Pirates stick to system

Some coaches tailor their system to the personnel they recruit. Steve Spencer, entering his seventh season at the helm of the Orange Coast College men’s basketball team, is not one of those coaches.

For Spencer, coming off a third straight winning season that produced the program’s first postseason win since 1987, the system is what propels the Pirates’ ship.

To that end, he has 18 players in uniform, almost none of whom will likely generate enough statistical evidence to justify significant individual honors, ready to open the season tonight at 6 against Bakersfield in the first round of the eight-team Ventura Tournament.

“We’ll be the same as always,” Spencer said of this version, which will once again rely on pressure defense and an up-tempo offense in which the term go-to guy will not apply. “We’re just going to have to try to get after people in the full court and press and run. And we’ll have to try to execute some stuff in the half court.”

The Pirates executed well enough to post a 17-15 record last season, including a 70-67 triumph over Los Angeles Southwest in the first round of the Southern California Regional playoffs.

The Pirates were eliminated by by host Ventura in the second round of the regionals.

It was the first time the program produced a third straight winning season since Tandy Gillis guided the Pirates to a similar feat from 1986-89.

OCC was 7-5 in the Orange Empire Conference, tied for third, and sent its leading scorer, 6-foot-8, 225-pound sophomore post Steve Cornett, a first-team all-conference performer, off to a starting spot with Division II Sonoma State.

Among several returners set to lead this year’s squad are 6-2 guard Shaun Engle, 5-8 guard Brian Molina and 6-3 guard Brian Gee.

Engle averaged 11.8 points per game last season, second only to Cornett’s 17.1 per-game output, and his 38 three-pointers ranked third on the team.

“We’re looking for good things from [Engle],” Spencer said. “He’s going to have to provide leadership and be able to perform in a lot of areas on the court.”

Molina, a Costa Mesa High product, averaged 5.2 points and 2.0 assists as a freshman.

“He started some for us last year and he has had a nice fall,” Spencer said of Molina.

Gee averaged 4.1 points as a freshman and Spencer is looking for him to expand upon the catch-and-shoot ability that had been the foundation of his game.

Spencer said 5-9 guard Tres Saldivar and 6-4 forward Nicholas Milan are additional returners who should expect an expanded role. Saldivar averaged 2.2 points last season, while Milan chipped in 1.4 per contest.

Spencer said Robert Brakeville, a 6-6 sophomore forward who transferred from Vanguard, should also contribute inside.

Spencer said Brian Helmuth, a 6-5 forward out of Trabuco Hills High, is the top recruit.

“[Helmuth] is a very versatile player who is going to have to play against bigger people inside, as well as do some things on the perimeter,” Spencer said.

Jonathan Brown, a 6-0 guard out of Ocean View High, Matt Ching, a 6-1 guard from Hawaii, Eric O’Mahony, a 6-2 guard from San Dimas, and Terry Martin, a 6-1 guard from Long Beach Poly, are additional freshmen who could contribute, Spencer said.

“O’Mahony has been our best shooter in practice,” Spencer said. “And Martin is a raw kid who I think has his best basketball ahead of him.”

Some good basketball might have been expected from would-be sophomores Josh Poitevin and Diego Delgado, who averaged 6.6 and 5.9 points per game, respectively, last season. But Spencer said both were academically ineligible this season.

Patrick Ezemma, a 6-5 freshman out of Las Vegas, is sidelined with a torn calf muscle. Spencer said he may not be ready for another month.

Spencer said Molina and Gee have missed recent practices with injuries, but both are cleared to play tonight.

Spencer has added two new assistants to the staff that also includes Alex Arredondo.

Amir Kermani comes from El Dorado High, while Ben Adelman, the nephew of Houston Rockets Coach Rick Adelman and the son of Clete Adelman, the former coach for 25 seasons at MiraCosta College in Oceanside, are the other newcomers.

The Pirates open conference play Jan. 9 at Irvine Valley.

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at barry.faulkner@latimes.com.