Cleveland, Chevalier Getting High Marks

Pride, respect, bonding, attention to academics.

Ask Andre Chevalier about the Cleveland High boys’ basketball team he coaches and his answers are peppered with such terms.

Winning doesn’t come up much, although that’s the result everyone who follows the Cavalier program expects. So far, so good.

In their first season under Chevalier, a 25-year-old former Cleveland and Cal State Northridge point guard, the Cavaliers (12-3) have won 11 of their last 12 games heading into their Northwest Valley Conference opener today at Granada Hills.

“We’re committed to working hard in the classroom and on the court every day,” said Chevalier, who supervises a mandatory daily study period for his players. “Academics come first. And the more time we spend together, the more the team becomes a family.”

Cleveland wasn’t exactly dysfunctional before Chevalier arrived, winning the West Valley League title with a 9-1 record and going 15-9 last season.

Returning are Donald Holt, a 6-foot-6 blue-collar type who plays several positions, and 6-8 center Michael Schultz, who has blocked 81 shots.

“Donald is a diamond in the rough, the type of player who gets his points on dirty work, off rebounds and loose balls,” Chevalier said. “Schultz is capable of being a big-time player. He can be intimidating.”

Jerome Grant, a 6-1 senior, is an outstanding defender and ballhandler, and shooting guard Daniel Yang can hit the three-pointer.

Taft and Chatsworth have shown signs of being legitimate challengers, and Kennedy is improving after a rocky start.

Two returning players transferred from Taft (9-4), but the Toreadors have not missed a beat behind a trio of forwards. Amir Bar-Netzer is shooting 67%, averaging 18.2 points and 10.6 rebounds; Brandyn Fisher is averaging 15.1 points and 7.5 rebounds; and Darryl Harris is averaging 10.8 points and 9.1 rebounds.

“We’re playing good defense and we’re unselfish,” said Coach Mark Drucker, whose team won the Westlake tournament. “We could easily be 11-2. I think our league is wide open.”

Kennedy (5-7) started slowly, veteran Waking Bailey because he is being recruited heavily as a football player. Michael Calloway and Bailey form a strong guard tandem, and forward Tommy Gales is a steady hand.

Chatsworth was second in the league last season at 7-3, but only 10-10 overall. This season, the Chancellors have started at 7-4.

Junior forwards Montae McFarland and Harold Shelvin, junior guard Keith Stevens, and 6-5 sophomores Richard Harrison and Michael Bell are long on potential.

NORTH VALLEY LEAGUE

Each coach points to his guy, be it Leon Pimky of Granada Hills, Elan Buller of El Camino Real, Fahim Hassankhail of Birmingham or Sean Atkins of San Fernando.

“Everybody thinks their point guard is the best, everybody talks about all these other guys,” Birmingham Coach Al Bennett said. “But I’ll put Hassankhail up against any of them.”

Hassankhail, a 5-6 junior second-year starter, has 99 assists to lead the Braves (9-5).

Granada Hills (8-5) has Pimky, who is averaging 18 points, 5.3 assists and three steals.

“He is one of the best point guards in the Valley,” Coach Lou Cicciari said.

“He distributes the ball well and is a good thinker.”

Granada Hills is 8-0 when collecting 20 or more assists and 0-5 when getting fewer than 20.

It’s no different at El Camino Real with Buller, a senior transfer from Oak Park.

“He is very entertaining and is accomplished at all facets of the game,” Coach Neils Ludlow said.

Defending champion El Camino Real (17-10 a year ago), is 5-7 after playing in the Simi Valley, Van Nuys and Chaminade tournaments.

Mick Cady, coach of a San Fernando team that was last in the league at 2-8 (7-16 overall) last season, is counting on point guard Sean Atkins to direct the Tigers out of the cellar.

If Atkins, a junior who has started the past two seasons, falters, Cady needs to look no further than Atkins’ brother, Bryson, a talented sophomore who beat the buzzer with a game-winning shot against Monroe early this season.

Most of the Tigers’ talent is still in the developmental stage. Tyrone Purnell, a 6-7 transfer from Taft, and shooting guard Louis DeLaRosa, who averages 16.3 points, are juniors. Starting forward Reggie Kinlaw is a sophomore.

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AT A GLANCE

* THE PROVEN: Forward Donald Holt, center Mike Schultz and point guard Jerome Grant give Cleveland an experienced attack. The Cavaliers were 9-1 in conference behind the trio last season. . . . Small forward Ne’Leon Wilkerson is Chatsworth’s only senior starter. . . . Michael Calloway and Waking Bailey give Kennedy a balanced backcourt. Each had scoring averages in double figures last season. . . . Leon Pimky of Granada Hills, Fahim Hassankhail of Birmingham, Sean Atkins of San Fernando and Sparky Larkin of Taft are returning starters at point guard who should keep turnovers to a minimum.

* THE PROMISING: Elan Buller of El Camino Real, a 5-foot-11 transfer from Oak Park, is the most exciting newcomer in the conference. . . . Taft lost two experienced players during the off-season when junior center Tyrone Purnell transferred to San Fernando and junior forward Harold Shelvin transferred to Chatsworth. The Toreadors have reloaded, however, with forwards Amir Bar-Netzer, Brandon Fisher and Darryl Harris.

* FAST FACT: Chatsworth Coach Fluke Fluker was a Cal State Northridge assistant when first-year Cleveland Coach Andre Chevalier was the Matador point guard from 1990-94. Chevalier is Northridge’s career scoring leader.