BOYS’ BASKETBALL 1994-1995 / SMALL SCHOOLS : Berry Hopes His Voice Will Spur On Heralds

LA HABRA — Kevin Berry is hard to miss at Whittier Christian. If his 6-foot-5 frame doesn’t attract attention, his booming voice will.

Berry has taken it upon himself to be the motivator for the Heralds this season as they attempt to defend their Olympic League title.

Last season, Berry quietly went about his work in the shadows of 6-8 brothers Tyler and Trevor Ream and wound up on the all-league first team.

With his new vocal game to back up versatile court moves, Berry is hoping to be heard across the county.

“I consider myself to be a leader this season,” he said. “I’ve been doing a lot of talking in practices, trying to get everyone psyched up.”

Berry remembers the quick exit from the playoffs after a first-round loss to Downey Pius X last February; it’s a memory he would like to forget.

“They caught us off guard,” he said. “We didn’t respect their outside shooting.”

For Whittier Christian’s opponents, those words might sound strikingly familiar.

Berry has riddled many defenses that haven’t respected his shooting range.

“When I have a smaller defender, I want the ball in the low block,” he said. “But if I’m hot, I want the ball outside.”

Whittier Christian Coach Bob Brown, who has coached teams at the school for 16 years, said Berry provides a matchup problem for opposing teams.

“He has incredibly efficient post moves, but he’s also an excellent three-point shooter,” Brown said. “The defense can’t sag off on the perimeter because of his shooting ability.”

With Trevor Ream back for his senior year, Brown has the luxury of posting both players simultaneously or putting Berry on the outside to take advantage of double-teams on Ream.

“For a lot of teams, they are a tough pair to match up with,” Brown said.

“Last year, the defense tended to double Tyler (Ream) and I got a lot of open shots,” said Berry, who averaged 9.2 points. “Against Capistrano Valley Christian, they held Tyler to six points but I had about 21.”

Berry is not big on keeping his statistics in his shirt pocket; just give the Heralds a victory and he goes home happy.

“It doesn’t matter if I score nine points or five or 15, I just want to win,” he said.

Berry hopes to walk on at Louisiana Tech next year, which could be considered a big-time step for a small-school player.

However, Berry thinks he’s found a way to get onto the Louisiana Tech team.

“I don’t think kids who live around Louisiana will want to go there because they’re on probation,” he said. “That could open a door for me.”

Berry’s father attended Louisiana Tech and during Thanksgiving the family visited the school, a sign that Berry is not just a dreamer.

Berry is also realistic about the importance of schoolwork after seeing his grades slip at Whittier Christian. The marks began to slump from A’s and B’s as a freshman to B’s and C’s last year.

However, another remedy was not far away.

“Schoolwork used to be a breeze for me, but it’s recently hit me hard,” he said. “I’m starting to wise up though.”

As with anything else for Berry, it’s only a matter of time.