DAILY PILOT BOYS’ BASKETBALL DREAM TEAM:Kaluz’s boldness seen in ring

The huge championship ring is on its way and Corona del Mar High’s Stefan Kaluz can’t wait to sport it.

It is outfitted with blue stones, his full name, his No. 42, your typical athletic customizations on a ring.

But what’s engraved inside the ring says it all: “Player of the Year.”

Kaluz ordered the ring before officially learning he was the Player of the Year. It wasn’t a risk to the 6-foot-9 center with the kind of season he led the Sea Kings to as a junior.

A share of the Pacific Coast League championship. A CIF Southern Section Division III-A championship. A CIF State Southern California Regional Division III appearance.

With those accomplishments, Kaluz knew he was the Player of the Year.

Kaluz earned the Daily Pilot’s Dream Team Player of the Year award as well as the CIF Southern Section Division III-A Player of the Year honor.

Lifting the Sea Kings (22-8, 7-1 in league) to their fifth section crown in school history made that possible.

“This is a great honor, one that not many people can say they’ve had,” said Kaluz of receiving both honors. “But I made sure I was the Player of the Year.”

Kaluz proved the Player of the Year accolade would be his by lifting the Sea Kings throughout the season.

Somehow he shared the honor in league with someone else. But nothing stopped Kaluz from taking the top prize in the Newport-Mesa area and in the Southern Section Division III-A.

Ask CdM first-year coach Ryan Schachter how Kaluz was able to average 21 points, 12 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game, and shoot 64% from the floor, and he’ll tell you it’s Kaluz’s drive.

The type that has piqued the interest of Stanford, Princeton, Brown and UC Irvine.

“He’s worked extremely hard, because yeah he’s 6-foot-9, but he’s not blessed with a lot of talent and ability,” said Schachter of the 220-pound Kaluz, who also excels in the classroom with a grade-point average above 4.0. “In my opinion he’s the best center in Orange County. He deserves whatever he gets.”

The bling is what Kaluz wants his finger wrapped around. He said the ring will arrive in six weeks, plenty of time for him to continue to reminisce on a stellar season.

You can’t get it off his mind. That and the idea of being in a similar situation next year, as CdM should contend for league and section titles.

Schachter, the CIF Division III-A Coach of the Year, said the Sea Kings will be better next year.

With Kaluz back for his senior year, along with first-team All-CIF guard Joe Eberhard, shooting guard Sean Donovan, and point guard Erik Rask returning after missing his entire junior year because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in football, the Sea Kings will be formidable.

“We’re going to miss some high-quality guys,” said Kaluz, referring to three senior starters, guard Eddie Lane, 6-7 forward John Joyce and point guard Austin Evett, who each earned all-league recognition. “With those guys we reached our goal, and that was so great that I want to recreate that special feeling again.

“Coach is not going to let us be satisfied. I want to go to the top again. I want another ring.”

For the other hand of course.

Here’s a look at the rest of the honorees:

LARRY PUENTE

COSTA MESA, SENIOR

Hands down the most versatile player in the Newport-Mesa area. Unstoppable on the court as the 6-foot-4 star excelled in practically all facets of the game. He averaged 19.5 points, 13.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 3.3 blocks and 2.4 steals per game en route to earning first-team All-Orange Coast League recognition. Three times he scored at least 24 points and grabbed at least 20 rebounds in a game. His season-high in points was 39 and for rebounds 21. On an undersized team, he made first-year coach Jeff McDaniel’s job a lot easier by playing every position. He kept the Mustangs in contention for the league championship and helped them reach the CIF Division III-A playoffs for the third straight year. With Puente graduating, Costa Mesa (17-11, 5-4 for third place in league) loses a big-time, all-around player.

EDDIE LANE

CORONA DEL MAR, SENIOR

The transfer from Orlando, Fla. brought to the Sea Kings the kind of explosiveness only seen at a few Orange County schools. Speed and leaping ability to go with aggressiveness added a special dimension to a big team. His athleticism fueled CdM with momentum changing alley-oop dunks. The team’s third scoring option contributed nine points per game. During the Sea Kings’ 67-59 victory in the CIF Division III-A championship over Renaissance Academy of La Canada, he finished with 14 points, including a three-point play that sealed it for CdM late. Played tenacious defense to lead CdM with 2.1 steals per game. The second-team All-CIF Division III-A and first-team all-league player will be sorely missed when the Sea Kings (22-8, 7-1 for first place in league) attempt to defend their section crown without their 6-foot-2 high-flying act.

JOE EBERHARD

CORONA DEL MAR, JUNIOR

The first-year varsity player found his rhythm in the sixth game of the year by moving away from the paint and to the perimeter as he scored in double figures for the first time. Created problems for the opposition with his ability to shoot, rebound and pass at 6-foot-5. Played a vital role in the Sea Kings’ claiming the Pacific Coast League and the CIF Division III-A championships. He ranked second on CdM in points (9.7), rebounds (6.8), assists (2.8) and steals (1.8) per game. Hit clutch three-pointers throughout, good half the time as he made 34 of 68, were tops on the team. Biggest three-point performance was five in a game. The first-team All-CIF Division III-A and all-league player should be next year’s most well-rounded player in the Newport-Mesa area.

WESTON DUNLAP

NEWPORT HARBOR, SENIOR

It took a tournament in New Hampshire to realize how good this 6-foot-7 volleyball star could be in basketball. It was crowded at times inside the paint with 6-8 Kyle Caldwell as a teammate, but he found room by slashing to the rim. Newport Harbor began winning, nine in a row before finishing 16-12 overall and 5-5 in the Sunset League, good for a share of second place. Coach Larry Hirst said Dunlap was instrumental in the Sailors reaching the CIF Division I-A playoffs and helping the team become the fourth team in school history to play three postseason games. He averaged 11.9 points and 9.1 rebounds, and shot 58% from the floor, all were second best and earned him first-team league honors. He’s headed to play volleyball at UCLA next year.

KYLE CALDWELL

NEWPORT HARBOR, JUNIOR

Played hurt and big down the stretch as the Sailors finished in a two-way tie for second place in their new league, the Sunset League, and qualified for the CIF Southern Section Division I-A playoffs. With a hurt right foot, the 6-foot-8 beast hit a game-winner to upset host Damien of La Verne, 43-41, in the first round, and Hirst said Caldwell had the Sailors on the verge of making history. If they won in the second round, Hirst said they would’ve been the first team in 77 years to play four playoff games. The first-team All-Sunset League player led the team with 19.6 points and 12.4 rebounds per game, and shot 59% from the floor. The grandson of the late Hall of Fame basketball player George Yardley returns next year, giving Newport-Mesa fans, another quality center to watch.