Golden Valley High’s Donovan Webb is point guard on the rise
When a basketball coach raves about an opposing player, it sets off alarm bells for sports journalists to pay attention and investigate.
It turns out all the good things coaches are starting to say about 6-foot-4 junior guard Donovan Webb of Golden Valley High are true. Canyon Country coach Ali Monfared said Webb could be the best player in the Foothill League, which held its media day at Canyon on Saturday.
Webb is one of those players who worked hard when no one was watching. He was focused on improving his three-point shot, and all those hours in the gym might be paying off.
“I’m a gym rat,” he says.
Last season, he was moved to point guard and continued to defer to other players. This season, he received the message to take matters into his own hands. “We handed him the keys to the car,” first-year coach Scott Barkman said.
With a 4.3 grade point average, Webb said he understands what his role should be.
“I needed to take my game to the next level,” he said.
Golden Valley and Valencia will be co-favorites due to each team’s experience with returning players.
Valencia has its own much-improved player in junior Steven Irons. Last season he was 6-5 and 170 pounds. He is now 6-7 years old and weighs 210 pounds after eating lots of chicken and rice while working on his strength.
“The day we lost the playoff game, I started lifting,” he said.
Coach Greg Fontenette said, “His development has been like night and day.”
Double-doubles are in his future, and it’s not about In-N-Out. He will score and provide rebounds to support Valencia’s talented class of 2027 players.
Saugus returns Braydon Harmon, who had a 43-point performance against West Ranch last season.
Hart coach Tom Kelly is in his 26th season for the Newhall school and his 36th overall (he was head coach at Burbank Burroughs for 10 years).
Canyon won a 2A championship last season and lost most of its players, but returns standout point guard Isaac Yuhico, who delivered clutch baskets in the Cowboys’ triple-overtime win over St. Bonaventure.
Former Golden Valley coach Chris Printz became assistant manager, but his son, Wyatt, remains on the team. When asked if his father got a pay raise, Wyatt said, “I hope so.”
West Ranch’s Conner Peterson was asked about playing against friends in the league. “It’s the same playing against your brother,” he said. “You want to beat them.”
Castaic coach Louis Fernando was optimistic about his team, saying, “I don’t need to train my ego and I don’t need to train effort this year.”
This is a daily look at positive happenings in high school sports. To submit news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
