Curtis Earned High Praise

OXNARD —  Henry Lobo, the boys’ basketball coach at Oxnard High, talks glowingly about the court skills of Yellowjacket standout Nicholas Curtis, about the 6-foot-8 center’s offensive versatility, rebounding and defensive presence.

Lobo says Curtis’ personality is just as impressive.

“He’s a great kid,” Lobo said. “I can’t say enough good things about him. He’s a quiet, shy and funny guy who could always make you laugh.

“He knew where he stood [in regards to basketball], but he never took advantage of it. He never got big-headed about it. Friends are very important to him.”

That’s apparent when Curtis relates the fondest memory of his three-year varsity career.

“It feels good to have been on a team that never lost a league game,” he said. “That’s something I’ll remember and the fact that I played on a team with a bunch of guys that I’ve been playing with for a long time. I’ve known most of the guys since I was in the sixth grade and we’ve played a lot of basketball together.”

Curtis, The Times’ Ventura County player of the year, averaged 19.9 points, 14.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocked shots while leading Oxnard to a 25-4 record and the Southern Section Division I-AAA quarterfinals.

He set school career records with 1,215 points and 1,003 rebounds. He blocked 244 shots.

Oxnard was 68-16, including 24-0 in Pacific View League play, with Curtis in the lineup. The Yellowjackets had a few close calls during their first season in the five-team league, but their average margin of victory grew the last two years.

Curtis also improved.

After averaging 8.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocked shots as a 6-5 sophomore forward, Curtis averaged 14.7 points, 14.1 rebounds and 4.0 blocked shots as a 6-6 junior center.

“Nicholas did what he had to do to get better,” Lobo said. “He worked hard in practice all the time.”

The hard work was evident in Curtis’ offensive game. He developed a consistent mid-range jump shot and made 22 of 66 three-point shots.

“I always knew that I needed to work on my jump shot,” Curtis said. “My dad always encouraged me to be a well-rounded player who could shoot from outside and dribble well.”

Curtis, who turned 17 in November, didn’t handle the ball much for an Oxnard team loaded with guards. But Lobo figures he’ll develop that skill at USC, where he’s expected to play forward.

“Intensity-wise, he’ll need to pick it up a step,” Lobo said. “And his ball-handling definitely needs to improve. But he’s going to become a dangerous player by his sophomore and junior seasons. He’s very young and he needs to put on some muscle, but he’s going to be an outstanding college player when he puts it all together.”

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Boys’ Team

Tyler Adamczyk / Westlake

6-5, Sr.

Forward/Center

Adamczyk, who has committed to California to play baseball, averaged 15.2 points and 10.4 rebounds for a team that was beaten on a last-second shot in the second round of the playoffs.

Adam Allegro / Agoura

6-5, Sr.

Forward/Center

Allegro, who has accepted an appointment to the Naval Academy, averaged 15.6 points and 7.0 rebounds for the Chargers (20-6) after missing much of his junior season with an injured left ankle.

Ryan Frutos / Santa Paula

6-3, Sr.

Guard

The latest in a tradition of shooting guards at Santa Paula, the streaky shooter averaged 20.6 points and scored 42 points in first-round playoff upset against Morningside.

Jared Jungwirth / Camarillo

6-5, Sr.

Forward

Jungwirth, a two-year starter, led the Scorpions in scoring (16.8), rebounding (9.0) and steals (1.7) after breaking his left ankle over the summer.

Kyle Kegley / Thousand Oaks

6-5, Sr.

Guard/Forward

The two-time selection averaged 22.4 points and made a school-record 76 three-point shots for a 23-6 team that won its first Marmonte League title since 1994 and advanced to the Division I-AA semifinals.

Ben Olson / Thousand Oaks

6-5, Jr.

Forward/Center

Olson, a touted quarterback prospect, averaged 16.6 points and 6.2 rebounds while shooting a team-high 49.2% from three-point range. He’s one of four starters expected to return next season.

Albert Soria / Santa Clara

6-2, Sr.

Guard

Sharp three-point shooter connected on 41% (82 of 199) from beyond the arc. His good instincts with the ball complemented his scoring touch. He averaged 4.2 assists and 2.8 steals.

Erik Webb / Oxnard

6-1, Sr.

Guard

Webb averaged 11.8 points and a team-high three steals for the Yellowjackets (25-4), who won its third consecutive Pacific View League title. He made a team-high 40 three-point shots.

Dustin Villepigue / Simi Valley

6-9, Sr.

Center

The Gonzaga-bound Villepigue was Marmonte League player of the year. He averaged 23.0 points and 12.7 rebounds, shot a school-record 70.2% this season and a school-best 66.5% during three-year career.

Coach of the Year

Rich Endres / Thousand Oaks

Assistants: Gary Walin, Kevin DePiazza

In his fourth year, he guided Thousand Oaks to a 23-6 record, its first Marmonte League title since 1994 and the semifinals of the Southern Section Division I-AA playoffs.