Windward Basketball Readying for Repeat

Windward School's boys varsity basketball team will be playing with a target on its back next season after winning the CIF State Division IV championship in March.

That suits Coach Miguel Villegas and the Wildcats just fine, as they ready for battle with a rigorous tournament schedule throughout the summer. The team went 27-8 last year and has nine varsity lettermen returning. Early indications are that Windward will be strong again.

Last weekend, Windward lost to defending City Section Division I champion Taft of Woodland Hills and defeated last year's CIF State Division V finalist St. Bernard in the Beverly Hills Tournament, which also included perennial City power Dorsey.

On Saturday night, Windward took first place at the Westchester Tournament, routing Washington Prep 84-58 in the championship game. 

Senior Nick Stover scored 15 points in the final, but perhaps the most impressive performance was turned in by freshman Mason Shepard, who had 17 points. Stover made the Cal-Hi Sports Boys All-State Underclass Second Team as a junior last season.

The Wildcats are adjusting to life without co-captains Miles Gueno and Wesley Saunders, who both graduated in the spring. Saunders will be showcasing his talents at Harvard University in the fall. 

Saunders had a memorable senior season at Windward and was selected to the  after averaging 19.8 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.3 steals in 2010-11.

The 6' 6" forward was voted CIF Southern Section Division 4AA Co-Player of the Year, was named the Division IV State Player of the Year and made MaxPreps' All-State Third Team.

In Saunders' four seasons with the program, the Wildcats compiled a 107-28 record and won state titles in two divisions.  

"He was the cornerstone of our program so you definitely feel it when you lose a player like him," Villegas said. "However, every team goes through that and it just means other players have an opportunity to step up. We still have most of our guys back."

Stover averaged 15.9 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game last season and point guard Jordan Wilson averaged 10.9 points, 2.5 assists and 1.9 steals as a sophomore.

Washington Prep was a City Division I semifinalist last season. Other area teams in the Westchester Tournament included the host Comets (City Division I runner-ups last season), Palisades, Compton Centennial, Mater Dei, St. Bernard, Narbonne, Redondo and Bishop Montgomery. 

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