B J Ward

Santa Clara High isn't the only team setting state boys' basketball tournament records. Modesto Calvary Temple, the Saints' opponent in the state Division V final, set a Northern Regional championship-game record for points by a team in a 98-81 victory over Hoopa Valley last Saturday. Santa Clara accomplished a similar feat in a 93-55 victory over El Cajon Christian, setting a Southern Regional championship-game record for points by a team.

When a review of an American Independence Day Concert at the Hollywood Bowl ("Amber Waves Are Plain at the Bowl," Calendar, July 4) begins with a quote from Samuel Johnson that "patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel," it is clear that an attempt is being made by another writer to sneer at good, clean American fun. What a pity that Timothy Mangan, although he admits that "we had fun," felt compelled to try to out-Bernheimer Bernheimer....

Senior Casey Jacobsen of Glendora and junior Diana Taurasi of Chino were named state basketball players of the year Wednesday by Cal-Hi Sports. Jacobsen averaged 31.2 points a game and finished his career as the all-time leading scorer in Southern Section history with 3,284 points. Taurasi averaged 27.4 points a game for Chino and will be regarded as one of the top seniors in the nation next season.

B.J. Ward scored 22 points and Santa Clara High boys' basketball Coach Lou Cvijanovich won his 809th game, 68-61, over Ventura on Saturday in the championship game of the Ventura tournament. Santa Clara (10-1), ranked No. 2 in the region by The Times, increased the lead to 30-23 with six consecutive free throws to begin the second half. Sparked by 26 points from Jeff Staniland, Ventura (8-5) pulled to within 48-44, but the Cougars missed several layups down the stretch.

Mike Kolbeck of Santa Paula sank a desperation three-point shot from beyond the top of the key as time expired Friday night in a 49-47 Frontier League upset of Santa Clara. The senior forward scored the Cardinals' last seven points, 13 of their 15 in the fourth quarter, and 17 of their 26 in the second half. "I had no time to think; I just threw it up," said Kolbeck, who was buried by a frenzied crowd of Santa Paula fans for more than a minute.

I allow myself only two errors a year. I am going to have to be very careful from now on, because my quota for 1991 is already used up. January was disastrous. Most egregious was my use of a homophone--a word that is pronounced like another, but is spelled differently and has a different meaning.

The Central Valley Christian High boys' basketball team felt the impact of Santa Clara's Nick Jones on Tuesday night. Jones, who missed most of the season with a broken foot, had 23 points, 13 rebounds and six assists to lead the Saints past the Cavaliers, 67-49, in a Southern Regional Division V first-round playoff game at Charles Marshall Court. "The chemistry with everyone is coming little by little," said Jones, a 6-foot-3 junior. "Now, I know when to shoot and when to pass."

An evening of "songs you've (probably) never heard" may not sound like the most entertaining event that comes to mind. But singer B.J. Ward's Tuesday performance at the Cinegrill, using precisely that title, was indeed entertaining and more -- much more. The songs "probably never heard" all included lyrics by Marshall Barer. To say that the gifted lyricist, who passed away in 1998 at the age of 75, was eccentric would be a major understatement.

Santa Clara High has waltzed to the Southern Section Division V-AA championship game the last two seasons, encountering little resistance along the way. This year appears to be no different for Santa Clara (21-3), which boasts UC Santa Barbara-bound guards Nick Jones and B.J. Ward. The Saints likely will play Flintridge Prep and Faith Baptist in the first two rounds. "Worse teams than them have beaten better teams than Santa Clara," cautioned Coach Lou Cvijanovich of Santa Clara.