Alliman Comes Off the Bench and Gets Into the Mix for Rancho Santiago

Ramon Alliman knows all about life on the bench at Rancho Santiago College.

He spent last season learning to watch basketball from one of the best seats in the gym after playing on the varsity for most of three seasons at Pacifica High.

His viewing was interrupted a few times each half when he was called on to give a starter a rest.

But thanks to a summer of hard work, Alliman, who is 6 feet 2 and can dunk with ease, hardly gets to sit this season. He is starting at the three position for Rancho Santiago (13-6, 1-1 in the Orange Empire Conference).

“This season, I’m expected to score and rebound,” Alliman said. “Plus, I have to guard the best player on the other team.”

Alliman has adapted well to his responsibilities. He is averaging 11 points and five rebounds and has earned a reputation as a hard-nosed defender.

For motivation before this season, Alliman only had to recall last season when he averaged three points and two rebounds in a part-time role.

“I was just in there to give a starter a breather,” Alliman said.

He had come to Rancho Santiago from Pacifica High, where he was part of a team that won a Southern Section title and reached a state championship game.

“It was really hard,” Alliman said about last season at Rancho Santiago. “I went through a lot of stuff in my head like ‘Should I have come here?’ Especially since people told me I would have been starting at other places. But I just kept working on my game.”

Alliman’s spot on the bench became permanent in early February. As he was driving toward the basket for a layup against Riverside, his legs were knocked out from under him. He landed hard on his left wrist, breaking it.

He missed the final five games of the season, and was in a cast for almost two months. While sidelined from pickup games, he spent his time working on his shooting and his defense, things he could still do with a wrist cast.

“His offense has really improved,” Coach Ray Rodriguez said. “He really worked on his shooting. He always played hard on defense but that has improved also.”

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The streak: The Orange Coast women’s basketball team and Coach Mike Thornton would very much like to beat Golden West when the teams meet at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at OCC.

The game is as important as any in the conference race but is also crucial for another reason. Orange Coast last beat Golden West on Valentine’s Day in 1986. Since then the Rustlers have won 20 in a row against the Pirates.

OCC forward Jamie Shine should became the Pirates’ all-time leading rebounder this week. She has 557 rebounds, behind LeAnn Kazmer (1992-94), who had 563.

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Get over it: There has been plenty of grinding of teeth over the fact that the men are playing the 5:30 p.m. games in the first round of the doubleheader format adopted by Orange Empire Conference this season. Things switch starting Jan. 26 and the men will then start at 7:30 p.m.

The plan came about as a result of the gender equality issue.

Bill Brummel, the Saddleback men’s coach, has a unique approach to the issue.

Although his team is 14-3 and 2-0 in conference, he said doesn’t mind being the warmup act for the Saddleback women’s team, which is 15-0, 2-0 and ranked second in the state.

Brummel joked that his team is riding on the coattails of the women and that he would like to have a part of the hot dog concession.

He made that remark after his game Wednesday, but an hour later the Saddleback snack table ran out of hot dog buns, having already sold more than 50 hot dogs at $1 each.

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Signings: Three Rancho Santiago football players have announced plans for next season. James Stewart, a sophomore defensive back who had a team-high six interceptions, is going to San Diego State.

Mark Rommel, an All-Mission Conference offensive lineman, is going to Utah State. Alan Witten, an all-conference defensive end, is headed for Chapman.