Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week, Kevin Hansen: A fond farewell

Barry Faulkner

Kevin Hansen has quietly played his way into the Corona del Mar

High boys basketball pantheon. But, despite a virtuoso season, which will

continue in next week’s CIF State playoffs, he now wonders how good he

might have been, had he tended to his talent.

“I kind of wish I had spent more time on basketball, rather than focusing

on volleyball,” said the 6-foot-4 swing man, whose next basketball game

may be his last.

Though he doesn’t relish leaving basketball behind, he is eager to try to

lead the Sea Kings to a CIF Southern Section volleyball championship this

spring, before heading off to Stanford to set for the Cardinal next year.

Pursuing the scholarship eventually offered by one of the finest schools

in the land, Hansen, an All-CIF performer in basketball and volleyball as

a junior and the starting setter as a sophomore on the section Division

III champion, has devoted his off-season to club volleyball. He also

spent a portion of his last two summers at the U.S. Olympic Training

Center in Colorado Springs, working with the national youth team. His

various volleyball commitments have forced him to miss most of the CdM

summer basketball schedule.

But, after averaging 10.8 points as a junior to help the Sea Kings reach

the CIF III-A title game, he assumed control of this year’s team from the

outset.

“Early in the season, I scored a lot of points and people were looking to

me to make the shots,” said Hansen, who has been only happy to oblige.

He’s scored in double figures in every game he’s played this season and

his 21.2 ppg tops the Newport-Mesa District and ranks among the Orange

County leaders.

His 550 points this season, despite missing three December games due to

illness, ranks seventh in CdM single-season history. And, with 25 points

in the Sea Kings state playoff opener, he can move into fourth place,

behind Jeff Fryer (792 points in 1985-86), John Vallely (640 in 1965-66)

and Fryer again (600 in 1984-85).

Hansen, who also averages a team-high seven rebounds, amassed 29 points,

nine rebounds and three blocked shots in a III-AA quarterfinal victory

over Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks Feb. 22. He then added 20 points, five

rebounds, three steals and two assists in a Feb. 25 semifinal loss to

Centennial of Compton to lock up Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week honors.

The loss to Centennial denied the Sea Kings their quest for a section

crown, but as one of the final four teams in Division III, they will

represent the section in the state tournament, which begins Tuesday.

Orris, for one, is happy to get one more shot at watching Hansen show his

stuff.

“It’s been fun watching him,” said Orris, in his 14th season with the

varsity after 16 years guiding CdM’s freshman program. “You don’t see

special athletes like that very often.”

Orris has openly admired Hansen’s seamless skills, which have grown

considerably this year.

“I don’t remember a player who has improved as much as he has from his

junior year to his senior year,” Orris said. “I don’t think it’s out of

line to say he’s one of the top players this school has ever had. There

have been many games when I haven’t realized he has scored as many points

as he wound up getting. You kind of take it for granted, because he makes

it looks so smooth.”

A former point guard on the freshman team, Hansen spent most of his

junior season on the perimeter, where his outside shooting touch was the

key to his game. This season, however, he has ventured into the paint on

both ends of the floor, with impressive results.

“His ability to drive and create shots for himself inside has been the

major development in his game this year,” Orris said. “He was always a

pretty good outside shooter.”

Hansen’s abilities frequently come to the fore when his team needs him

most. He has hit countless shots at crunch time and his ability to

frustrate defenders has frequently sparked his teammates.

“When Kevin gets hot, it’s contagious,” Orris said. “He creates a

snowball effect, which is why he’s so valuable to us. And he’s taken it

upon himself to spark things for us. He has the type of belief in himself

that he doesn’t need to feed off anyone. When times are tough, you need

someone to step up and, for us, that’s been Kevin. I think that’s what

sets the special players apart.”

Hansen has dealt with increased defensive focus, but his repertoire of

moves -- facing the basket or posting up -- as well as his mental

toughness, have helped him remain consistent.

“I’ve been double-teamed a lot and I’ve learned how to let the offense

come to me,” he said. “There are times when I could be considered a ball

hog, but the guys on the team have been so unselfish. It’s been

unbelievable how this team has come together this year. I really didn’t

know if we’d have a strong team, but we won a (Pacific Coast League)

championship. This has been a memorable season and I’ve had a lot of fun.

My senior year couldn’t have been better.”