INLAND FIELDHOUSE

You’re among most dynamic scoring threats in the Inland Area. But you play on a team loaded with talent. What do you do? Play your best basketball in the biggest games.

You are Corona Centennial swingman Dominique Dunning, and you are FOMB’s 2010-’11 Inland Area Prep Basketball Player of the Year.

Dunning (6-foot-4, 195 pounds) averages 20.4 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game while sharing the ball with at least two other NCAA Division I recruits — Gelaun Wheelwright (Weber State) and Michael Caffey (Long Beach State). And Dunning has been the best of them all, dominating games with his will, and making winners of he and his teammates with his ability to extend possessions with crucial rebounding.

“We have to be more athletic and we have work harder than everybody else. Those rebound put-backs, that’s just me working harder than everybody else,” said Dunning, after the Huskies defeated Upland, 74-58, on Feb. 22 in the quarterfinals of the CIF-Southern Section Division 1AA playoffs.

“From what I’m hearing, we probably play Mater Dei. They’re super big. We’ll have to be quicker, stronger, faster, smarter. We’re a really good shooting team. We’re not a big team,” said Dunning.

It was a prophetic statement because Dunning and the Huskies (who were 14-0 in the Big VIII League) have advanced to the CIF-SS Division 1AA Final Four, where they’ll play Santa Ana Mater Dei tonight at the Anaheim Convention Center Arena. The game will be aired at 6:30 p.m. on Prime Ticket.

This is due, in very large part, to the play of Dunning. He’s been the best player on the floor for coach Josh Giles so often that this year’s team could be re-named the Centennial Dunnings.

“He’s a stud. He brings it every night,” Giles said. “We’ve said it before with him. There might be other players around in California that might be as talented — or in some cases even more talented — but nobody gets more out of themself than he does. He gets so much out of himself. Dominique is incredible. Both ends of the floor. He played really well. Proud of him.”

But this Huskies team’s days are numbered. They could be playing as few as two more games, or as many as six including the upcoming state playoffs, where the final four teams from the Southern Section earn entry.

But that’s all, then this team will diverge in attempts to fulfill each’s basketball pursuits. Dunning is committed to University of New Mexico, and he’ll be a Lobos player in Albuquerque, N.M. with all eyes on a berth in the NCAA Tournament by this time next year.

After all his success and experience at Centennial, he should be well prepared for potential collegiate stardom.