Boys basketball: Degrees of separation

Barry Faulkner

CORONA DEL MAR - Among the things Corona del Mar High boys

basketball coach Paul Orris gave thanks for Thursday was the first

opportunity to practice with every player on this year’s team.

Such opportunities did not exist over the summer or fall, when player

commitments to family, or other sports, conspired to limit Orris’ working

knowledge of the basic who, what and where of his 17th varsity unit at

CdM.

“Good question,” Orris replied to an inquiry about expectations for a

group that returns one starter and only one additional player with

measurable playing time from last year’s 23-8 Pacific Coast League

championship campaign.

“Several guys were gone during the summer and we struggled,” Orris

said. “We don’t have a lot of experience, but I think we may have some

depth. I’ve always had to wait for guys to come out from other fall

sports (five this season from football and one from the CIF Division II

water polo champion), but I usually have a better idea of how they’re

going to fit together. This year, a lot of those guys are question marks,

because I haven’t seen them play enough to evaluate them.”

What Orris knows is, graduated standout Kevin Hansen (Newport-Mesa

District Co-Player of the Year, Orange County All-Star and twice All-CIF)

left no heir apparent.

“We won’t have a go-to guy who everybody knows is going to shoot,”

Orris said. “We’ll have to spread the ball around more.

Also gone are all-district standout Alec Hanson, former starters Joel

Templeton and Judd Hietbrink, as well as productive sixth man Brooks

Morris, from a team that advanced to the Southern Section Division III-AA

and Southern California Division III regional semifinals.

Senior Eric Snell is the lone starer back, after averaging 3.9 points

as a junior. Senior Idean Shahangian averaged 2.3 points in limited

playing time and fellow returner Charlie Alshuler, a senior, played in

only one game, due to injuries.

Snell and Alshuler, just out from football, played well in the summer

and Orris expects them to be team leaders. Snell is a 6-foot guard and

Alshuler a 6-2 forward.

Shahangian, a 6-1 guard who missed all summer action, is potentially

the most talented offensive player, while rugged 6-3 senior forward Zach

Brewster is also projected to start.

The big question mark is at center, where 6-4 senior Brett Marston

holds the edge for playing time over 6-5, 305-pound Dave Richardson and

6-5 All-CIF water polo standout Garrett Bowlus, for early playing time.

“(Marston) was there most of the summer, when Garrett was playing

water polo and Dave was hurt,” Orris said. “But this is (Marston’s) first

year of high school basketball.”

Bowlus, whose long arms could pose defensive problems for opponents,

quit early last season, and his aquatic focus has stunted his basketball

development, according to Orris.

Richardson, being recruited as an offensive lineman and whom Orris

gleefully reports “can set a screen,” played on the junior varsity last

season.

“He has soft hands and pretty good vision,” Orris said.

The aforementioned depth will be supplied by sophomore guards Kevin

Mancillas and Brett Matsen, junior guard Eric Glass, forwards Blake

Mancillas, Tim Reynolds, Jose Najar and Ryan Inman, as well as talented

senior newcomer Taumata Grey.

“(Kevin) Mancillas and Matsen were the leading scorers on the JV team

last year,” Orris said. “(The former) will be one of our best perimeter

shooters.”

Orris’ finally succeeded in recruiting Grey, a football standout as a

6-2, 222-pound middle linebacker who could become a hardwood weapon.

“(Grey) surprised me a little in the summer,” Orris said. “He’s got

some raw talent and he’s not afraid to bang bodies.”

Senior Alex Gero is also among those displaying the kind of work ethic

Orris and valued assistant Gordon McNeill demand and appreciate.

“We’ll probably struggle early, but I only scheduled one game that

first week (a Nov. 30 opener against visiting Back Bay rival Newport

Harbor), so we could practice,” Orris said.

“We’re going to have to learn what it takes to win.”

CdM boys basketball {{NO numbers until Monday, 11-27}}

Eric Snell 6-0 Sr.

Charlie Alshuler 6-2 Sr.

Idean Shahangian 6-1 Sr.

Zach Brewster 6-3 Sr.

Matt Marston 6-4 Sr.

Dave Richardson 6-5 Sr.

Garrett Bowlus 6-5 Sr.

Kevin Mancillas 5-11 So.

Taumata Grey 6-2 Sr.

Brett Matsen 5-10 So.

Eric Glass 6-1 Jr.

Ryan Inman 6-3 Jr.

Tim Reynolds 6-2 Sr.

Blake Mancillas 6-3 Sr.

Jose Najar 6-0 Sr.

Alex Gero 6-1 Sr.

Coach: Paul Orris