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St. Monica’s Banks on Its Lettermen
Amir Soofi
Mirror contributing writer
Saint Monica Catholic High School offers one of the
most extensive private high school basketball programs on the westside.
A storied basketball institution for years, St. Monica has graduated
such players as Leon Wood, who went on to California State University
at Fullerton and then the NBA (with a quick 1984 Olympic Gold Medal
detour) and Brian Williams, later of Arizona University, and also the
NBA.
“The program stresses team and individual fundamentals, physical
conditioning, and basic skills that are designed to provide each
student athlete with the opportunity to improve his knowledge of the
game, to compete on the Interscholastic level, and to develop
leadership skills,” explains the school’s basketball publication. “The
program also does all it can to provide the student-athlete the
opportunity to play at the college level if he performs well enough
athletically and academically.”
Last year’s team, which advanced to the CIF Regional Championship
and State Semifinal Championship games, graduated Sean Cole to Texas
A&M and Jamayne Potts to San Diego Mesa College, both with
scholarships. Marcus Shelby, Mariners’ power forward, accepted a
football scholarship to the University of Oregon.
Luckily, Saint Monica did not graduate all of its stars. All-CIF
selection Hampton “Pop” Nunely, senior, who lives 80 miles away from
school and cites Santa Monica High School former head coach James
Hecht as his all-time favorite Saint Monica player, will return at
guard to lead alongside returning lettermen Brandon Cruz, Kyle
Guillory, Jacque Owens and Matt Tanios, brother of legendary Mariner
Peter Tanios.
Chris Quinn begins his first year as head coach of the Mariners,
and will lead the team into league competition on January 9, at Saint
Anthony’s. The Mariners will host their first home league game on
January 16, against Verbum Dei. Specific times and locations are
available through the Mariner Sports Hotline at (310) 394-3701 ext.
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