PREP WRAPUP : Inglewood High Fires Combs as Cage Coach

Vince Combs, who 10 years ago guided Inglewood High School to a mythical national championship, has been fired as the Sentinels’ basketball coach by Principal Lawrence Freeman, Combs said.

Combs said he and the three other coaches in Inglewood’s boys basketball program were sent letters of termination in late February.

“(Freeman) said he was going to evaluate the personnel and program, and that we were welcome to re-apply and interviews would be conducted,” Combs said. “Consequently, things are in an uproar at the school.”

An already strained relationship between Freeman and Combs grew worse last June, when the two were involved in an incident at school. Combs alleges that Freeman pushed him out of the principal’s office and closed a door on his arm, causing injuries that required medical treatment.

Combs filed a $1-million civil lawsuit that is awaiting a trial date.

Despite the problems he faced this season, including being threatened by a disgruntled parent during a game at Torrance, Combs plans to re-apply for the head coaching job.

“I hate to be chased out because of Freeman’s inability to let the courts handle what happened between he and I on the sixth of June,” he said. “Next year we’re going to have a tremendous team. Even with this screwed-up year, we have three or four kids who have a chance to play at four-year colleges.”

Inglewood was 6-18 and placed last in the eight-team Bay League this season, the Sentinels’ worst finish under Combs since he returned as head basketball coach in the 1987-88 season. He left Inglewood after the 1980 season, when the Sentinels finished 29-0 and boasted such players as Ralph Jackson (ex-UCLA) and Jay Humphries (Milwaukee Bucks).

“I believe in the kids of Inglewood,” he said. “I like coaching and teaching there, and I think the kids believe in me.

“I let my record speak for itself. (Freeman) can evaluate the program if that’s what he wants to do.”

Before this season, Inglewood posted back-to-back winning seasons under Combs and qualified for the Southern Section playoffs both years.

Combs said Freeman’s harrassment hurt his team’s performance this year.

“He would stick his head in huddles during games and give me directions who to play,” Combs said. “One game he told me to play all the seniors.”

Freeman could not be reached for comment.

Combs said he expects the coaching positions to be filled by the end of April.

El Segundo baseball Coach John Stevenson has a comeback for those who have criticized him after the Eagles’ lopsided Camino Real League victories.

“My standard answer is, ‘Were you there?’ ” he said. “They never are. I’m not going to accept any criticism from anybody who wasn’t at the game.”

Stevenson’s point is that if the critics were at the game, they could see that he does not pour it on. In the 42-0 victory over Serra two weeks ago and the 31-1 win over Verbum Dei on Wednesday, he substituted freely and stopped his team from stealing bases early in the game.

The only thing Stevenson won’t do is ask a player to intentionally make an out.

Still, though, Stevenson says some people have questioned his ethics after the lopsided games.

“Usually the comment is, ‘What are you doing scoring all those runs?’ ” he said. “When people say those kinds of things, they show they don’t know anything about baseball.

“There is no clock and you can’t go backwards on the bases. The game just continues on. The only thing you can do is stop stealing bases.”

Perhaps the answer is for the CIF to enforce a mercy rule, where a team with a 10- or 15-run lead would automatically be declared the winner.

Five South Bay basketball players have been named to the All-CIF Southern Section Division I and II teams by the First Interstate Bank/Amateur Athletic Foundation board of sportswriters.

Torrance guard Rick Robison, the area’s leading scorer with a 34.5-point average, was a repeat selection on the All-Division II first team. He was joined on the first team by Bishop Montgomery guard Darrell Daniel. Mira Costa guard Chris Hobbs was a second-team choice.

Forward Ed O’Bannon of state champion Artesia was a unanimous choice as Division II Player of the Year.

In Division I, forwards Reggie Bell of Hawthorne and Adrian McCovey of Leuzinger were chosen to the second team. Guard Ernest Killum of division runner-up Lynwood was named Player of the Year.

The Bay League baseball race is off to a rousing start after two weeks, with four teams tied for first place. Palos Verdes, Torrance, Beverly Hills and Rolling Hills each have 3-1 records.

The best series of the week matches Torrance against Palos Verdes. The teams meet Tuesday at Palos Verdes and Thursday at Torrance Park in 3 p.m. games.

In the Ocean League, Redondo (4-0) moved into sole possession of first place Friday with a 5-2 victory over West Torrance (3-1). Winning pitcher Artie Scarpino scattered seven hits to notch is first league triumph.

Redondo will visit Culver City (3-1) in an important game Wednesday.

The most anticpated match-up of the week will take place Friday night when El Segundo faces St. Bernard at Recreation Park in El Segundo for first place in the Camino Real League.