1968-69: Bill Walton Takes Center Stage

Helix won its third championship in the last six seasons, but the Highlanders were just breaking ground. The best was yet to come, thanks to Bill Walton, a once-in-a-lifetime player.

Meanwhile, the ball continued to swish through the net.

A record twenty-three players scored at least 400 points and junior Paul Halupa of Bonita Vista averaged 28.7, bettering the record of St. Augustine’s Tom Shaules, who averaged 28.3 in 1957-58. Halupa set a Bonita Vista record with 46 points in a 99-65 loss to Chula Vista.

Not to be outdone, Granite Hills’ Tim Doerr knocked down 47 points on the final night of the regular season, but the Eagles sustained a 99-88 loss to Monte Vista, the reverse exclamation point in a 1-21 season.

Julian’s Rob Petrie tied Shaules’ single-game record of 60 in a 115-76 win over Mountain Empire.

There were more teams and more players and the number of games had increased since early-decade, but the high schoolers continued to refine their shooting skills. In 1960-61, the first year of the CIF San Diego Section, two players scored at least 400, led by the 428 of San Dieguito’s John Fairchild, and 13 scored at least 300.

At least 30 players touched 300 this season, the total no longer notable.

Leaders:

Rascon, Mountain Empire, scored 221 points in 11 games, a 20.1 average.

FLASHED AS SOPHOMORE

Walton had come up from the junior varsity during the 1967-68 playoffs and impacted a semifinal victory over Hilltop with two blocked shots and three rebounds at important junctures in a 69-57 victory.

Listed then by writer Bill Center as a “spindly, 6-foot, 6-inch sophomore,” Walton had grown over the summer to variously cited heights of 6-7, 6-8 ½, and 6-9 1/2.

Walton missed the season’s first three games, nursing a fractured metatarsal bone in his right foot, two days after receiving permission to play on a strained ligament in the same foot, according to a report in The San Diego Union.

Despite winning CIF and national collegiate championships at UCLA and NBA titles with the Portland Trail Blazers and Boston Celtics, Walton’s career often was interrupted and shortened by painful, crippling foot injuries.

SURPRISING SETBACKS

Helix won 29 games and had two unlikely losses, 58-52 to  Monte Vista, with a 2-10 record, and 63-60 to Santa Paula, a small Ventura County school, in the annual Fillmore tournament.

Helix came into the Monte Vista game with a 13-1 record but never led.  Bill Belander (19) and Ernie Arroyo (16) kept the Highlanders at a distance and the Monarchs’ 1-3-1 and 1-2-2 zone defenses slowed the Scots, whose repeated attempts to fast break were short circuited by defender Jim Krattli’s intercepted passes.

The Scots righted the ship the following game, running past El Cajon Valley, 105-53, as Bruce Menser scored 29 points, Dave Unroe 19, Race Paddock and Mike Dupree 11 each, and Bill Walton, 9.

Bill’s older brother, Bruce, a 6-foot-5, 250 pounder, also was an effective rebounder and scorer who went on to an outstanding football career, drafted in the fifth round by the Dallas Cowboys in 1973.

COMING ON

Bill Walton’s emerging dominance was never clearer than in a two-game stretch of Grossmont League play in February.  He had 21 points and 33 rebounds in a 70-48 conquest of Mount Miguel and 21 points and 17 rebounds three days later in a 69-52 win over Grossmont.

Walton, in another overwhelming performance, had 34 rebounds and 24 points against El Capitan as Helix, despite 17 first-half turnovers, won, 84-53.

Walton averaged 19 rebounds and had a 16.7 scoring average despite playing only  one quarter in early-season games.

DON’T KICK HORNETS’ NEST

Bill Center’s lead paragraph in The San Diego Union:  “Morse High won the Eastern League basketball title yesterday by downing Lincoln in the closing seconds, 73-72, in a game that ended with both referees having to be escorted from the Hornets’ gym.”

The trouble began, Center reported, when Lincoln’s Stan Cherry was fouled attempting a shot.  Had Cherry scored, Lincoln would have won and tied for the league championship.

But the referees ruled, after conferring with the timer, that the foul on Cherry occurred after the final buzzer and end of game.

As referee Doug Harvey, a future baseball Hall of Fame umpire, and Bob Moss, a local prep coach and former three-sport athlete at Lincoln, discussed what happened at the official scorer’s table, the near capacity crowd flowed onto the court. When the decision was rendered tempers flared.

FAISON TO RESCUE

Led by Lincoln faculty member and former San Diego Chargers star Earl Faison, a cordon of school officials whisked Harvey and Moss out of the gym away from trouble and into the nearby dressing room.

Harvey had worked many tension-filled games at Lincoln, including one with brother Nolan in 1959-60, when the younger brother of a San Diego High player came out of the stands and took a punch at Lincoln’s Al Catlin.

Morse’s hero was Cedric Reed, who scored the winning basket on a follow shot with 14 seconds remaining.  Reed had beaten the Hornets with two late baskets in a 63-61 thriller earlier.

WILLIAMS’ FIRST

For Morse coach Tom Williams, once a junior member of the Lincoln coaching staff, the victory was particularly satisfying, marking Williams’ first league title in the school’s seven years.

Williams opened the program in 1962-63 and gradually got the Tigers to the top from humble beginnings.  His teams went 2-22, 9-16, 4-16, 13-13, 16-11, and 20-9 before this season’s 23-6.

Williams went on to win 443 games in his career, which included starting up the Serra program when that school opened in 1976.

STANDLY STEPS DOWN.

San Diego High coach Bill Standly announced he was retiring from coaching after nine seasons with the Cavemen, preceded by a long run in Minnesota high schools.

The Cavers fell to 12-15 this season but Standly concluded his Cavers tenure with a 170-85 (.667) record, not counting five forfeits because of player ineligibility in 1965-66, and two Eastern League and two San Diego Section titles.

BARNBURNERS 

Kearny’s Wilburn Strong outscored Phil Edwards, 36-24, but Edwards’ teammate Michael Cohen scored 28 as Madison defeated its league rival, 89-87.  Strong had 40 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists as the Komets broke through on the Warhawks, 83-80, in the rematch.

“I’ve been waiting three years for this,” declared Kearny coach Wayne Colborne.  “They beat us twice with (Steve) Rostoker and twice with (Ron) Dahms.  The kids just made up their minds they wouldn’t do it twice again.”

As Bill Center noted, “Tearful Komets cheerleaders sang the school’s alma mater.”

UNI TRAGEDY

Kevin Madden, a three-sport standout for University, was killed on his way to school in a two-car accident on Friar’s Road near the school’s Linda Vista campus.  The school decided to play the scheduled game against Clairemont the following night and the Dons defeated the Chieftains, 66-44.

REPAIRMAN TO RESCUE

Madison’s 70-66 Western League win over University was delayed almost 20 minutes.  Just before the opening tip a Uni player took a final practice shot and the basket came unhinged and fell to the floor.

TOURNAMENTS

SOUTHERN PREP LEAGUE

–Rob Petrie scored 32 and Julian won the league’s December event, 74-49 over San Diego Military.

FALLBROOK

–Coronado defeated host Fallbrook, 65-56, in finals of the eighth annual of eight teams.  San Clemente, Perris, and Laguna Beach came in from outside the county line.

KIWANIS

–Twenty-second annual included 40 teams in Unlimited (Helix 64-57 over Madison), Limited (University 58-53 over Orange Glen), and Classified (San Marcos 55-45 over Bonita Vista) divisions.

–Highlanders coach Gordon Nash probably heard some groans from his team.  Helix led by one point with 1:43 left against John Hannon’s quick, scrappy Warhawks.  “We’ll be practicing tomorrow morning,” said Nash. “Walton has been out practically all season.  He hasn’t been able to practice with the team.”

–Walton, who did not always take the floor with the starting lineup, scored 67 points in four tournament games, including 24 in the championship.

–Bruce Walton made the all-tournament team.

–Hoover’s Tim Skelley came within one point of John Havens’ school-record 38 points in an 86-75, overtime loss to Point Loma.

–University moved to 9-0 but was held below its 77-point average in the 58-53, Limited Division championship against Orange Glen.

–Paul Halupa had 60 per cent of Bonita Vista’s points, 27 of 45, in the Classified loss.

EL CENTRO ELKS

–Madison and Phil Edwards set school records.  The Warhawks stormed past Mexicali CETY’s, 112-45, and Edwards scored 43 points, augmented by 31 from Bob Brady.

–Crawford, destined to finish 4-8 and in sixth place in the Eastern League, with an overall, 17-11 record, stunned Madison, 71-65 in the semifinals, shocking the team that would win the Western League at 11-1 and finish 26-6 overall.

–The Colts then surprised Morse, 49-48, in the finals.  The Tigers would win the Eastern League at 11-1.

FILLMORE

Santa Paula defeated Helix, 63-60, as Bill Walton was on the bench with five fouls, Bruce Menser did not play, and the Highlanders could not overcome a 54-38 deficit after three quarters.  It was the third time in this event since 1959  that Helix had lost to the unheralded Cardinals.

The Scots recovered to outscore Bakersfield, 78-61, for the consolation championship.

UNIVERSITY

The tournament program was 0-4, retaining its record of misspelling the name of the tournament director, Uni coach Hector Macis.

Macis again was identified as “Mr. Marcis” in the publication.

–Kearny’s Wilburn Strong set a school record with 42 points in a school-record 97-53 win over Granite Hills.

–“I saw where Phil Edwards scored 43 in El Centro last night and I figured I could get that many, too,” said Strong.

–Strong was the tournament most-valuable player and set a record with 121 points (ex-teammate Russ [Whimpy] scored 100 in the 1966 tournament), but Hoover won the championship, 80-60, over Castle Park.

–Coach Wayne DeBate’s Cardinals jumped to a 16-2 lead in the first four minutes, shot 69 per cent from the field in the first half, and balanced the scoring among all five starters.  Bob Martinez led with 18 points, followed by Tim Skelley, 17, Bill Conti, 16, Jack Neal, 15, and Gary Browning, 14.

–“I’ve never had a team come so close to playing as well as those kids tonight,” said DeBate.

JIM MITCHELL MEMORIAL

Originally known as the Mustang Optimist, the name was changed to honor former San Dieguito star Lt. Jim Mitchell, who was killed in action in Viet Nam.

–Eight teams participated.

–El Cajon Valley emerged from the eight-team field, defeating Vista, 58-47, for the championship after knocking off Pomona, 82-42.  San Dieguito claimed third place, 69-64 over Bonita Vista, whose Paul Halupa scored 37 points for the second time this season.

SAN BERNARDINO KIWANIS

San Diego defeated Redlands, 59-56, then was sent home after losses to Ontario Chaffey, 84-65, and Anaheim, 60-49.

CHINO

Escondido went further than Mar Vista and Chula Vista but bowed to Pomona, 64-57, in the consolation semifinals.

PLAYOFFS

–The CIF still was jamming the postseason into one week, with 16 teams in one division.  Poor Julian had to play with the big boys.  Two teams each from the Eastern, Western, Grossmont, Metropolitan and Avocado, which had moved from Class A to Class AA this year, plus one each from the Palomar and Southern leagues, and 4 additional at-large clubs, were invited.

FIRST ROUND

–Madison eliminated Vista (16-10), 81-70.  Castle Park (23-9) ousted Mount Miguel (16-9), 56-40.  Helix beat 16-11 Hoover, 76-41.  Oceanside (15-12) topped Coronado (16-9), 73-57.  Kearny (20-10) edged 16-10 Lincoln, 64-58.  Grossmont (18-10) overwhelmed Julian (13-4), 93-36.  Orange Glen (22-8) got past Marian (16-12), 52-49, and Morse topped University (24-4).

–Morse’s first-ever playoff win was a tribute to ironmen and teamwork.  All five starters went the distance, all in double figures, led by Terry Antoine with 23 points and Avery Clark with 20.

SECOND ROUND

Helix eliminated Kearny, 70-57.  Castle Park nudged Orange Glen, 65-53.  Morse whacked Oceanside, 79-63, and Madison beat Grossmont, 83-73.

SEMIFINALS

–There were 4,635 persons at the Sports Arena, hosting the Final 4 for the first time, although CIF honcho Don Clarkson said the Friday night crowd was closer to 3,800.

–Bob Brady’s two free throws with one second left in overtime lifted Madison past Morse, 67-66.  Helix bombed Castle Park, 68-40.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Bill Walton scored 13 points and had 15 rebounds in 19 minutes as Helix repeated a Kiwanis Tournament victory over Madison, 87-72.  Morse edged Castle Park, 69-64, for third place.

A triple header started with the third place game at 5 p.m., followed by the championship at 7 and the San Diego Rockets-L.A. Lakers  NBA contest at 9, witnessed by an announced turnout of 14,380.

Attendance for the Helix-Madison game was estimated at 6,500. No pep bands were in attendance and cheerleaders were closer to the building’s rafters than the floor, according to Bill Center.

JUMP SHOTS

Francis Parker (9-10) dropped its first-ever game, 53-31 to the Marian Freshmen, who were led by George Milke’s 20 points and Dan Prager’s 18…the Lancers got into the win column in the next game, a 67-19 rout of the San Diego Military junior varsity as Scott Braly scored 27 points at Municipal Gym…Parker scored the first 24 points in a 66-13 win over Southwestern Military in San Marino….Patrick Henry (2-23) lost its inaugural, 70-25 to Vista and its first victory was 49-44 over Vista’s Palomar League neighbor, San Marcos, as Bill Hilke scored 22…the new school in San Carlos was coached by Alan (Fritz) Ziegenfuss, who played for Jim Sams at Crawford in 1960-61…mentor beat student twice in Eastern League play, 63-40 and 68-33…Rod Boone scored 22 in each game to lead the Colts…a 103-31 loss to Calipatria was part of Borrego Springs’ introductory, 1-7 season…Brian Standly, the Madison High correspondent for The San Diego Union, is son of San Diego High mentor Bill Standly…Lincoln equaled a school record in an 86-63 win over Hilltop and bettered that mark in a 91-40 rout of  Patrick Henry that set an Eastern League record for most points in one game…6-foot-9 Ken Barstow, Mount Miguel’s lone starter back from the 32-0 1967-68 team, scored 22 points and pulled down 14 rebounds all in the first half of a 70-63 win over Santana…the Matadors’ County record 35 consecutive wins and 53 of 54 came to an end in a 80-65 loss to St Augustine (16-12) despite Barstow’s 35 points…Coronado enjoyed a 33-4 edge in free throws, which was enough to hold off Sweetwater, 71-65…the losing Red Devils were ahead from the field, 62-38, but converted only 4 of 16 free throw attempts…the Islanders were 33×41 from the line…the San Diego High gym had a leaky ceiling from recent rain…Lincoln overcame the moisture, defeating the Cavemen, 55-50…Helix scored 35 points in the first quarter and clinched a tie for the Grossmont League title, 98-48 over Granite Hills…