Metro League Boys Basketball Capsules

BALLARD

-- Nickname - Beavers.

-- 1992 record - 9-5 in league, sixth; 15-10 overall (Sea-King District qualifier).

-- Coach - Al Harada, sixth season, 56-63 record.

-- Returning starters - 3.

-- Top returnees - Alan Patrick (G, 6-0, Sr.); Josh Springer (G, 5-10, Sr.); Keven Wynkoop (C, 6-3, Sr.).

-- Others to watch - Brandon Glasser (G, 5-10, Sr.); Blake Wetterauer (G, 6-0, Sr.).

-- Outlook - Close loss in district tournament prevented Beavers from advancing to state. . . . One of the shortest teams in the league - reserve center Andrei Shepankov (6-5) is tallest player. . . . Very experienced at guard. Patrick, a big guard who likes the low post, may have the green light. . . . 2-0 in nonleague games.

BLANCHET

-- Nickname - Braves.

-- 1992 record - 10-4 in league, fourth; 13-10 overall (Sea-King District qualifier).

-- Coach - Eric Hjort, fourth season, 43-29 record.

-- Returning starters - None.

-- Top returnees - Pat Moran (G, 5-11, Sr.); Kyle Manning (F, 6-3, Sr.).

-- Others to watch - Brad Millard (C, 6-11, Jr.).

-- Outlook - Loss of forward Sherrell McCullum (transfer to Garfield) leaves the Braves without any experience. Moran is the only true returning player; others moved up from junior varsity. . . . Millard, who wears size 22 shoes, may be league's up-and-coming big man. . . . With the exception of Millard, only one player is taller than 6-5. That will prompt Blanchet to play uptempo game.

CHIEF SEALTH

-- Nickname - Seahawks.

-- 1992 record - 4-10 in league, 12th; 7-13 overall.

-- Coach - Bruce Richardson, sixth season.

-- Returning starters - 1.

-- Top returnee - Jimmy Rainwater, (G/F, 6-6, Jr.).

-- Others to watch - Mike Griffin (G, 5-11, So.); Romaine Smith (F/C, 6-4, So.); Mario Herrera (F/C, 6-4, So.).

-- Outlook - Rainwater moves to guard position and Sealth beefs up its front line with Smith and Herrera, who played junior varsity last season. . . . Mid-tempo team with half-court offense. . . . 1-1 in preseason games.

CLEVELAND

-- Nickname - Eagles.

-- 1992 record - 5-9 in league, 10th; 5-10 overall.

-- Coach - Calvin Johnson Jr., 15th season.

-- Returning starters - 2.

-- Top returnees - E.J. Hall (F, 6-3, Jr.) and Michael Johnson (G, 6-2, Jr.).

-- Others to watch - Shanier Pinkey (F, 6-1, Jr.); DeAngelo Greene (G, 5-7, Jr.).

-- Outlook - Johnson will run the offense and will have to score if Cleveland is to be successful. . . . Fast-breaking team, small in size. Hall is tallest player and is good perimeter shooter. . . . 1990 was last AA state appearance. . . . 2-1 in nonleague games.

EASTSIDE CATHOLIC

-- Nickname - Crusaders.

-- 1992 record - 8-6 in league, seventh; 17-11 overall (went 0-2 at state tournament).

-- Coach - Al Kawashima, third season, 26-24 record.

-- Returning starters - 4.

-- Top returnees - Ryan Flanagan (G, 6-0, Sr.); David Britt (F, 6-6, Sr.); Chris Grothkopp (C, 6-7, Sr.); Adrian Egger (G, 6-1, Jr.).

-- Others to watch - Mark Kauffman (F, 6-3, Sr.); Jesse Bond (C, 6-8, Jr., transfer from Garfield); Kevin Stinson (F, 6-4, Sr., transfer from Juanita).

-- Outlook - Kawashima, The Seattle Times' 1993 Coach of the Year, has much more to work with from last season's Cinderella team that produced late season upsets to advance to school's first AA state tournament. . . . No longer a surprise team, definite league contender. . . . Britt (14.9 ppg., 9.0 rpg.) and Grothkopp form one of biggest front lines in league. Flanagan made 51 percent of shots from three-point range. . . . Lack of depth at guard position will hurt.

FRANKLIN

-- Nickname - Quakers.

-- 1992 record - 13-1 in league, second; 22-4 overall (Sea-King District champion, 0-2 at state tournament).

-- Coach - Ron Drayton, third season.

-- Returning starters - 1.

-- Top returnees - Tommy Mitchell (F, 6-3, Jr.).

-- Other to watch - Jason Terry (G, 6-1, Jr.).

-- Outlook - The players who carried Franklin to the AA state tournament graduated, leaving the Quakers with an inexperienced squad. . . . Rebounding-leader Mitchell will lead the rebuilding process. . . . Drayton instituted a 2.5 grade-point average requirement that thinned his lineup.

GARFIELD

-- Nickname - Bulldogs.

-- 1992 record - 13-1 in league, Metro League champion; 23-8 overall (runner-up in AA state tournament).

-- Coach - JoJo Rodriguez, third season, 46-14 record.

-- Returning starters - 4.

-- Top returnees - Lovell Brown (G, 6-0, Sr., first-team Seattle Times all-Metro team; Gerry Boston (G, 6-2, Jr.); Robert Ream (F, 6-5, Sr.); Bryce Olson (F, 6-3, Sr.).

-- Others to watch - Sherrell McCullum (F, 6-5, Sr., transfer from Blanchet); Stanton Hightower (F, 6-5, transfer from Portland); Albert Clark (F, 6-3, junior varsity).

-- Outlook - Preseason No. 1 in AA state poll. . . . Brown, who averaged 17.7 ppg. and shot 51.2 percent last season, moved to shooting guard. . . . Boston is point guard and will run the offense. . . . Smaller team than last season. . . . Full-court trapping defense is trademark. . . . Clark and Hightower lead a deep bench. . . . Garfield has made 11 consecutive trips to the state tournament.

HALE

-- Nickname - Raiders.

-- 1992 record - 4-10 in league, 11th; 8-12 overall.

-- Coach - John Burnley, sixth season.

-- Returning starters - 2.

-- Top returnees - Jevon Green, (G/F, 6-3, Sr.) and Chris Bryson (G, 5-10, Sr.).

-- Others to watch - Tyrwone Stills (F, 6-5, Jr.); Kevin Clark (C, 6-5, Sr.); Gino Williamson (G, 5-10, Sr., transfer from Ballard).

-- Outlook - Idaho-bound Green, only Metro League boy player to sign with a Division I school during early signing period, should recapture his league-scoring title. He missed the nonleague opener after being suspended from school for fighting. In his debut, he exploded for 45 points in a nonleague victory at No. 3 Aberdeen. Raiders missed the postseason last season - a first for a Burnley-coached Hale team. When Williamson and Bryson return (academically ineligible), Hale may have best starting five in the league.

INGRAHAM

-- Nickname - Rams.

-- 1992 record - 3-11 in league, 14th; 5-16 overall.

-- Coach - Gary Stubbs, first season.

-- Returning starters - 1.

-- Top returnee - Andy Higgins (C, 6-5, Sr.).

-- Other to watch - Derek Hines (F, 6-1, Sr.).

-- Outlook - Loss of starters Lonzo Wilson (transferred to Shorewood) and Matt Hyser (transferred to Bellevue Christian) leaves many holes for Ingraham to fill. Inexperience at guard position is biggest weakness. . . . Stubbs has coached 18 years in Metro.

LAKESIDE

-- Nickname - Lions.

-- 1992 record - 3-11 in league, 13th; 7-13 overall.

-- Coach - Chuck Rheinschmidt, fifth season, 66-48.

-- Returning starters - 3.

-- Top returnees - Josh Gleason (G, Sr.); Isham Randolph (F, Jr.); Burke Stansbury (G).

-- Others to watch - Emile Pitre (F, So.); Mark Malkowski (G, Sr.).

-- Outlook - Lost best players to graduation. . . . Lakeside will struggle against taller teams. . . . Not much size or experience hurts Lions' chances of qualifying for postseason.

O'DEA

-- Nickname - Fighting Irish.

-- 1992 record - 9-5 in league, fifth; 24-6 overall, Class AA state champion.

-- Coach - Phil Lumpkin, third season, 38-14 record.

-- Returning starters - 2.

-- Top returnees - Ryan Williams (C, 6-6, Sr., first-team Seattle Times all-Metro team); Chris Johnson (G, 6-0, Jr.); Jason Perry (C, 6-6, Jr.).

-- Others to watch - Tyler Taylor (F, 6-2, Sr.); Nathan Lane (G, 5-10, Sr.); Roderick Thompson (F, 6-2, Sr.); Allen Greene (G, 6-2, Jr.).

-- Outlook - O'Dea was a good team that gelled during playoffs, losing once in the postseason. Possibly same scenario this season? . . . Williams, maybe league's best player in the low post, returns for senior year. . . . Perry, out two weeks with broken foot, adds size to front court, but lack of depth in the backcourt may cause the Irish to struggle.

RAINIER BEACH

-- Nickname - Vikings.

-- 1992 record - 12-2 in league, third; 21-7 overall (0-2 at state tournament).

-- Coach - Francis Williams, seventh season.

-- Returning starters - 4.

-- Top returnees - Joel Fromm (C, 6-5, Sr.); Mack Junior (G/F, 6-3, Jr.); Melvin Steward (G/F, 6-3, Sr.); Gary Ladd (G, 5-10, Sr.).

-- Others to watch - DeShawn Stinson (G/F, 6-3, Jr.); Randall Berry (F, 6-4, Jr., transferred from Renton); Kevin Hightower (F, 6-2, Sr., transferred from Renton).

-- Outlook - Rainier Beach has just enough to contend for Metro title. . . . The team nobody wants to play . . . An experienced, senior-dominated squad. . . . Ladd, Fromm and Junior are three-year starters. . . . Junior, a three-point shooter, is emerging as one of league's premier players. He needs to improve defense on the perimeter.

ROOSEVELT

-- Nickname - Roughriders.

-- 1992 record - 5-9 in league, ninth; 8-11 overall.

-- Coach - Jim Schmuhl, first season.

-- Returning starters - 3.

-- Top returnees - Jeff Daly (G/F, 6-4, Sr.); Lars Gresseth (F, 6-2, Sr.); Scott Kozu (G, 5-11, Jr.).

-- Others to watch - Eric Swanson (G/F, 6-2, Sr.); Pat Kelly (G, 5-10, G).

-- Outlook - Daly and Gresseth give Roosevelt experience and 1-2 scoring threat in the low post. . . . Guards are suspect.

SEATTLE PREP

-- Nickname - Panthers.

-- 1992 record - 7-7 in league, eighth; 10-12 overall (Metro League tournament qualifier).

-- Coach - Chris Miller, third season, 15-25.

-- Returning starters - 3.

-- Top returnees - Arne Klubberud (G, 5-9, Sr.); Gus London (G, 6-0, Sr.), Ceejay Harris (F, 6-2, Sr.).

-- Others to watch - Rob Hornick (C, 6-7, Sr.) and Mike Oaksmith (G, 5-10, Jr.).

-- Outlook - Team wants to reach districts, after being bumped last season during the Metro League tournament . . . Three-guard team. . . . Will rely on up-tempo offense and pressure defense. . . . Lots of experience. . . . Klubberud is scoring threat from deep range. . . . Panthers are undefeated in three nonleague games. . . . Another step in climb from 5-15 record in Miller's first season.

WEST SEATTLE

-- Nickname - Indians.

-- 1992 record - 0-14 in league, 15th; 2-16 overall.

-- Coach - Don Conner, 23rd season.

-- Returning starters - 1.

-- Top returner - Kevin Krum (G, 6-0, Sr.).

-- Others to watch - Bryan Guy and Diallo Jackson.

-- Outlook - The Indians (3-1) have bettered last season's record against a soft schedule of nonleague opponents. . . . Conner has longest tenure among active coaches in the league.