Boys basketball: CdM visits San Dimas

SAN DIMAS - Corona del Mar High boys basketball coach Paul Orris

said he kept a few hole cards from San Dimas Coach Gary Prestesater, on

hand to scout the Sea Kings’ 54-41 first-round win at Garbrielino in

Wednesday’s CIF Southern Section Division III-AA opener.

But, in tonight’s second-round clash, 7:30 at the Saints gym, Orris

will likely need his best hand to upset the No. 2-seeded Valle Vista

League champions (23-3).

The Sea Kings (12-16) won their initial playoff confrontation for the

11th time in 12 postseason appearances under Orris, in his 15th season at

the varsity helm.

But San Dimas figures to provide a much stiffer test than Gabrielino.

The game figures to be a contrast in styles, with San Dimas preferring

an fast-paced tempo, to the Sea Kings’ more methodical approach.

In its first 24 games this season, San Dimas scored in the 80s four

times and was in the 70s six times. By contrast, CdM has scored more than

70 points only twice.

Offensively, the Sea Kings are paced by senior guards Idean Shahangian

(12.5 points per game) and Eric Snell (11.9). Senior forward Zach

Brewster averages 10 points per contest, including a team-high 17

Wednesday.

Senior forward Charlie Alshuler averages just 6.4 points, but

contributes in several other areas, including those that don’t appear on

the stat sheet.

San Dimas and CdM have one common opponent this season. The Saints

split with Ganesha, winning, 81-71, and losing, 64-61. The Sea Kings dropped a 65-47 nonleague verdict to the Giants.

Tonight’s winner advances to Tuesday’s quarterfinal, where it will

meet either Martin Luther King of Riverside (19-6) or Banning (19-9).

-- by Barry Faulkner