By Dick Sparrer
Westmont expects to take the role of a title contender in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League this winter. Saratoga could fit the role of a title contender in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League. And both boys' basketball teams looked very much the part when they rolled to victories in nonleague games last week.
The Warriors stormed past Prospect 56-43 in a game that pitted two former rivals in the old West Valley Athletic League, and the Falcons whipped St. Lawrence Academy 62-32.
Talented 6-foot-5 senior forward David Newberg pumped in 18 points, including a three-pointer, to lead the Warriors to the 13-point win over the Panthers. Big 6-foot-6 senior forward Matt Tait chipped in with 14 points and senior guard Hoon Chung hit a couple of threes on his way to 12 points. Lee Reyes added seven points, including a three. Tyler Cripe and Jeremy Spence hit two points apiece and Andy Brown had one.
Junior star Uriah Bojorquez buried two threes and finished with 15 points to lead the Panthers. Junior Aaron Harmon joined him in double digits with 10 points, including two threes. Jeff Lin supported with eights points, Eli Cates hit seven and A.J. Forney added three.
The Warriors jumped out to a quick 15-7 lead in the first period and added to it in the second quarter. Westmont topped Prospect 18-12 in the third period and coasted from there to the win, which helped the Warriors improve to 11-1 in the preseason. The success comes as no surprise to veteran head coach Gary Brinck.
"We have nine returning seniors with a team of experience," he said. "We have size and adequate guards. I feel that if we can improve our defensive game, we could be a contender."
Newberg is a returning all-leaguer from a club that tied for second in the circuit last winter. Tait was an all-league second-team pick.
The Warriors open league play when they host Santa Teresa on Jan. 3, 7:30 p.m. Westmont heads to Valley Christian Jan. 5, 7:30 p.m.
Panthers contenders
Despite the loss to Westmont, Prospect coach Ed Marcos looks for his Panthers to contend for the crown in the West Valley Division of the BVAL.
Marcos rates Willow Glen as the title favorite in the division, but figures his Panthers will finish in the top two.
Cates returns for the Panthers after winning all-league first-team honors last season. Harmon was an all-league second-teamer after winning all-league honors a year earlier on the frosh-soph.
Bojorquez joins the varsity after earning an all-league first-team berth on the frosh-soph a year ago.
Forney, Baruti Armstrong and Justice Rose are other top returners to the Prospect varsity. Aaron Winters and Mark Johnston were all-league second-teamers on the frosh-soph last year and join the Panthers for the 1996 varsity season.
Prospect opens the West Valley Division season at home against Pioneer on Jan. 3, 7 p.m. The Panthers visit Overfelt on Jan. 5, 7 p.m.
Falcons win big
Saratoga rolled to a 30-point win over St. Lawrence Academy.
Talented 6-foot-5 senior forward Aaron Martlage led the Falcons with 25 points, including a three-point bucket. Senior Bryan Webster joined him in double figures with 12.
Mike Black and Mark Marshall dropped six points apiece in the win and Todd Williams had five, including a three. Joe Yuan added four points and Dave Goni had two.
The Falcons led 13-5 at the first buzzer and 27-10 at the half. The outscored St. Lawrence 20-15 in the third and 15-7 in the fourth to coast to the easy win.
Saratoga, now 8-5 for the year, is looking ahead to its El Camino Division opener at home against Cupertino on Jan. 5 at 7 p.m. Head coach Mike Davey hopes it's the start of a title run for his Falcons.
The coach looks to Santa Clara as the division title favorite but figures Saratoga should finish in the top four.
This article appeared in the Saratoga News, Wednesday, January 3, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing Inc. All rights reserved.