets done…..Basketball coaches land milestone wins….California basketball players not doing well when they initially decide to play east of the Mississippi River….Plus, Oak Grove football coach steps down.

By Mark Tennis, Executive Editor
Contributing: Steve Brand, Ronnie Flores

It's unknown if any high school in America has ever gone unbeaten in both boys and girls basketball and won state titles in the same season. It's probably happened somewhere, sometime but the accomplishment doesn't appear in any record book in the ESPN RISE filing cabinet.

It's definitely never happened in California and there's still a good chance it will happen this year with the boys and girls teams at Mater Dei High in Santa Ana.

The Monarch boys, coached by Gary McKnight, which are No. 1 in this week's ESPN RISE FAB 50 national rankings, will need to win out and earn the California Interscholastic Federation Division I title. The Monarch girls, coached by Kevin Kiernan, who are No. 3 in the FAB 50 this week, will have to do it in Division II.

Around the nation, the higher division isn't always the most difficult, but this year in California it's clearly going to be harder for Mater Dei's boys to win in Division I than it will be for the girls in Division II.

The current state record in California for the best combo record in one season for boys-girls basketball was set in 1982 by Drake of San Anselmo (near San Francisco). Drake went 34-0 on the boys side and went 31-2 for the girls that year in winning CIF state titles for a 65-2 combo record.

One of the best players on that Drake boys team was guard Steve Lavin, the former UCLA head coach and current ESPN college basketball analyst.

Coaching Milestones Around The State

Mike LeDuc (Glendora): The venerable LeDuc reached a major milestone with his 700th win in a 49-37 victory over Diamond Bar in a Sierra League game. LeDuc started coaching at Damian High in 1979 and has won four Southern Section titles at Glendora. Known for his zone defense, LeDuc coached California legends like Casey Jacobsen (1996-99) and Tracy Murray (1987-89).

Mark Lehman (Cajon, San Bernardino): Although Cajon suffered a setback to Mater Dei (Santa Ana) last weekend, the Cowgirls handed Coach Lehman his 500th win earlier that week in an 80-14 San Andreas League rout of winless Colton. Some of Lehman's wins have come in boys basketball.

Tom Maier (Redondo, Redondo Beach): A boys coach for many years previously at Chadwick of Palos Verdes Estates, Maier recorded his 600th win in 35 year total seasons as the Sea Hawks snapped West Torrance¹s 13-game winning streak, 55-52.

Scott Smith (Arroyo Valley, San Bernardino): Smith collected his 300th win as Arroyo Valley stopped Pacific (San Bernardino) 56-39 in a San Andreas League game. Most of Smith's wins were at Cajon of San Bernardino.

Simpkins leaves Memphis

Matt Simpkins, a highly-regarded 6-10 big man who played at Berkeley and Capital Christian of Sacramento and was at a prep school last season, has left the Memphis University basketball team.

The departure of Simpkins brings to mind many other recent top California basketball prospects who picked East Coast colleges but didn't stick.

 Just two months ago, last year's Ms. Basketball State Player of the Year, Jasmine Dixon of Long Beach Poly, left Rutgers just a few games into her freshman season.

Tre'von Willis also went to Memphis out of Washington of Easton after his memorable prep career. He didn't stick, but is now doing well at UNLV.

Former Mr. Basketball State Player of the Year Taylor King of Mater Dei is another example. He went to Duke at first, played one year and is now going to Villanova.

Buller steps away from head coaching post

Ed Buller, the 2007 CalHiSports.com State Coach of the Year in football and one of the winningest coaches in Northern California history, has resigned as the head coach at Oak Grove High in San Jose.

Buller said in a story published in the San Jose Mercury-News that would still be serving as Oak Grove's athletic director and would be the school's director of football operations.

"I just figured it was time, I have some things I want to pursue personally and I'm also focused on making sure we keep athletics in the East Side Union High School District next year,” Buller told the Mercury-News.

Oak Grove went 11-1 last season and was ranked No. 1 in the Central Coast Section at the time it lost in the CCS Open Division semifinals to Valley Christian. Buller's team the year before won the Open Division crown after losing its first game.

The two one-loss seasons pushed Buller's career record to 214-39-3. In his 23 years as the school's head coach, Buller's teams also won 18 league titles and five CCS crowns.

As the athletic director and head of football operations, the longtime Eagles' head coach is expected to hire his successor.

On a personal note, we've always found Coach Buller to be one of the most personable, approachable coaches in the state, regardless of sport.

Comments or corrections? Email mark@studentsports.com and be sure to leave a comment so others can check out what you have to say.

Rocklin takes over top spot in Division II. Others on the way up include Ocean View of Huntington Beach, San Juan of Fair Oaks and Pacific Hills of Los Angeles.

By Steve Brand & Mark Tennis

It's a good thing that powerhouse Mater Dei of Santa Ana is Division I this year and not Division II for two reasons. First, if the Monarchs were still in Division II, the impending dominance that would be coming up in the regional and state playoffs would teter on boredom. Second, by being in Division I, the Monarchs will get the testing they need to show they really do deserve to be the mythical national champions.

With Mater Dei out of the picture, the rest of the state's Division II squads have to be happy and it should be a wide-open race all the way to ARCO Arena.

Last week's No. 1 team, St. Francis of Mountain View, fell from the ranks of the unbeaten after suffering two losses. Moving up is Rocklin, which looked like the preseason favorite from Northern California in this division, especially since the Thunder feature 6-10 UCLA-bound big man Brendan Lane.

Another team making a big move this week is Ocean View of Huntington Beach and the Seakings did it mostly by how strongly they looked in a close loss to top 10 state-ranked M.L. King at the Nike Extravaganza. We also were able to move up Ocean View this week to more closely match the order of teams in the Orange County Register's local rankings.

It was a bad week, meanwhile, for Modesto Christian in Division IV. The Crusaders had to play without UCLA-bound standout Reeves Nelson, who was reportedly suspended from school for five days due to an alcohol-related incident. It hasn't been a great season so far for Nelson, who missed the first few weeks of the season after suffering a torn meniscus during a football game.

Read on for this week's complete list of ranked teams.

(After games of February 7) (Previous ranking in parentheses)
(*indicates forfeit wins or losses not included)

Division 1
1.   (1)   Mater Dei (Santa Ana)  24-0
2.   (3)   De La Salle (Concord) 21-1
3.   (5)   Fairfax (Los Angeles) 21-3
4.   (2)   Westchester (Los Angeles) 23-1
5.   (7)   McClymonds (Oakland) 21-1
6.   (9)   M.L. King (Riverside) 20-2
7.   (4)   Dominguez (Compton) 20-5
8.   (8)   Los Alamitos  24-1
9.   (9)   Etiwanda (Rancho Cucamonga) 20-4
10. (10)  Taft (Woodland Hills) 20-3
11. (11)  Folsom  22-1
12. (12)  San Leandro 19-3
13. (13)  Murrieta Valley (Murrieta) 22-1
14. (15)  Monte Vista (Danville) 20-2
15. (nr)  Berkeley 21-3
Bubble: Cajon (San Bernardino) 20-4, Castro Valley 21-3, Centennial (Corona) 21-4, Colony (Ontario) 20-6, El Camino (Oceanside) 22-3, Pasadena 19-5, Tesoro (Las Flores) 21-3.

Division II
1.   (2)  Rocklin 23-2
2.   (4)  Leuzinger (Inglewood) 19-5
3.   (5)  Eisenhower (Rialto) 22-3
4.   (6)  Thousand Oaks 25-2
5.   (1)  St. Francis (Mountain View) 20-2
6.   (3)  La Mirada  22-3
7.   (7)  Fairfield 18-5
8.   (8)  Liberty (Bakersfield)  20-3
9.   (10) Loyola (Los Angeles) 18-5
10. (nr) Garces (Bakersfield) 16-6
Bubble: Hoover (San Diego) 20-6, Glendora 19-7, Huntington Beach 19-5, La Habra 18-7, Marina (Huntington Beach) 19-5, Oceanside 19-3.

Division III
1.   (1)   Diamond Ranch (Pomona) 20-4
2.   (3)   Sacred Heart Cathedral (SF) 18-3
3.   (4)   Sacramento 17-6
4.   (5)   Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland) 17-5
5.   (2)   Sonora (La Habra) 22-3
6.   (7)   Harvard-Westlake (N. Hollywood) 19-6
7.  (nr)   Ocean View (Huntington Beach) 19-7
8.   (8)   Miramonte (Orinda) 19-4
9.   (6)   Santa Margarita (Rancho S.M.) 17-7
10. (10) Burlingame 19-4
 Bubble: Campbell Hall (N. Hollywood)  17-7, Del Oro (Loomis) 17-5, Golden Valley (Santa Clarita) 22-3. Morningside (Inglewood) 18-7, Ridgeview (Bakersfield) 16-6, University City (San Diego) 18-4.

Division IV
1.   (1)  Bishop Montgomery (Torrance) 21-3
2.   (2)  St. Mary's (Berkeley) 21-3
3.   (3)  Serra (Gardena) 19-6
4.   (5)  Lutheran (Orange) 22-4
5.   (4)  Salesian (Richmond) 19-4
6.   (6)  Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa) 24-0
7.   (7)  Bishop's (La Jolla) 19-3
8.   (9)  Christian Brothers (Sacramento)18-4
9.   (nr) San Juan (Fair Oaks) 20-3
10. (8)  Modesto Christian 13-8
Bubble: Bakersfield Christian 13-7, Crespi (Encino) 17-8, Price (Los Angeles) 19-5, Sacred Heart Prep (Atherton) 13-8.

Division V
1.   (1)   Windward (Los Angeles) 18-6
2.   (2)   Foothills Christian (El Cajon) 18-4
3.   (3)   Maranatha Christian (San Diego) 16-3
4.   (4)   Central Valley Christian (Visalia) 22-4
5.   (7)   Branson (Ross) 21-3
6.   (8)   Pacific Hills (Los Angeles) 19-6
7.   (5)   Head-Royce (Oakland) 21-2
8.   (6)   Lutheran (La Verne) 19-6
9.   (9)   St. Joseph (Alameda) 18-6
10. (nr)  Brethren Christian (Hunt. Beach) 18-5
Bubble: Bradshaw Christian (Sacramento) 17-5, Calvary Chapel (Downey) 19-7,  Mission Prep (San Luis Obispo) 17-10, Redding Christian 17-5, View Park Prep (Los Angeles) 13-15.

Corrections or comments? Email mark@studentsports.com and be sure to leave a comment so others can check out what you have to say.

We kick off the boys portion of the winter season with a young man who epitomizes athletic and academic achievement while overcoming adversity. Not only has he beaten the odds and come back from a serious injury, he's at the pinnacle of prep basketball in California and the entire nation.

By Harold Abend, Special to CalHiSports.com

Note: Remember, we are looking for those student-athletes who had a standout performance in their sport from the previous week, but we also are looking for a balance between athletic achievement, academic work in the classroom, community service or overcoming adversity. Send nominations to mark@studentsports.com.

To be where he is today, as the catalyst of the top-ranked team in the ESPN RISE FAB 50 national rankings as well as the No. 1 team in California, it's hard to believe the journey it took for Mater Dei High School junior Gary Franklin.

Add in the fact that on Dec. 24 he guided the Monarchs to the championship of the most prestigious boys basketball tournament in the nation against the FAB 50 No. 2 ranked squad in the 36th City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, Fla., makes it almost like a fairytale.

All Franklin did was throw down 25 points, including an off balance 3-pointer at the first quarter buzzer, that gave the Monarchs a 15-14 lead they never relinquished in a 52-46 victory over St. Patrick's of Elizabeth, New Jersey.

When he was 13 years-old, Gary and his father, Gary Sr., both cried when the boy was told by doctors he would probably never play basketball again.

After breaking his upper left arm playing football, a doctor severed a nerve attempting to place a plate and pin in the humerus. The result was Franklin's left hand basically became useless.

About a month later, another doctor offered hope. It took three additional surgeries and one long scar on his left arm from his shoulder to the middle of his hand, before Gary had motion in the hand again.

In the meantime, for nearly two years, Franklin, a natural right-hander, perfected his shot without the benefit of his left arm which was in a cast quite a bit of the time.

Franklin began playing basketball again in the spring of 2007 and came back last fall as a sophomore at Mater Dei. Despite the difficulties, he not only saw playing time on the varsity, but helped lead the team to a second consecutive CIF Division II state championship.

The 6-foot-3, 180-pound point guard averaged 12.9 points and 4.9 assists on a team that had four scorers in double figures including the Wear twins, David and Travis, as well as Andy Brown, all three of whom are now seniors.

At the City of Palms, he really gave fans a glimpse of what he can now do on the court with a full season distancing him from such a major, traumatic injury.

Not only was Franklin the leading scorer in the title game, but he took control of the contest from nearly the outset, and was instrumental in helping stop a St. Patrick's run when the boys from Jersey closed to 46-43.

"He should have been the MVP but they don't know it back there  and you can quote me on it, said Monarchs' Coach Gary McKnight, a man not known to mince words.

"No offense to Austin Rivers (who was named MVP after a 46-point performance in the third-place Winters Park, Fla. 91-87 victory over Wheeler of Marietta, Ga.), but you don't give the MVP award to a third-place team, said McKnight, hinting of a home-state decision.

"Besides, Gary was 9-for-10 from the field, made all five of his threes, played unbelievable defense and hit the boards too  and he dominated in all the games not just the championship, said McKnight, who in 26 years at Mater Dei has an 810-74 record with 25 league championships, 19 CIF Southern Section titles and seven state championship crowns.

In the opening round 76-46 victory over Fayette County (Fayetteville, Ga.), Franklin had 13 points, four assists and four rebounds.

The next day against Roman Catholic of Philadelphia in a 72-70 squeaker he had 14 points three assists and three rebounds.

In the semifinal, an 81-72 defeat of Wheeler, Gary dropped in 15 points.

The numbers are not astronomical but that's against the nation's top teams and on a squad that has five all-American double-figure scorers now that Tyler Lamb has transferred from Colony of Ontario.

Just off last season alone, USC made an offer and Franklin has accepted. The result is he'll take his complete game and 3.2 GPA up the I-5 to the Los Angeles campus after next season.

"I really think the injury has made Gary a more complete player," says CalHiSports.com managing editor and ESPN RISE boys' basketball analyst Ronnie Flores. "It's helped not only his outside shooting but his ability to finish with both hands, which a lot of young players can't do."

"He's a phenomenal shooter, said McKnight, a PE teacher and former athletic director at the Orange County Catholic school athletic powerhouse.

"Besides really being able to shoot the ball, Gary can penetrate and go by you, McKnight told CalHiSports. "Also, he's a very strong player, so physically he can do a lot because his body is so strong.

Believe it or not, Franklin would rather not be a scorer.  

"He'd rather pass than shoot which makes a coach's job a lot easier when you have five all-Americans on the floor, McKnight remarked.

Franklin may rather pass than shoot but like with most great point guards, he knows what and when he has to do things on the court to get his team a victory. The result is Mater Dei is 13-0 and ranked atop all the polls.

"I try not to do too much. As a point guard I see my role as trying to make everybody happy, Franklin told CalHiSports.com in an interview after returning home from the Rose Bowl and watching his future school beat Penn State. "In the St. Pat's game, we weren't sharp to begin and I felt I needed to be more aggressive.

Speaking about being happy, according to McKnight, Franklin always has a smile on his face, even when the coach has to administer one of his famous lectures.

"I don't have to do it very often, said McKnight tongue-in-cheek, "But when I do, no matter what I say, he never stops smiling and just keeps on going.

"Life's too short to be mad or angry, said Franklin when informed of McKnight's remarks about his constant grin.

We even got a laugh out of Gary when we asked him if he plays other sports, and then before he could answer, suggested he probably won't be playing football again too soon.

"No football anymore, he said with a chuckle. "The injury taught me to focus on what I love  basketball only.

When we asked him how he was able to recover from such a devastating injury and return to a level where he was able to earn a D1 scholarship, the subject turned to family and faith.

"I got a lot of support from my dad and did a lot of praying, Franklin said. "My belief in God coupled with a lot of hard work and my will to be good got me through.

His father, Gary Sr., played basketball at Dorsey (Los Angeles) and later at Valley Junior College. He currently runs the California Supreme club basketball program.

Gary's step-mom, Marlette Byrd, was also an athlete as are his older step-brothers.

Marquis Charles is currently attending Utah, and Max Williams is playing football at Glendale College.

Like most teenage boys who play on a high school team, Gary likes to hang out with teammates, most of whom are friends. They play video games and go to movies together.

They also share a common goal, and that is a return to the state capital in March for another state championship.

"ARCO is definitely on our minds, Franklin remarked. "Our road is a little tougher this year but with the team we have, especially with adding Tyler (Lamb), we'll be able to get there.

Although only a junior, Franklin seems to have his career path set.

"I chose USC to commit early because they have the number one program in communications, he said. {Plus, I feel good about coach Tim Floyd and him telling me he'll let me develop and give me a chance.

"Since I was five-years-old I've dreamt of playing in the NBA. But if I cant I'd like to do something in broadcasting. Something in sports like a sports analyst, so USC is the perfect fit, Franklin said. "And it's close to home so my dad can see me play.

"Gary is the essence of a student-athlete and a great choice for this award, McKnight said. "He'll be a great player and a good leader at the next level.

By then, McKnight and the rest of the Monarch faithful hope Gary Franklin has led the team another state championship.

"I'm thankful I was able to showcase my talent in Florida and for this award but it's about the team, said Gary. "It takes five guys to do it.

'Doing it' seems to be what this young man is all about. He even has advice for other young people who want to do it, and might have adversity to overcome like he did in their life's path.

"If there's a will, there's a way, he advises. "No matter how hard you get knocked down, keep your head up.

And shoot the three we might add, even if it's with only one hand.

Los Gatos wins title under emotional circumstances&..Mater Dei's McKnight racks up 800th coaching win&.plus another Holiday at Campbell Hall, former State Athlete of the Year gets $161 million and more.

By Mark Tennis & Ronnie Flores

In the CIF Central Coast Section, the playoffs are broken down into divisions in which the very best of the very best teams are placed into an open division, regardless of enrollment.

That system creates a ton of interest in the open division, with top California-ranked squads this year such as Bellarmine Prep of San Jose, Valley Christian of San Jose, Junipero Serra of San Mateo and Oak Grove of San Jose. Usually, for the other three divisions, however, it's sometimes feels as if the teams are in some sort of consolation bracket.

This year's medium school playoffs was much different and, in fact, featured one of the most heart-rendering moments in CCS playoff history. In the championship game last Saturday at San Jose City College, Los Gatos came from behind to post a 29-23 victory over Palo Alto.

The title game win for Los Gatos came just five days after senior defensive lineman Michael Halpin collapsed after a team meeting and later died at Good Samaritan Hospital. It was later reported that Halpin, who was on the football team for the first time in his four years at the school, had a previously undetected heart defect.

"I think it is the hardest thing I have ever dealt with, said longtime Los Gatos head coach Butch Cattolico, who has mentored such players in his career as Jared Allen (Minnesota Vikings) and Trent Edwards (Buffalo Bills) and is one of the winningest coaches in San Francisco Bay Area history.

"Mike was one of the best, a statement on the team web site continued. "He worked so hard to be part of the team. He made more improvements than any player we had this year. Everyone liked Mike and the lineman on the team were so close, that it can not be explained to anyone outside the program.

The team voted unanimously the next day to play the championship game against Palo Alto, a team the Wildcats dropped a game to during the regular season.

In the fourth quarter, after Palo Alto kicked a field goal to go in front 23-21, Los Gatos came back and scored with three minutes left on a 9-yard quarterback draw by Nick Hirschman. Palo Alto's attempt to answer was stopped on an interception by Sam Bowers with 1:46 left.

"We didn't play for Mikey tonight; we played with him," Los Gatos tackle Patrick Kelly, a close friend of Halpin, told the San Jose Mercury-News. "He was the 12th man out there on the field with us tonight."

McKnight Makes History With Milestone Win

Four coaches in the annals of California boys prep basketball reached the 800 victory plateau before Gary McKnight, the head coach of ESPN RISE FAB 50 No. 1-ranked Mater Dei (Santa Ana). None of those previous mentors, who are now all retired, reached the benchmark faster than McKnight, as his milestone victory came in the third game of his 27th season with a 91-46 victory over Downey (Calif.) in the semifinals of the Taco Company Tournament at Loara High in Anaheim.

The state's all-time career wins leader, Mike Phelps, coached 32 seasons at Alameda St. Joseph and Oakland Bishop O' Dowd and racked up 843 wins in the process, according to the CalHiSports.com State Record Book. Lou Cvijanovich (829 wins) coached 41 seasons at Oxnard Santa Clara and another small-school giant, Abe Abrami, recorded 802 victories in 39 seasons at tiny Emeryville Emery. McKnight's long-time coaching rival, Willie West of Los Angeles Crenshaw, retired after the 2007 season with one more win under his belt than Abrami after 37 seasons.

With the team McKnight has at his disposal this season, he'll obviously breeze past Abrami and West and could move past Cvijanovich. It would be in the middle of the 2009-2010 season in which he would take over the No. 1 spot from Phelps in his 28th season.            

McKnight won No. 801 on Saturday night as the Monarchs cruised past Anaheim Canyon, 89-65, in the championship game after taking a 45-33 halftime lead. Mater Dei took full control in the third quarter, outscoring the Comanches, 22-13. Gary Franklin nailed four three pointers and finished with 17 points, which tied for a team high with transfer guard Tyler Lamb. Stanford-bound Andy Brown, the tournament MVP, and North Carolina-bound David Wear chipped in 16 points apiece for the 4-0 Monarchs.

McKnight has won seven California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) state titles and is gunning for another, although the Monarchs will reportedly compete in Div. I this season where the road can be a little tougher than in the previous two seasons on the Div. II level. Only West, with eight, has won more CIF state titles than McKnight.   

SOME GOOD NEWS, SAD NEWS

•Our thoughts and prayers go out to supporters of longtime Miramonte of Orinda girls basketball coach Darrell Hirashima, who suffered a heart attack last Sunday and was reported as being on life support earlier this week by the Contra Costa Times. Hirashima, age 56, coached the Miramonte girls for 11 years and had a record of 238-85 with four North Coast Section titles. He was not renewed for the 2008-09 season by the Acalanes Union School District, which led to much outrage by many in the community. We happened to have seen Hirashima's last game against St. Mary's of Stockton in the NorCal playoffs and will never forget the intensity and desire of his players against an obviously more talented opponent, particularly four-year standout Katie Batlin. It was Batlin who called 911 after witnessing Hirashima collapse after a workout.

•Continuing with girls basketball, it was hard to not notice that freshman Lauren Holiday scored 31 points and had 15 rebounds, 11 steals and five assists for Campbell Hall of North Hollywood in its 60-36 win earlier this week over  Grace Brethren of Simi Valley. According to the L.A. Daily News, it was Holiday's second triple-double in only her second varsity game. We don't know for sure, but have to assume she's a younger sister of current UCLA freshman and 2008 Mr. Basketball State Player of the Year Jrue Holiday, who led Campbell Hall to a 2008 CIF divisional state title.

•Speaking of the L.A. Daily News, very sorry to hear that veteran sportswriter Gerry Gittelson has been laid off. That's not just a blow for Gerry, but it's a blow to prep athletes and coaches throughout the San Fernando Valley and Santa Clarita Valley. Gerry has always been one of the most talented writers and he truly enjoyed covering prep sports. Hopefully, he'll be back somewhere, somehow.

•It turns out that former Loyola of Los Angeles all-state underclass basketball player Hollis Thompson won't play a minute for  De La Salle of Concord after all. Thompson, who has signed a letter of intent with Georgetown, had to move to Atlanta due to his father having to move for work. De La Salle will host the annual Chris Vontoure Classic this weekend and the Spartans should still be a formidable team. Just not quite as formidable when they have to play a top team from Southern California.

•Finally, congratulations to former CalHiSports.com State Athlete of the Year C.C. Sabathia for his record-breaking deal with the New York Yankees. Sabathia, a Cy Young Award winner from last season with the Cleveland Indians, signed for $161 million over seven years. We remember seeing him at one of the very first Nike football camps and saw him play some as a power forward in basketball. Ironcially, we missed seeing him pitch. We had planned to see him pitch for Vallejo in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs at Billy Hebert Field in Stockton, but Vallejo got knocked out of the playoffs before that happened. Sabathia was named State Athlete of the Year for the 1997-98 school year.

Comments or corrections? Email mark@studentsports.com and be sure to leave a comment so others can check out what you have to say.