Role Players Should Enjoy This Honorable Mention

Forget, for a moment, about Clint Eastwood and “The Crying Game,” and all the other Academy Awards chitchat. Think instead about what’s really important in our world today.

That’s right, our 1993 high school basketball awards.

Presenting . . .

Most Curious Shot Selection: Bryan Chang, Huntington Beach.

Chang, the Oilers’ nimble point guard, had a penchant for putting up wild shots--”Sometimes they’re out there, like Pluto,” teammate Tony Gonzalez said. Although they didn’t always help the Oilers’ offense, the shots certainly boosted the level of Chang’s conditioning. He had to run extra lines in practice after each errant attempt.

Most Improved Program: Troy girls.

Last season, Troy Coach Brad Sand had to remind his players to avoid “stupid dribbles” during a game. The season before that, the Warriors had trouble getting the ball past half court. They were beaten by La Habra, 81-18, and celebrated when they scored 10 or more points in a game.

This season? Troy beat La Habra for the first time in more than a decade, won the Freeway League title and finished 22-5.

Best Pregame Meal: Adobo, a Filipino favorite made from chicken and pork and seasoned with whole black pepper, soy sauce, garlic and laurel leaves. Prepared especially for Edison guard Joan Paje by her father, Jose.

Put It In Perspective Award: Famous Hooks.

Hooks, the assistant boys’ coach at Garden Grove, spent several weeks this season as the jury foreman in a grisly murder trial involving a woman who killed her husband and boiled his body parts.

“And I used to think losing a game was a nightmare,” Hooks said.

Back-breaker Award: Terence Wilborn, Mater Dei.

In the Southern California title game against Los Angeles Crenshaw, Wilborn grabbed a rebound, jumped to shoot but got tangled in the crowd under the basket and flipped backward. The instant before crashing to the court, Wilborn--his body parallel to the ground--managed to shove the ball in the air . . . and scored. Dick Vitale would have gone nuts.

Most Inspirational Performance: Sunny Hills reserve Tim Cocuzza.

Cocuzza, whose nerves in his right arm were severed at birth, scored a season-high eight points against Sonora. Cocuzza stole the ball and dribbled the length of the court for a layup, swished a three-pointer, added another basket and made one free throw, all using his left hand.

Turnover Turnaround Award: Costa Mesa guard Heather Robinson.

Last year, Robinson had 21 turnovers in the Mustangs’ Southern Section semifinal loss to Rancho Alamitos. This year, in the championship game victory over Rancho, Robinson only had four.

The reason? Robinson, described by her coaches as “totally out of control” while handling the ball in the early season, had to run extra sprints for every turnover this year. And Robinson hates running.

Most Annoying Defense: Westminster boys.

So they finished next to last in the Sunset League. So they had all the offensive firepower of a squirt gun. That’s what made the Lions so annoying. Teams never expected them to put up such a tenacious fight.

Said Westminster Coach Brian Underwood: “We’re like horseflies. You just want to swat us.”

Most Impressive Offense: Mater Dei boys.

Say what you will about the snobbery of private schools, rumors of recruiting or that obnoxious Monarchmania, Mater Dei had the best collection of talent in the county, no question.

Sure, the Monarchs lost to Los Angeles Crenshaw in the regional title game. Playing against a team with seven transfers, Mater Dei finally met its match.

Best Kisser: Demetrius Maltie, Magnolia.

Oh, dear Demetrius, what a sweet and kind boy you are, planting that little kiss on Josh Cook’s cheek during the Western-Magnolia game. Sure, the refs gave you a technical. But it was four days before Valentine’s Day. You probably couldn’t help it. Not with Cupid buzzing around your ear.

Go-To Award: Nicole Erickson, Brea-Olinda.

Erickson was this season’s queen of clutch, a girl who always had a game-winning basket up her sleeve, down her socks or intertwined among her shoelaces. Hers was an icy-cool composure, a focus so intense she would make brain surgeons seem scatter-brained by comparison.

How did it all start? Erickson’s father, Keith, has no idea. Nicole was simply the type of kid who refused help in learning to ride a bike or roller skate or ice skate or anything.

“She didn’t even want me to hold her hand,” Keith says. “Whatever it was, Nicole was always telling me, ‘Dad, I can do it myself!’ ”

The Bald and the Beautiful Award: El Modena’s Aaron Aguilar.

After leading the Vanguards to victory over Santa Ana Valley, Aguilar offered his reasons for his new Yul Brenner look:

Said Aguilar: “Only real men shave their heads.”

Michael Bolton, are you listening?

Barbie Ludovise’s column appears Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Readers may reach Ludovise by writing her at The Times Orange County Edition, 1375 Sunflower Ave. Costa Mesa, 92626 or by calling (714) 966-5847.