Making a Pass at Stardom : Unselfish Munoz Would Rather Give Than Receive

NORTH HOLLYWOOD —  Although twin towers Jason and Jarron Collins have drawn the most attention on the Harvard-Westlake High boys’ basketball team, they haven’t completely cornered the market.

Wolverine point guard Victor Munoz is getting plenty of attention from recruiters as well. And for good reason: he’s one of the best playmakers in the region.

Munoz, a 6-foot, 170-pound junior who transferred from St. John Bosco in the fall, can claim some responsibility for keeping the state’s No. 1-ranked team on track.

“People say the two most important positions are the [center] and the point guard,” Harvard-Westlake Coach Greg Hilliard said.

Tonight at 8, Munoz will run the offense for the Wolverines (31-1) against Morningside (21-5) in a Southern Section Division III-A final rematch at the Bren Events Center in Irvine. Harvard-Westlake beat the Monarchs last season.

Munoz, who lives in South Gate and was a two-year starter at St. John Bosco in Bellflower, said he transferred because Harvard-Westlake offered curriculum unavailable at St. John Bosco. He was already interested in transferring to Harvard-Westlake when he met Wolverine player Rico Cabrera last summer. Munoz and Cabrera were teammates on a team that won a national Hispanic tournament in Mexico City.

When Munoz arrived at Harvard-Westlake, a battle for point guard was expected between him and returning starter Leo Da Costa. But Da Costa was declared academically ineligible before the start of the season, leaving the job to Munoz.

“Victor is . . . a true point guard,” Hilliard said. “His biggest satisfaction comes out of feeding other people.”

Harvard-Westlake has gotten fat on Munoz’s dishes.

He has 216 assists, 126 more than any other player on the team. His unselfishness and ability to distribute the ball was apparent to teammates two days into practice, Hilliard said.

“He’s a very wise young man,” Hilliard said. “He knows the best way to make friends and influence people is to pass the ball.”

Said Munoz: “I’ve never been a selfish player. That’s not the way I’ve been brought up.”

Munoz, the oldest of three siblings, has attended private schools since the first grade. He averages only five points, but says that scoring is not his No. 1 concern.

“I think what’s important is the way you play the game,” he said. “Did you do the right things? Did you do the little things? It’s recognizing who’s hot and who’s not. It’s when to pull out [of an offensive play] and when to run.

“That’s more important than how many points you score or how many assists you get.”

Don’t mistake Munoz’s scoring average for a lack of shooting ability. He leads the team in free-throw shooting at 82%. He shoots 66% from two-point range, second on the team behind Jason Collins (71%).

Munoz is getting attention from Ivy League schools, as well as USC, Tulsa and Cal State Northridge.

Munoz has led a charmed life as a point guard. In his high school career, he has passed to the Collins twins, who are headed to Stanford, and St. John Bosco star Schea Cotton, who is bound for Long Beach State.

“It’s easy to be a good player when there’s great players on the floor with you,” St. John Bosco Coach Brian Breslin said.

Munoz would agree.

“It’s a dream come true,” he said.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Southern Section Division III-A Boys’ Basketball Championship

WHO: Morningside (21-5) vs. Harvard-Westlake (31-1)

WHEN: Tonight at 8

WHERE: Bren Events Center at UC Irvine

DIRECTIONS: Freeway 405 south. Exit and turn right on Culver Drive, right on North University Drive. Bren Center is past Campus Drive on left.

TICKETS: $7 general admission at box office; $4 student presale and children 12 and under; $4 parking.

WHO TO WATCH: Harvard-Westlake’s 6-foot-10 twins Jason and Jarron Collins against center Jonathan Hubbard (6-4) and forward Joe Meyers (6-3) of Morningside appears to be another mismatch.

FAST FACT: Harvard-Westlake, the two-time defending Division III-A champion, beat Morningside in last season’s final, 75-53.

TV: Fox Sports West 2 will televise the game, Friday at 7:30 p.m.