PREPNET / SPEAK OUT

Which school’s home basketball facility is the toughest to play in and why?

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CHRIS DELUCA

Marina, Basketball

I would have to say Esperanza because their fans are loud and they always play hard at home. It seems like the stands are close to the court and you can hear everything the fans say. But we won both our league games there last year.

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DAVE BROWN

Laguna Hills,

Athletic Director/basketball coach

In the ‘60s, Santa Ana Valley was very difficult to play at, with the dim lighting and the crowd so close to the court. The old Thunderdome at Orange has always been tough, especially when they’ve had good teams. The students seem to really support them. Newport Harbor has the old gym that dates way back. The fans are right on top of you and they have that student section behind the basket that you are going to in the second half. So, if it’s a close game and you have to make free throws, the students are waving stuff and it kind of captures that college flavor. But I’ve always said I enjoy going to those kind of places, it’s like a Hoosiers-type setting.

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JERRY DeBUSK

Santa Margarita, Basketball coach

I was the head coach at Newport Harbor for 13 years and I always thought that court was pretty tough. When the gym is packed, people are right on the court. With the balcony at the one end, you could have people leaning over and screaming at you. We always thought it was a home-court advantage. We always told our student body to fill the balcony.

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SHEA McMAHON

Villa Park, Former basketball player

The toughest gym that I ever played in was Orange High School’s “The Pit.” That place was a nightmare to play in. The fans were right on top of you yelling. The place was also like a sauna. . . . You did not even have to bring your warm-ups when you came to play Orange. Orange, in my opinion, was one of the toughest gyms to play in, and I played in a lot.

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BEAU ROQUEMORE

Edison, Basketball

The basketball court that is the toughest is at Servite High, hands down. The noise from the side of the court is so intimidating that it can rattle just about any opposing player. The seats are about two feet away from the inbounds area and that enables them to get right in the middle of the action. They are also an all-boys school, so they are very aggressive fans.

NEXT QUESTION

At the end of each high school season, league coaches and media outlets select various all-star teams. Are these teams usually accurate, and is the selection process fair?