1995-96 BOYS’ BASKETBALL PREVIEW : SUNSET LEAGUE

EDISON: 12-15, 2-8 in 1994-95. Coach: Jon Borchert (12th year, 182-89). Prospects: There’s not a lot of electricity this season. The most experienced player is Brian Slusser, a 6-foot-5, 205-pound senior promoted from the junior varsity in the middle of last season. He averaged six points a game. Junior swingman Pat Zaldo also returns. A couple of seniors and a couple juniors off the junior varsity team will have big roles to fill. Borchert isn’t concerned about the Chargers’ ability to score, though. “This is the deepest team I’ve ever coached,” he said. “We have some fine shooters. Defensively and on the boards is where we must improve.”

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ESPERANZA: 14-13, 6-4 in 1994-95. Coach: Mark Hill (ninth year, 114-74). Prospects: This is shaping up as a two-team fight for first, with the Aztecs and Los Alamitos favored by the league’s coaches. Hill said his team will contend, but with good reason. The Aztecs return eight players. Their returning starters are Josh Greer, a 6-7 senior who averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds and who has committed to St. Mary’s; Lohnnie Tape, who shot a school-record 63.7% from the floor, and Bryan Moore, a 6-5 junior.

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FOUNTAIN VALLEY: 19-8, 8-2 in 1994-95. Coach: Mike Warrington (first year). Prospects: The defending league champion returns only one player--senior forward Nathan Strange, who averaged 10 points a game last season. Beyond that, the lineup is very inexperienced. Three seniors--forwards Timm Katz and Barry Reid, and swingman Jason Fizzard--are back, but longtime coach Gordon Billingsley has retired. His replacement, Warrington, is in a tough role, but says the Barons will rely on three-point shooting and a pressing defense.

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HUNTINGTON BEACH: 12-13, 5-5 in 1994-95. Coach: Roy Miller (20th year, 218-208). Prospects: First-team all-league selection Matt Jones, a 6-5 1/2 forward, returns, as do four players with some varsity experience. Jones averaged 13.3 points a game. The Oilers are big-time dark horses in the league. Team size and speed is not substantial. The bench players from last season--guards Josh Pardo and Ravi Brahmbhatt and post players Keith Belyea and Jahit Denktas--will have to step up a notch. Miller plans to promote five players from last season’s junior varsity team.

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LOS ALAMITOS: 22-8, 7-3 in 1994-95. Coach: Steve Brooks (15th year, 245-118). Prospects: Brooks tabs Esperanza as a league favorite, even though the Griffins reached the Southern Section Division I-AA semifinals last season. “We have good size with offensive potential,” he said. The Griffins return two standouts: Cory Johnson, a 6-2 senior, and Chris Glass, a 6-foot junior. Johnson, who averaged 12.2 points, was a first-team all-league selection. Others who will be expected to make major contributions are senior A.D. Lamoureux and junior Travis Strang.

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MARINA: 4-20, 2-8 in 1994-95. Coach: Roger Holmes (second year, 4-20). Prospects: The young and inexperienced Vikings will look to senior Steve Bolton, a 6-4 swingman who was a second-team all-league selection last season. He averaged 12 points per game. Senior Peter Mignosa, a 6-foot guard, also returns, as do senior guard Dean Onishi and junior forward Pardeep Brar. Beyond that, Marina is green. It’s not easy being green. “It’s a continued rebuilding year,” Holmes explained. Seniors Eric Christmas and Josh Heilman, junior Peter Yoon, sophomore Jose Vazquez and freshman Scott Rivera all figure to see plenty of playing time.