In the Long Run, He’s the Man for Chaminade

WEST HILLS — When a basketball team is as well-balanced as Chaminade High, it is often difficult to determine who is the team’s most consistent scorer and player.

One night it might be freshman center Scott Borchart, who scores in bunches. The next night it might be senior guard Justin Beach or senior forward Justin Stewart. Certainly each has had the kind of night players dream about.

But more often than not, it is senior swingman Scott Long putting up the numbers for the The Times’ top-ranked boys’ team in the region.

Long, a two-time All-Mission League selection, is the team’s leader, averaging 14.8 points and eight rebounds a game. While Long’s numbers are modest, his coach’s opinion of the three-year starter is not.

“He has the ability to go for 25, 30 [points] a night, but we don’t run a superstar system here,” Coach Jeff Young said.

Instead, the 6-foot-5, 215-pound Long is just another piece of the puzzle in Chaminade’s quest to win the Southern Section Division III-A title. The top-seeded Eagles (23-1) play host to Blair (10-14) tonight in a first-round playoff game at 7:30.

With all five starters averaging 7.5 points or better, Chaminade does not rise and fall with Long. Not by a long shot.

“I get a little too lackadaisical at times,” Long said. “Luckily, we have such a good team that if Scott Long doesn’t show up, we’re not going to tank.”

Still, Long, who has accepted an appointment from the U.S. Naval Academy, has struggled with what he calls his “subpar performances” this season. In three of the last eight games, he has scored eight points or fewer.

Although he has had subpar games in the past, the balance of Chaminade’s team makes it harder for him to atone immediately for such a performance.

“I was kind of the go-to guy [the past two seasons],” said Long, who has led Chaminade is scoring for three seasons. “It was easier [then] to turn bad games into good games real quick because I knew I would have my opportunities.

“Now, if you have a bad game, you don’t know if you’ll get a chance to redeem yourself.”

Therein lies his struggle. Part of him longs to redeem himself while the other part is happy that someone else will almost certainly take up the slack.

“This year we have that luxury,” Long said. “We can sit the starters down and still compete with teams.”

Long’s selflessness is a big part of what makes him a top player, Young said. Experience, dedication to the game and mental preparedness are Long’s other main ingredients.

“I don’t think I have the athletic ability just to go out there and play,” Long said. “If I go out there thinking I’m the best player on the court . . . I’ll get whooped. Honestly, I need to go in there and be mentally prepared for every game.”

Mindful of Long’s cognitive tendencies, Young is setting the table with a few choice words for a successful playoff run.

“I told him last week in practice, ‘This is the time, this is it for you. It’s time for you to step up and show everybody what you are,’ ” Young said.