_________________________________
_________________________________
“In towns and cities... there is no more important institution than the local paper.”
Warren Buffett
La Mirada boys basketball coach Randy Oronoz.
November 15, 2023
La Mirada boys basketball coach Randy Oronoz served only a one-game suspension this week, but it could have been more.
And it has to do with high schools cherry-picking players, finagling their addresses so they can transfer and play for them.
Oronoz said his suspension resulted from sophomore King-Riley Owens, a highly-sought transfer from Mayfair, “allegedly” playing for La Mirada and Mayfair during the summer.
Did Oronoz know Owens played for Mayfair and then played Owens on his team?
The CIF-SS certainly thought so; the CIF-SS office initially recommended to NLMUSD officials that Oronoz serve a multiple-game suspension, but after “discussions between parties,” Oronoz
was hit with just one game.
Oronoz said, “The whole thing has been unfortunate, and I feel terrible for Owens; he’s such a good kid.”
Owens had sought a change of address transfer that would allow him to play for La Mirada this season without having to sit out.
After the incident, the CIF-SS was not so kind to Owens as they were to Oronoz; Owens was declared ineligible for the season and can’t play basketball for La Mirada until next August; that decision is under appeal.
Oronoz declined to discuss the suspension and the apparent kid gloves treatment by the NLMUSD.