Three county players among all-state junior selections
OCVarsity.com
All-State Juniors Selections by calhisports.com
First Team Jerime Anderson (Canyon, Anaheim) 6-2 G Oscar Bellfield (Westchester, Los Angeles) 6-1 G Collin Chiverton (Archbishop Mitty, San Jose) 6-4 G DeMar DeRozan (Compton) 6-5 F Larry Drew (Taft, Woodland Hills) 6-1 G Jarred DuBois (Westchester, Los Angeles) 6-3 G Drew Gordon (Archbishop Mitty, San Jose) 6-9 C Jordan Hamilton (Dorsey, Los Angeles) 6-7 F Jrue Holiday (Campbell Hall, North Hollywood) 6-3 G Tyree McCrary (Oak Grove, San Jose) 6-7 C Oliver McNally (Branson, Ross) 6-2 G Frank Otis (McClymonds, Oakland) 6-5 F Malik Story (Artesia, Lakewood) 6-3 G Jeff Withy (Horizon, San Diego) 7-0 C Kwame Vaughn (Skyline, Oakland) 6-3 G
STATE JUNIOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jrue Holiday
Second Team
William Brew (St. Mary’s, Berkeley) 6-3 GEdgar Garibay (Compton) 6-8 C Lorne Jackson (Simi Valley) 6-3 G Leland Jones (Bishop Montgomery, Torrance) 6-4 G/F Kelly Kaigler (Oak Grove, San Jose) 6-3 G Stefan Kaluz (Corona del Mar) 6-9 C James Nunnally (Weston Ranch, Stockton) 6-5 F Jason Pruitt (View Park Prep, Los Angeles) 6-3 G James Rahon (Torrey Pines, San Diego) 6-2 G Jacob Ranger (Carpinteria) 6-5 F D.J. Seeley (Tokay, Lodi) 6-4 F Matt Simpkins (Berkeley) 6-8 C Elston Turner (Roseville) 6-3 G/F Renaldo Woolridge (Harvard-Westlake, N. Hollywood) 6-7 F Zack Zaragoza (Santa Margarita) 6-6 F
For Jackson, success is about balance and options
SVHS basketball star gets it done in the classroom, too
By Stephen Dorman sdorman@theacorn.com
JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers
EQUIPPED FOR THE FUTURE- Simi Valley High incoming senior Lorne Jackson has the grades and the game to play basketball in the Ivy League. This weekend, Jackson and his mom, Lyle, will visit Harvard. He said he plans on waiting several months before making a final decision on college. Simi Valley High's Lorne Jackson is keeping his options open.
As standout guard on the Pioneers boys' basketball team, and super student in the classroom, Jackson, who will be a senior in the fall, is receiving a lot of interest from some of the finest universities this nation has to offer. Ivy League schools such as Columbia, Yale, Penn and Brown are actively recruiting Jackson. This weekend he'll take a trip to Harvard. If he wants to stay closer to home, Cal State Northridge, UC Santa Barbara and Loyola Marymount are all on the radar.
There's one California university, however, that he'd probably say yes to this moment if they offered him a scholarship. "I really want to go to Stanford, but we'll see about that," said Jackson, who averaged 16.6 points, 6.2 assists, five rebounds and 3.9 steals per game as a junior.
"My mom wants me to stay out (west), and my dad wants me to go anywhere," he said. "They're both big on academic schools."
Of course, if college recruiters really wanted an inside edge in landing Jackson, they should also consider offering a scholarship to his paternal twin, Langston, a star running back at SVHS.
"He's getting a lot of looks from Pac10 schools for football," Jackson said of his brother. "Nevada is trying to get both of us to go there. I think that's pretty cool, and I know my parents want that to happen really badly."
The primary reason Jackson has so many college options is because of the hard work he's put forth in the classroom during his time at Simi Valley. After all, there are many talented high school basketball players, but few have an academic resume like Jackson's.
He carries a 3.6 grade point average, ranking in the top 100 students at SVHS. Jackson is also a member of the National Society of High School Scholars and was honored by the United States Achievement Academy.
Last week, the Simi Valley City Council and Mayor Paul Miller recognized Jackson for his performance in school and on the basketball court.
Christian Aurand, the head varsity boys' basketball coach at Simi Valley as well as a history teacher, said Jackson has already positioned himself for a bright future in college.
"The nice thing Lorne has been able to do is give his highway of choices a lot more lanes," Aurand said. "He has been very disciplined in the classroom, which is a little bit abnormal from the normal teenager. Because he's been disciplined, he's being rewarded."
Jackson isn't all about books and tests.
On the basketball court, he's a fierce competitor whose motor runs high, a perfect point guard for the Pioneers' up and down, high-powered offensive attack.
"His skill set is very good and continues to get better and better," Aurand said. "He's got great court savvy and vision and can pass the ball really well. The guys who tend to have a high IQ in the classroom also tend to have a high basketball IQ as well." Last season, Jackson won a plethora of oncourt awards, including being named first-team All-Ventura County. The biggest honor, he said, was making the second-team All-State junior squad.
"I didn't think that many people recognized me," Jackson said. "I just thought I was a local guy, but a lot of people started to see my skills, and I was happy about that."
Jackson said he plans to wait a few more months before officially committing to a college. In the meantime, he'll play in Simi Valley's summer basketball league as well compete with Double Pump, an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) travel team based out of Northridge.
"I'll probably make a college decision at the end of the next basketball season," Jackson said. "If I choose now all the other schools will go and pick someone else up. I want to keep a good relationship with the schools that are recruiting me now, and hopefully by next year I'll have my spot."
Boys' basketball: Simi Valley's Jackson cool, calm, collected Point guard's unselfish play has lifted his teammates
BY SEAN CEGLINSKY, Special to the Daily News Inside SOCAL
Article Last Updated:01/04/2007 10:47:04 PM PST
Lorne Jackson's head is seemingly on a swivel as he dribbles the ball across half-court, despite having a pesky guard draped all over his back and a tall, lanky forward heading in his direction for the double-team.
A one-bounce dribble to the left and a quick crossover move back to the right frees up additional space. Seconds later, the Simi Valley High point guard is driving down the lane, into the heart of a defense quickly collapsing around him.
To the right, teammate Brandon Simon is beyond the 3-point arc, patiently waiting for the kickout pass, and Tyler Ostrovsky is wide open on the opposite wing, calling for the ball.
Jackson collects himself amid all the confusion, somehow notices Michael Meza cutting to the basket out of the corner of his eye and promptly whips a well-placed bounce pass to the forward for an uncontested layup.
"When the ball is in Lorne's hands, good things happen," Simi Valley coach Christian Aurand said.
The 6-foot-2 junior has developed into the leader for the Pioneers (11-3), and is averaging 15.4 points, 6.1 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game heading into today's 7:30 p.m. Marmonte League game against Agoura.
That Jackson has blossomed in the new role has been key, considering the coaching staff decided to replace its traditional half-court offense this season with an up-tempo, run-and-gun style of play more conducive to the team's personnel.
"Sure, there's been an adjustment process," Aurand said. "But the guys are beginning to grasp the concept and Lorne has been like a coach out on the floor helping everyone along.
"When you play us, you have to pick your poison. If you decide to match up with Lorne one-on-one, you're in trouble. If you send two guys at him, he'll make you pay.
"No disrespect to anyone else out there, but he gets to the rack better than anyone I've seen around here in a while. He's creative and makes good decisions. He's the real deal."
Knight of Palmdale learned that firsthand in late November when Jackson scored 32 points, highlighted by a 16-of-18 effort from the free-throw line, and added five assists, four rebounds and six steals in a 97-82 victory.
Jackson made a believer out of league rival Calabasas, too, after scoring 17 points, including the winning pull-up jumper with less than five seconds left in the fourth quarter of a 62-60 victory.
He also had 10 points and eight assists against the Coyotes.
"I'm not afraid to take the big shot," Jackson said. "I like having the ball in my hands. Guess you could say I'm confident, but you have to be if you want to be successful."
His contributions shouldn't come as a surprise considering the way he performed a season ago.
Jackson managed to work his way into the starting lineup on a senior-dominated team, and averaged 11.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.6 steals per game for the Pioneers, who reached the Southern Section Div. II-A quarterfinals when many thought they'd lose in the first round of the playoffs.
"He started to get comfortable in his own shoes down the stretch a year ago," Aurand said. "He grew up quite a bit last season, more than we expected him to. He was our best player at times."
Little has changed and his numbers are a reflection of that, particularly on the defensive end of the floor. Jackson is averaging 4.4 steals per game, the third-highest total in the state behind Twentynine Palms' Nico Matthews (6.1) and Canyon of Anaheim's Jerime Anderson (4.5).
"Jackson is a physical guard who has a great approach to the game," Knight coach Tom Hegre said. "He creates matchup problems all over the court. Simi Valley is going to go as far as he takes them."
Division I schools are beginning to recognize his exploits, both on and off the court (Jackson maintains a 3.8 grade-point average). Stanford, UC Santa Barbara and Loyola Marymount have expressed interest.
College, however, isn't foremost on Jackson's mind, at least for the time being. His concern is getting out in transition, running the fast break and creating easy baskets for his teammates.
Meza has been the main beneficiary of Jackson's unselfish play. Meza is averaging 17.4 points and is shooting 66 percent from the field.
Simon has emerged as one of the better 3-point shooters in the area and has connected on 42 shots from behind the arc.
Ostrovsky isn't too far behind with 36, an impressive total considering he has made just six from inside the arc.
"My job is to keep everyone involved. That's what point guards do," Jackson said. "When we're out pushing the ball, that's when we're at our best. It's when I feel most comfortable."
http://www.venturacountystar.com/vcs/vcpreps/article/0,1375,VCS_136_5403258,00.html
Maddox adds MVP award to resume
Oak Park standout led boys' team to another TVL title
By Derry Eads, deads@VenturaCountyStar.com March 8, 2007
Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley and Camarillo placed two players on the all-county first team.
Named to the first team were: Jake Poppen and Bobby Macias, Thousand Oaks; Lorne Jackson and Michael Meza, Simi Valley. Jackson was the county leader with 168 assists and 112 steals as well as averaging 16.6 points per game. Meza averaged 17.6 points and 7.6 rebounds.
Poppen named MVP in basketball
By Star staff March 7, 2007
Jake Poppen of Thousand Oaks High is the MVP of the Marmonte League boys' basketball team. Westlake's Tom Donahue is the coach of the year.
Simi Valley and Westlake placed two players on the all-league first team. Named to the first team were: Allen Scott and Mauro Ormedilla, Westlake; Bobby Macias, Thousand Oaks; Lorne Jackson and Michael Meza, Simi Valley.
CIF Playoffs
Artesia 89, Simi Valley 60
article by Dave Rogahn and Dave Keefer, who were at the game. The old joke goes, "How can you tell a Pioneer? He's the guy laying face down with arrows in his back." Perhaps the Simi Valley Pioneers can appreciate the humor, no matter how painful, as they were defeated by the Artesia Pioneers Tuesday evening. Artesia came into the game as the third-strongest (Maxpreps) team in California, behind only Mater Dei of Santa Ana and Jesuit of Carmichael. Artesia, with a roster full of college-bound talent, dominated the game, building its lead each quarter. The visitors were led by the talented 6' 10" sophomore, Renardo Sidney, who scored a game-high 30 points. Simi Valley saw the final game for standout seniors Brandon Simon (8 pts, 2-threes) and Tyler Ostrovsky (10 points, 2-threes). Simon and Ostrovsky were three-point specialists who could break a game open if given the opportunity. Simon ended the season leading the Marmonte League in 3-point goals, with 64. Ostrovsky was not far behind with 52.
The silver lining on that temporary dark cloud over Simi, is that two top juniors will return next season. They are the team's season high scorer and high rebounder, forward Mike Meza (17 pts against Artesia, 17.6 pts/game, 7.7 rbs/game for the season) and the smooth Lorne Jackson (6.1 assists/game for the season). Meza and Simon made for an effective duo on the Baseline to Baseline Gold AAU team last summer. Perhaps Meza and Jackson would be just as formidable for Baseline this year. Simi finished with a 21-7 record.
Copyright 2007, Ventura County Star. All Rights Reserved.
OCVarsity.com
All-State Juniors Selections by calhisports.com
First Team Jerime Anderson (Canyon, Anaheim) 6-2 G Oscar Bellfield (Westchester, Los Angeles) 6-1 G Collin Chiverton (Archbishop Mitty, San Jose) 6-4 G DeMar DeRozan (Compton) 6-5 F Larry Drew (Taft, Woodland Hills) 6-1 G Jarred DuBois (Westchester, Los Angeles) 6-3 G Drew Gordon (Archbishop Mitty, San Jose) 6-9 C Jordan Hamilton (Dorsey, Los Angeles) 6-7 F Jrue Holiday (Campbell Hall, North Hollywood) 6-3 G Tyree McCrary (Oak Grove, San Jose) 6-7 C Oliver McNally (Branson, Ross) 6-2 G Frank Otis (McClymonds, Oakland) 6-5 F Malik Story (Artesia, Lakewood) 6-3 G Jeff Withy (Horizon, San Diego) 7-0 C Kwame Vaughn (Skyline, Oakland) 6-3 G
STATE JUNIOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jrue Holiday
Second Team
William Brew (St. Mary’s, Berkeley) 6-3 GEdgar Garibay (Compton) 6-8 C Lorne Jackson (Simi Valley) 6-3 G Leland Jones (Bishop Montgomery, Torrance) 6-4 G/F Kelly Kaigler (Oak Grove, San Jose) 6-3 G Stefan Kaluz (Corona del Mar) 6-9 C James Nunnally (Weston Ranch, Stockton) 6-5 F Jason Pruitt (View Park Prep, Los Angeles) 6-3 G James Rahon (Torrey Pines, San Diego) 6-2 G Jacob Ranger (Carpinteria) 6-5 F D.J. Seeley (Tokay, Lodi) 6-4 F Matt Simpkins (Berkeley) 6-8 C Elston Turner (Roseville) 6-3 G/F Renaldo Woolridge (Harvard-Westlake, N. Hollywood) 6-7 F Zack Zaragoza (Santa Margarita) 6-6 F
For Jackson, success is about balance and options
SVHS basketball star gets it done in the classroom, too
By Stephen Dorman sdorman@theacorn.com
JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers
EQUIPPED FOR THE FUTURE- Simi Valley High incoming senior Lorne Jackson has the grades and the game to play basketball in the Ivy League. This weekend, Jackson and his mom, Lyle, will visit Harvard. He said he plans on waiting several months before making a final decision on college. Simi Valley High's Lorne Jackson is keeping his options open.
As standout guard on the Pioneers boys' basketball team, and super student in the classroom, Jackson, who will be a senior in the fall, is receiving a lot of interest from some of the finest universities this nation has to offer. Ivy League schools such as Columbia, Yale, Penn and Brown are actively recruiting Jackson. This weekend he'll take a trip to Harvard. If he wants to stay closer to home, Cal State Northridge, UC Santa Barbara and Loyola Marymount are all on the radar.
There's one California university, however, that he'd probably say yes to this moment if they offered him a scholarship. "I really want to go to Stanford, but we'll see about that," said Jackson, who averaged 16.6 points, 6.2 assists, five rebounds and 3.9 steals per game as a junior.
"My mom wants me to stay out (west), and my dad wants me to go anywhere," he said. "They're both big on academic schools."Of course, if college recruiters really wanted an inside edge in landing Jackson, they should also consider offering a scholarship to his paternal twin, Langston, a star running back at SVHS.
"He's getting a lot of looks from Pac10 schools for football," Jackson said of his brother. "Nevada is trying to get both of us to go there. I think that's pretty cool, and I know my parents want that to happen really badly."
The primary reason Jackson has so many college options is because of the hard work he's put forth in the classroom during his time at Simi Valley. After all, there are many talented high school basketball players, but few have an academic resume like Jackson's.
He carries a 3.6 grade point average, ranking in the top 100 students at SVHS. Jackson is also a member of the National Society of High School Scholars and was honored by the United States Achievement Academy.
Last week, the Simi Valley City Council and Mayor Paul Miller recognized Jackson for his performance in school and on the basketball court.
Christian Aurand, the head varsity boys' basketball coach at Simi Valley as well as a history teacher, said Jackson has already positioned himself for a bright future in college.
"The nice thing Lorne has been able to do is give his highway of choices a lot more lanes," Aurand said. "He has been very disciplined in the classroom, which is a little bit abnormal from the normal teenager. Because he's been disciplined, he's being rewarded."
Jackson isn't all about books and tests.
On the basketball court, he's a fierce competitor whose motor runs high, a perfect point guard for the Pioneers' up and down, high-powered offensive attack.
"His skill set is very good and continues to get better and better," Aurand said. "He's got great court savvy and vision and can pass the ball really well. The guys who tend to have a high IQ in the classroom also tend to have a high basketball IQ as well." Last season, Jackson won a plethora of oncourt awards, including being named first-team All-Ventura County. The biggest honor, he said, was making the second-team All-State junior squad.
"I didn't think that many people recognized me," Jackson said. "I just thought I was a local guy, but a lot of people started to see my skills, and I was happy about that."
Jackson said he plans to wait a few more months before officially committing to a college. In the meantime, he'll play in Simi Valley's summer basketball league as well compete with Double Pump, an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) travel team based out of Northridge.
"I'll probably make a college decision at the end of the next basketball season," Jackson said. "If I choose now all the other schools will go and pick someone else up. I want to keep a good relationship with the schools that are recruiting me now, and hopefully by next year I'll have my spot."
Boys' basketball: Simi Valley's Jackson cool, calm, collected Point guard's unselfish play has lifted his teammates
BY SEAN CEGLINSKY, Special to the Daily News Inside SOCAL
Article Last Updated:01/04/2007 10:47:04 PM PST
Lorne Jackson's head is seemingly on a swivel as he dribbles the ball across half-court, despite having a pesky guard draped all over his back and a tall, lanky forward heading in his direction for the double-team.
A one-bounce dribble to the left and a quick crossover move back to the right frees up additional space. Seconds later, the Simi Valley High point guard is driving down the lane, into the heart of a defense quickly collapsing around him.
To the right, teammate Brandon Simon is beyond the 3-point arc, patiently waiting for the kickout pass, and Tyler Ostrovsky is wide open on the opposite wing, calling for the ball.
Jackson collects himself amid all the confusion, somehow notices Michael Meza cutting to the basket out of the corner of his eye and promptly whips a well-placed bounce pass to the forward for an uncontested layup.
"When the ball is in Lorne's hands, good things happen," Simi Valley coach Christian Aurand said.
The 6-foot-2 junior has developed into the leader for the Pioneers (11-3), and is averaging 15.4 points, 6.1 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game heading into today's 7:30 p.m. Marmonte League game against Agoura.
That Jackson has blossomed in the new role has been key, considering the coaching staff decided to replace its traditional half-court offense this season with an up-tempo, run-and-gun style of play more conducive to the team's personnel.
"Sure, there's been an adjustment process," Aurand said. "But the guys are beginning to grasp the concept and Lorne has been like a coach out on the floor helping everyone along.
"When you play us, you have to pick your poison. If you decide to match up with Lorne one-on-one, you're in trouble. If you send two guys at him, he'll make you pay.
"No disrespect to anyone else out there, but he gets to the rack better than anyone I've seen around here in a while. He's creative and makes good decisions. He's the real deal."
Knight of Palmdale learned that firsthand in late November when Jackson scored 32 points, highlighted by a 16-of-18 effort from the free-throw line, and added five assists, four rebounds and six steals in a 97-82 victory.
Jackson made a believer out of league rival Calabasas, too, after scoring 17 points, including the winning pull-up jumper with less than five seconds left in the fourth quarter of a 62-60 victory.
He also had 10 points and eight assists against the Coyotes.
"I'm not afraid to take the big shot," Jackson said. "I like having the ball in my hands. Guess you could say I'm confident, but you have to be if you want to be successful."
His contributions shouldn't come as a surprise considering the way he performed a season ago.
Jackson managed to work his way into the starting lineup on a senior-dominated team, and averaged 11.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.6 steals per game for the Pioneers, who reached the Southern Section Div. II-A quarterfinals when many thought they'd lose in the first round of the playoffs.
"He started to get comfortable in his own shoes down the stretch a year ago," Aurand said. "He grew up quite a bit last season, more than we expected him to. He was our best player at times."
Little has changed and his numbers are a reflection of that, particularly on the defensive end of the floor. Jackson is averaging 4.4 steals per game, the third-highest total in the state behind Twentynine Palms' Nico Matthews (6.1) and Canyon of Anaheim's Jerime Anderson (4.5).
"Jackson is a physical guard who has a great approach to the game," Knight coach Tom Hegre said. "He creates matchup problems all over the court. Simi Valley is going to go as far as he takes them."
Division I schools are beginning to recognize his exploits, both on and off the court (Jackson maintains a 3.8 grade-point average). Stanford, UC Santa Barbara and Loyola Marymount have expressed interest.
College, however, isn't foremost on Jackson's mind, at least for the time being. His concern is getting out in transition, running the fast break and creating easy baskets for his teammates.
Meza has been the main beneficiary of Jackson's unselfish play. Meza is averaging 17.4 points and is shooting 66 percent from the field.
Simon has emerged as one of the better 3-point shooters in the area and has connected on 42 shots from behind the arc.
Ostrovsky isn't too far behind with 36, an impressive total considering he has made just six from inside the arc.
"My job is to keep everyone involved. That's what point guards do," Jackson said. "When we're out pushing the ball, that's when we're at our best. It's when I feel most comfortable."
http://www.venturacountystar.com/vcs/vcpreps/article/0,1375,VCS_136_5403258,00.html
Maddox adds MVP award to resume
Oak Park standout led boys' team to another TVL title
By Derry Eads, deads@VenturaCountyStar.com March 8, 2007
Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley and Camarillo placed two players on the all-county first team.
Named to the first team were: Jake Poppen and Bobby Macias, Thousand Oaks; Lorne Jackson and Michael Meza, Simi Valley. Jackson was the county leader with 168 assists and 112 steals as well as averaging 16.6 points per game. Meza averaged 17.6 points and 7.6 rebounds.
Poppen named MVP in basketball
By Star staff March 7, 2007
Jake Poppen of Thousand Oaks High is the MVP of the Marmonte League boys' basketball team. Westlake's Tom Donahue is the coach of the year.
Simi Valley and Westlake placed two players on the all-league first team. Named to the first team were: Allen Scott and Mauro Ormedilla, Westlake; Bobby Macias, Thousand Oaks; Lorne Jackson and Michael Meza, Simi Valley.
CIF Playoffs
Artesia 89, Simi Valley 60
article by Dave Rogahn and Dave Keefer, who were at the game. The old joke goes, "How can you tell a Pioneer? He's the guy laying face down with arrows in his back." Perhaps the Simi Valley Pioneers can appreciate the humor, no matter how painful, as they were defeated by the Artesia Pioneers Tuesday evening. Artesia came into the game as the third-strongest (Maxpreps) team in California, behind only Mater Dei of Santa Ana and Jesuit of Carmichael. Artesia, with a roster full of college-bound talent, dominated the game, building its lead each quarter. The visitors were led by the talented 6' 10" sophomore, Renardo Sidney, who scored a game-high 30 points. Simi Valley saw the final game for standout seniors Brandon Simon (8 pts, 2-threes) and Tyler Ostrovsky (10 points, 2-threes). Simon and Ostrovsky were three-point specialists who could break a game open if given the opportunity. Simon ended the season leading the Marmonte League in 3-point goals, with 64. Ostrovsky was not far behind with 52.
The silver lining on that temporary dark cloud over Simi, is that two top juniors will return next season. They are the team's season high scorer and high rebounder, forward Mike Meza (17 pts against Artesia, 17.6 pts/game, 7.7 rbs/game for the season) and the smooth Lorne Jackson (6.1 assists/game for the season). Meza and Simon made for an effective duo on the Baseline to Baseline Gold AAU team last summer. Perhaps Meza and Jackson would be just as formidable for Baseline this year. Simi finished with a 21-7 record.
Copyright 2007, Ventura County Star. All Rights Reserved.
