Monache, Lindsay duos steal Orange Belt spotlight in 2009

The 2008-09 boys basketball season produced no shortage of talent among the Orange Belt’s six teams.

But two of those squads — Monache and Lindsay — each showcased formidable guard-post combos that shined above the rest to take four of the five available spots on the 2009 All-Orange Belt first team.

The Marauders’ point guard Omar Saleh and power forward Jordan Howard took two of the spots for leading Monache into the second round of Div. II postseason action.

Two other spots were claimed by the Cardinals’ shooting guard Bryan Gonzalez and center Seth Townsend for doing the same at the Div. IV level.

Gonzalez led the Orange Belt in scoring at 19.2 points a pop. Townsend was second with 17.5 points. The sweet-shooting big man (40 percent from beyond the arc) also grabbed 4.1 rebounds a game.

Saleh was perhaps the Orange Belt’s flashiest guard, as he soared to the hoop for most of his 13.4-point average with his patented up-and-under layups. He dished 3.8 assists and snagged 2.5 steals on his way to a spot on the 2009 EYL first team.

Howard led all rebounders at a clip of 9.2 boards while scoring 12 points per game. The senior also chipped in nearly three assists and two blocks.

The Orange Belt first team’s fifth slot belongs to Strathmore swingman Jorge Ojeda for his multi-purpose contributions. The first team’s only junior averaged 13.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while being asked to distribute the ball on a regular basis.

The second is front-loaded with guards, including Porterville’s potent combo guard, Phillip Carganilla. The senior displayed an unlimited variety of ways to score and helped seal the season’s finale over Monache with his second half play.

Granite’s combo of Curtis Keene and Nate Cordova turned in a solid performance despite winning just four games.

Keene turned in one of the most memorable nights in the Grizzlies’ season finale against Porterville. Keene scored 14 points and hit the game-winning 3-pointer with five seconds remaining.

The senior guard, who hopes to play at Porterville College this fall along with Gonzalez, averaged 13 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists.

Cordova was often out-sized by opposing big men, but the center averaged 11 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.4 blocks with an array of deceiving fakes and skillful footwork in the paint.

Monache and Lindsay also claimed the last two spots on the Orange Belt second team.

Marauders’ forward Tyler Hines and Cardinals’ point guard Donovan Castro were considered the “glue guys” of their squads. Should either of their duos struggle in particular games, Hines and Castro often stepped up and produced.

Hines showed high basketball IQ with close- and long-range versatility that netted him 8.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per outing.

Castro was often the pilot light that ignited the Cardinals’ fast break, dishing a team-high 3 assists per game.

The spark plug was also Lindsay’s third-leading scorer at 8.3 points and averaged a team-high two steals.

Orange Belt First Team

G - Omar Saleh

G - Bryan Gonzalez

F - Jorge Ojeda

F - Jordan Howard

C - Seth Townsend

Orange Belt Second Team

G - Phillip Carganilla

G - Donovan Castro

G/F - Curtis Keene

F - Tyler Hines

C - Nate Cordova