PREP BASKETBALL ‘92-’93: FREEWAY LEAGUE

La Habra

1991-92 RECORDS OVERALL: 4-20 LEAGUE: 1-9

COACH: RECORD AT SCHOOL

Frank McCarroll: 36-66

RETURNING STARTERS YR. HGT. P Gene Gonzalez Sr. 5-8 G Andrija Kristich Jr. 6-6 C Rusty Volkert Sr. 6-5 F

TOP RETURNERS YR. HGT. P Mike Gieldon Jr. 6-4 F Rick McAnally Sr. 6-3 F

TOP NEWCOMERS YR. HGT. P Ken Cauley Jr. 6-2 G Eddy Glover Sr. 6-4 F Travis Takanashi Jr. 5-7 G

OUTLOOK

Can La Habra go from last to first in one season? It might be asking too much, but there is plenty of optimism in 1991-92. The Highlanders have won only five league games in the past three seasons, but that should change. This is the deepest and most talented team at La Habra since Tex Wallis was routinely winning 20 games a season before he retired in 1984. “We have 10 legitimate players and seven of them played serious amounts of minutes last season,” McCarroll said. “This is also a very versatile group of athletes.” Kristich, the team’s tallest player, is the younger brother of former two-time all-county girls’ star Zrinka Kristich. Volkert, a first-team all-league selection, averaged 11.5 points as a junior. He is also a standout pitcher and is expected to be highly recruited this spring. “We could contend for the title with some luck,” McCarroll said. “Our goal is to finish among the top three in the league.” The only apparent weakness is the lack of a three-point shooter. Wendell Wickersham, who missed his senior year battling cancer, is an assistant to McCarroll. La Habra plays in tournaments at Covina Charter Oak and Brea-Olinda.