TIMES’ ALL-STAR BASKETBALL TEAMS : GIRLS’ ALL-VENTURA COUNTY : Gellenbeck’s Feats Talked Up by Dad

In terms of awards, it does not rank with the more statuesque trophies, such as the Heisman, or even the plastic ones they hand out for nailing a carnie in the face with a whipped-cream pie. Yet Newbury Park High senior Kristi Gellenbeck was presented with a custom-made plaque at the team’s banquet last month that was as important as any MVP award--and just as humorous as one earned for pie chucking.

On the plaque, side by side, are photos of Gellenbeck, in sort of a basketball before-and-after pose. In the first, she appears as a pigtailed, 7-year-old sprout of a player on a youth team called the Green Beans. Her green giant-sized goal--to play at Newbury Park as her brother and sister had done before her. In the second, she appears as a senior in her Panther varsity uniform, having succeeded in reaching that objective.

The inscription reads, “From gym rat to co-captain, 1977-88.”

“She used to be in the gym with her dad from as far back as I can remember,” said Nori Parvin, who has completed her 14th season as coach. “Before games, during games, after games, she’d be in there shooting around.”

There you have it, Newbury Park’s first Panther by proximity.

“Sometimes it seemed like forever before I would get a chance to play,” Gellenbeck said.

And once she did, she made the most of it. Not only was Gellenbeck named Newbury Park co-player of the year and first-team All-Marmonte League, she has been selected first-team All-Ventura County by The Times.

Gellenbeck, a 5-9 off-guard and forward, averaged 12.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4 assists a game for the Panthers, who finished their most successful season in school history ranked No. 9 in the 4-A Division of the Southern Section. Newbury Park finished 19-6 overall and advanced to the third round of the playoffs before falling to Santa Barbara, 82-62. In that game, Gellenbeck scored a game-high 18 points, which followed a team-high 21-point performance against Compton in a 78-63 victory.

Her 49 points in three playoff games--on 22-of-35 shooting--came as little surprise to those who had played against her the past two seasons.

“She sees the court very well,” said Thousand Oaks center Barbara Tanner, the Marmonte League Player of the Year and a Times’ All-Ventura County selection. “She’s pretty fast, has good court sense and a good outside shot.”

Indeed. Despite alternating between guard and forward, Gellenbeck was never hesitant to surrender the ball to teammates. She set a single-season record for assists (95), breaking the mark set by Katy Potts in 1985. Gellenbeck shot 45% from the field and had 105 steals. She has received a partial scholarship offer from Loyola Marymount and also is considering UC Santa Barbara.

Her father, Ron, witnessed every shot, steal and sneaker squeal--he has been the public-address announcer at Newbury Park for 11 years. In addition to girls’ basketball, he announces football, girls’ volleyball and softball games.

A few years ago, Parvin started what would become a gift-giving tradition with the Gellenbecks by presenting Ron with a jacket that had the words “Ron, Golden Voice of Panther Pavilion,” stitched onto it.

Ron of the golden throat occasionally gets in hot water with some of the players because of his tendency to use, uh, catchy nicknames. He once called Kristi “Sticks” over the P. A., because she was rather lanky at the time.

“She practically threatened him after that one,” said Sandra Gellenbeck, Kristi’s mother.

Yet having dad saddled with announcing duties does have its auditory benefits.

“We love it,” Sandra said, “because it keeps him quiet. He’s a pretty vocal fan, and that sort of forces him to be good.”

Other Gellenbecks have fared well at Newbury Park. Kristi’s brother Don graduated in 1979 and played for the varsity. Her sister Terri graduated in 1982 and played for the freshman team.

Now that all of his children have graduated from high school, will dad forsake his involvement at Newbury Park.

Hardly.

“I think I’ll probably be coaching in some capacity next season,” said Ron, who coached Kristi on youth-league basketball or softball teams seven times. “Probably as an assistant for the girls’ team.”

For the first time in years, he won’t have his daughter in tow.

GIRLS’ ALL-VENTURA COUNTY

Second Team

Player School Yr. Ht. Ps. Ytteb Bowls C. Islands Jr. 5-9 F Simone Cain Hueneme Sr. 6-0 C Suzanne Carey St. Bon. So. 5-10 C Katie Krause Newbury Pk. Sr. 5-8 F Angie Long Camarillo Jr. 5-11 F Chris Singer Newbury Pk. Sr. 5-11 C Sandy Nothvogel Simi Valley Sr. 6-0 F Nichole Victoria Camarillo So. 5-5 G Angela Williams Ventura Sr. 5-9 F Chris Zietz Santa Clara Sr. 5-6 F