Calabasas boys’ basketball program begins highly anticipated season

By Kyle Jorrey jorrey@theacorn.com

When head coach Russell White came to Calabasas six years ago to take over a program mired in mediocrity, his first goal was to establish a sense of pride and tradition in Coyote basketball that would one day be passed along from upperclassmen to underclassmen. He wanted his players to adhere to a sense of responsibility and he wanted them to understand that being a part of the team wasn’t going to be a free ride—in fact, commitment and a hard work ethic weren’t going to be expected—they were going to be required.

"I wanted it to really mean something to wear a CHS basketball jersey," White said.

Fast forward to the start of this season and it’s clear to see that the Coyotes have not only transformed their identity and standing within their own school, but have become one of the most feared programs in all of the San Fernando Valley. They kick-off the winter ranked No. 12 in the Los Angeles Times’ Top 25 poll, something that would have been unheard of just a few seasons ago.

"When I came here as a freshman, basketball just wasn’t a big deal at Calabasas," said senior guard/forward Shayaun Saee. "But all of that has changed. Now people are starting to look at us as a basketball school—not a tennis school."

The team’s ascendance into the area’s basketball elite was officially marked last year as the Coyotes completed a 25-6 season and advanced all the way to the CIF Div. III-AA championship game. There, Cala-basas came up just short to Santa Margarita, a private school program in Orange County, losing by two in the final seconds of the game after rebounding from a 19-point deficit late in the third quarter.

Though the loss was heartbreaking, it helped the current Coyotes gain some much-needed experience and confirmed their place among SoCal’s best—yes, those boys from that tennis school sure could play some hoops.

"It was just an amazing season

. . . so much fun," Saee said. "To go all the way to the title game and to lose by only two showed us that we were a top-notch program. And it made us get back in the gym over the summer and work 10 times as hard because we knew we had to get back there. This year nothing less than a title is satisfying."

If you wanted to track the rise of Coyote basketball you’d only have to track the career of senior point guard Drew Housman, a four-year varsity player with CHS and undoubtedly Calabasas’ brightest star.

Having entered high school standing just 5-foot-3 ("He was swimming in his jersey," White said), Housman has blossomed into a more than capable 5-foot-9. He’s now considered one of the Southern Section’s most talented point guards, renowned for his smarts on the floor and his unshakable ability to shoot the rock.

"Our program really started to turn a corner when he showed up," said White, who pointed out his team has improved its overall record every season since 2001. "The best thing I can say about Drew is ‘Just watch him play.’ He’s one of the smartest basketball players you’ll ever see . . . he’s got the all the intangibles. And what he’s been doing so far this season, all I can say is ‘Wow.’"

Coming off an inspired 26-point effort in last season’s title game (23 came during the Coyotes’ second-half run), Housman is averaging 31 points per contest through the Coyotes’ first four games of the season, shooting the ball with amazing accuracy against some of the best teams in California in the Ocean View Tournament of Champions. In those four games, competing against much bigger programs like Long Beach Poly and Fresno’s Clovis West, Housman is shooting 56 percent from the field (35-of-62), 52 percent from three-point range (11-of-21) and 91 percent from the foul line (43-of-47).

"I guess my shot is just falling," Housman said. "And I’m getting fouled a lot and making my free throws, getting a lot of easy points.

Thanks to his efforts, the Coyotes emerged from the tournament 2-2, having led by 10 points in both of their losses and having lost those two games by a combined three points.

While some might see a .500 record against that competition as a successful weekend of work, Housman did not.

"I wasn’t happy because we should have won every one of those games . . . we needed to play a lot better defense, especially with the lead," he said. "It was definitely good to see where we stand, but there’s no reason we shouldn’t be 4-0 right now."

In addition to Housman and Saee, this year’s group welcomes back starting forward Conrad Fitzgerald and contributors Dan Gabler, shooting guard, and Mark Einhorn, center, to round out the starting five.

The biggest loss from last season was the graduation of two-time All-CIF center Steve Saunders, but White feels the 6-foot-8 Einhorn is a truly capable replacement.

"He’s got some big shoes to fill, but he’s got some big shoes himself," White said of the junior big-man. "He’s got a lot of upside in terms of work ethic, foot work . . . his hands are good. I’m confident that the more touches he gets the better he is going to be. Plus, he’s got something to prove so I expect him to be hungrier than a guy like Saunders who was already an established talent in this league."

While it’s clear that the Coyotes will have the ability to put up points on the scoreboard, the big question remains as to whether or not Calabasas can play some defense.

"We know we can score, now we have to be able to stop teams from scoring," Housman said. "But that is something we’re working on everyday in practice.

White is confident his crew won’t let defense problems stand between themselves and another run at the title.

"The kids will buy into because more than anything what they want win. They have that innate sense," the coach said. "They know that if they don’t play defense they aren’t going to win against good teams, and our league is very tough."

Nearly as much as they would like to get back to the CIF championship game, the Coyotes want to claim the school’s first ever Marmonte League title in basketball. They thought they weren’t going to get it last year after winning their first 10 games in league, but then they faltered in the Marmonte championship game, losing to rival Thousand Oaks, 62-59.

"Oh, man, that was a frustrating one. Just thinking about that game brings about bad feelings," Saee said. "That’s one we want to get back bad. I am definitely circling the matchup with Thousand Oaks on the calendar, let me tell you."

A blank Marmonte League title banner hanging over the gym is a constant reminder that the Coyotes still have a long way to go on their journey started six years ago by White.

"We want to put something on that banner," White said. "That’s a big goal for us."