One week after winning a tournament on the west side of Santa Clara Valley (the Westmont Invitational), the Firebirds were impressive in claiming the Independence-Fukushima championship at Evergreen Valley High in the east foothills.

San Benito (69-57), Evergreen (80-43) and Santa Teresa (76-65) are the latest teams to learn firsthand that the 2004­05 Fremont team is likely to be more successful than last winter's group of Firebirds that finished with a 16-14 record and a first-round exit from the Central Coast Section Division II tournament.

Next on tap is Fremont's own event--a 16-team affair--the Sunnyvale Holiday Tournament, beginning with eight first-round games on Dec. 18 and running through Dec. 23.

"We just want to compete," says Fremont coach Miguel Castillo, trying to downplay his team's 7-0 start. "We have a very, very tough league--Homestead is 7-0, Palo Alto is 6-0, a Los Gatos player [Ted Hull] scored 30 the other night, Milpitas was the co-champ with Palo Alto last year, and is good again."

And, coach, what about that Fremont team?

"We have 10 guys back from last year, including four starters," Castillo explains.

And Castillo's tallest returning starter, 6-foot-6 senior Dan Bergeron, was first team all-leaguer in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League as a junior. Bergeron, in his third season as a varsity starter, poured in 30 points during the Independence tourney title game Dec. 10 against Santa Teresa.

"He's like a coach on the floor," Castillo praises. "Dan makes nice plays and he's a good passer."

And Bergeron can score from inside and outside; nine of his 30 against the Saints were on three-point shots. He finished the three-game tourney with 68 points, including eight three-pointers.

A pair of 6-foot seniors, forward Lance Turner (nine threes during the tourney) and guard Chris Gokey (six), also are quite proficient from beyond the three-point arc. Turner, who canned six three-point goals in the Westmont Invitational title game, scored 41 points in last week's tourney. Gokey had 27.

Even 6-foot-3 sophomore center Leo Janisse--the fourth returning starter--got into the three-point act when the Firebirds connected on 11 against San Benito. Janisse, who scored nine in the Evergreen Valley game, is called upon mainly for defense and rebounding.

"He started for us as a freshman," Castillo said, "and he is very physical inside player."

Allen Castillo, a 5-foot-10 senior not related to the coach, was a back-up forward last season, but now starts at point guard. He shares time with another returning senior, 5-foot-8 Kevin Julian.

"Our point guards--Allen and Kevin--are speed guys that really get the ball moving up court for us."

Castillo, who scored a personal-best 12 points against Evergreen Valley, had eight in the title game.

A key newcomer is 6-foot-3, 250-pound senior Giovanni Conner, who started last year for Eastside Prep, the East Palo Alto school that won the CCS Division V crown last winter. Conner, who scored 32 points during the Independence tourney, gives the Firebirds some inside firepower off the bench.

Guards Gaurav Kumar and Dave Tamondong and forward Victor Stemplewski, all senior veterans, are part of the "second wave" of players that Castillo puts into the game. Sam Kesten, a 6-foot-2 sophomore forward, is back for his second varsity season.

Mark Pariaszewski, Derek Lau, Braden Hirasawa and Jason Blackwell are juniors, who were promoted from last year's frosh-soph squad.

Homestead still perfect

The holiday season has been quite pleasing for Homestead boys basketball coach Marc Cadet. The Mustangs' coach could not have expected anything better than what his squad has delivered in the early stages of the 2004­05 season.

Paced by sharp-shooting senior Mark McLaughlin, the Mustangs have been perfect, winning the season opener by 30 points, then romping to championships at the Cupertino Shootout and Wilcox's DGM Tournament.

In the championship game of the Wilcox tourney on Dec. 12, the Mustangs dumped SCVAL De Anza Division rival Milpitas, 52-45. They took a 7-0 record into a game at Santa Teresa on Dec. 14. Their home opener is Dec. 17 against Andrew Hill.

McLaughlin, whose junior season ended prematurely with ankle surgery, has not lost his shooting touch. The 6-foot-3 wing player already has scored more than 20 points on four occasions for the Mustangs, whose win over defending league co-champion Milpitas serves notice that they will be in the hunt when league play begins.

McLaughlin and junior point guard Davis Ostrow earned all-tournament team honors during the Wilcox tourney, Dec. 9­11. McLaughlin, known for his ability to finish slashing drives toward the basket, netted 16 in the title game, one night after pumping in 22 during a 58-47 win over Oak Grove in the semifinals.

Ostrow tallied 14 against Oak Grove, 10 on foul shots. Senior guard Min Park and 6-foot-5 senior Alex Mrozack each scored eight for Homestead.

Another 6-foot-5 post player, junior William Tsai (14 points), Mrozack (12) and McLaughlin (10) scored in double digits during an easy 77-38 victory over Mt. Pleasant in the first round. Park added nine, while Cameron Ott and Ryan Dedrick chipped in with eight.

It was the second time Homestead whipped the Cardinals this season. Earlier, McLaughlin's 28 points and Dedrick's 12 paced a 69-39 win in the season opener at Mt. Pleasant.

McLaughlin and Tsai helped Homestead polish off Santa Clara 72-47 in the finals of the Cupertino Shootout. After holding just a three-point lead at halftime, the Mustangs outscored Santa Clara 36-14 during the last two quarters. McLaughlin finished with 26 points, 11 from the foul line.

Tsai, whose game-high 18 points were critical in Homestead's 54-52 semi-finals win over host Cupertino, canned 15 against Santa Clara. Senior Min Park scored 12 for the Mustangs, including two three-pointers and four free throws.

Homestead whipped Silver Creek 60-42 in the first round behind McLaughlin's 26 points and junior David Ostrow's 14.

The semi-final game against Cupertino proved to be quite a challenge. The Pioneers led 32-27 at halftime, but Homestead outscored the hosts 14-5 in the third quarter to gain the lead. In addition to Tsai's 18-point effort, Homestead used 11 points from McLaughlin and nine each from Park and Mrozack.

Junior point guard Ehson Mortezaie paced Cupertino with 17 points. Big senior center Alonzo Fitz (6-foot-4, 230 pounds) scored 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Junior David Warren, a 6-foot-4 junior, added nine points.