Los Gatos Weekly-Times


Mike McSweeney	Matt Gingery

McSweeney, Gingery earn spots on all-league team

By Dick Sparrer

Palo Alto and Milpitas were basketball powers in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League this winter. And it appears that the Vikings and Trojans will remain powers for a long time to come.

Because Paly and Milpitas not only finished one-two in the varsity division this season, but they tied for the title in the frosh-soph division as well.

Palo Alto posted an 11-1 league mark to claim the varsity crown, with Milpitas a close second at 10-2. The frosh-soph teams tied for the division championship with matching 9-3 records.

Wilcox (8-4) ended up third in the varsity standings, with Los Gatos (7-5) fourth, and Lynbrook (7-5) was third in the frosh-soph standings, with Gatos (6-6) fourth.

But after the way Paly and Milpitas dominated the division, it came as little surprise to see the two schools dominate again when it came time for the coaches to select their all-league squads.

Senior guard Ben Selby was named the most valuable player after leading Palo Alto to the De Anza Division varsity championship.

Junior forward Dave Persyko and junior guard Lucas Danna each earned spots on the all-league first team. Senior center Isaac Gradman was picked to the second team, and junior guard Brandynn Williams was named to the honorable mention list.

Milpitas senior center Billy Craig won a place on the all-league first team, with teammates Jason Billie, a sophomore guard, and Fernando Pelazzo, a junior forward, claiming second-team honors. Senior forward George Zodical was an honorable mention selection.

Senior guard Mike McSweeney of Los Gatos, senior forward Nick Emmanuel of Lynbrook, senior guard Dino Quintero of Los Altos and senior guards Jose Suarez and Delbert Haynes of Wilcox were other members of the all-league first team.

Sophomore forward Matt Gingery of Los Gatos, senior guard Emmy Opene of Lynbrook and junior guard Greg West of Wilcox were other members of the second team.

Rounding out the honorable mention list were Robby Diffenderfer of Santa Clara, Pete Bjorklund of Los Altos and Patrick Dennehy of Wilcox.

Players from Milpitas and Palo Alto shared the MVP award in the frosh-soph division. Alex Jackson of Milpitas and Joseph Griffin of Paly were named co-MVPs of the all-league team.

Players earning first-team recog-nition included sophomore Beau Knight, sophomore Ben Winkelman and freshman Jeff Patterson of Los Gatos, sophomores Mike Wright and Chris Catral of Milpitas, Aaron Wilson and Joey Willis of Paly and Michael Stevens and Steven Davis of Lynbrook.

Freshman Ben Kane and sophomore Alex Holcomb of Los Gatos were picked to the second team along with David Whitson of Palo Alto, Bobby Bains and Jeff Ybut of Milpitas, Vincent Alabado and Alex Hastings of Santa Clara and Francis David of Wilcox.

Final De Anza Division varsity standings: Palo Alto 11-1, Milpitas 10-2, Wilcox 8-4, Los Gatos 7-5, Lynbrook 4-8, Los Altos 2-10, Santa Clara 0-12.

Final De Anza Division frosh-soph standings: Palo Alto 9-3, Milpitas 9-3, Lynbrook 7-5, Los Gatos 6-6, Los Altos 5-7, Santa Clara 4-8, Wilcox 1-11.

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