SoCalHoops High School News

Solis On Sondheimer: A View From The
Girls' Side Of The Court--(Nov. 29, 1998)

We got the following letter from one of our readers and regular contributors, Aaron Solis, who follows the girls game here in SoCal, and who provides invaluable information for many of us here at SoCalHoops who don't make it our business to follow that side of the court.  And as Aaron tells it, he too agrees with us that more often than not, LA Times correspondent Eric Sondheimer doesn't pick up on good players or teams, for reasons known only to him and perhaps his editors.  But we'll let Aaron tell you what he thinks:

Just wanted to say I agree with your Sondheimer article. He gives some good information on the girls side of the court, but it seems incomplete (just like the boys). Now, I don't claim to know much....that is why I keep bugging for more girls coverage (but I know the reasons why, I am just grateful for what you can provide), but this is my opinion.

First off, the Mission league as the best? Winning two CIF titles is great, but to be a great league, you need more than just two teams. The Channel League is going to be a very tough league this year........First off there is Buena. For those of you who follow the girls game, Buena is still Buena.

Sondheimer notes that Ventura will battle them for the league title, which is correct. (By the way, Ventura made it to the championship quarterfinals of that 200 team tournament down in San Diego this summer) But Sondheimer won't cross the Ventura county line and travel up to Santa Barbara where the other three teams in the Channel league are located. How can he just cover two-fifths of a league?

Of the other Channel League schools, Dos Pueblos made it to the CIF semifinals last year, San Marcos had a great summer, being a championship runner up at the Righetti summer tournament and finishing 17th in that 200 team tournament.

Oops! I almost forgot about Santa Barbara, which is rated in the top 40 in the nation by the USA Today pre- season poll (10th in the western region). The only other SoCal girls team to get ranked by USA Today was Brea.

A little bit more history of the Channel league from the past two years...last year, two semifinalists (the first and fourth place teams) and two teams knocked out early because of regionalization. Year before that, two CIF Champions (first and fourth place teams), a quarterfinalist, and an early knockout in the first round to another Channel league teams because of regionalization. (Thank goodness that is gone this year).

So while the Mission league is still a good league (can't argue with two CIF Champions), I still feel the Channel League is better because it is deeper in talented teams.........but that is my opinion. (And I am sure there are people who will disagree with it)

Aaron Solis

Here's what Sondheimer had to say about the girls teams in the Valley Region for this upcoming season, so you'll know what Aaron was talking about::

In girls' basketball, Buena offers opponents a similar predicament with a lineup that includes 6-3 sophomore Kelly Greathouse and 6-2 freshman Courtney LaVere.  "We've never had two players [of their size] at one time," Coach Joe Vaughan said. "Both have good offensive moves for their age."  Greathouse averaged 13.3 points and 10.1 rebounds as a freshman. LaVere enters high school with a strong reputation from playing on club teams. It's doubtful any team in the region will be able to counter the Bulldogs' size.

There is not a faster, more exciting player than Jaline Bradley of Channel Islands.  "She's just as quick as Marion Jones on the floor," Coach Patrick Bell of Channel Islands said, referring to the former Thousand Oaks star.  Bradley was restricted to the junior varsity last season after transferring from Oxnard, where she averaged 18.4 points as a sophomore while leading the Yellowjackets to the Division I-AA championship. She has signed with UCLA.

Damaris Hinojosa of Moorpark will receive a new challenge in facing much stronger Marmonte League competition. Bound for Pepperdine, the 5-10 Hinojosa was the Times' Ventura County player of the year last season. She averaged 23 points.  

Antelope Valley has a sophomore point guard, Crystal McCutcheon, who reminds coaches of Edniesha Curry, the former Palmdale guard who was a freshman All-American at Cal State Northridge last season. McCutcheon averaged 16.9 points and five steals as a freshman. She will receive competition down the street from another outstanding sophomore point guard, Jackie Kolesar of Paraclete.  Cara Blumfield of El Camino Real is an easy choice to lead the region in scoring. She averaged 23.3 points last season.  Kate Beckler of Alemany averaged 20 points as a sophomore. She uses her quickness and aggressiveness on defense to create scoring opportunities.  Gone is Michelle Greco of Crescenta Valley, but Sinnamonn Garrett will provide the Falcons with plenty of firepower.  Finally, if you want to see what a track team looks like in basketball uniforms, watch Schquay Brignac, Malinda Malone and Jessica Cosby of Cleveland race up and down the court.

POINT GUARDS

Chenne Tuimoloau 5-10 Jr. Channel Islands--Doesn't make turnovers
Tashean Thomas 5-9 Sr. North Hollywood--Very unselfish player
Kelly Murray 5-7 Sr. Buena--Knows how to lead fast break
Brooke Porter 5-5 Jr. Harvard-Westlake--automatic on open shots
Crystal McCutcheon 5-9 So. Antelope Valley--Headed for big-time status
Kristie Umemoto 5-6 Jr. Crescenta Valley--Ready to take a charge
Tawny Thorpe 5-9 So. Westlake--Averaged 15.7 ppg
Jackie Kolesar 5-7 So. Paraclete--Had terrific freshmen season
Jamie Sturdivant 5-7 Sr. Simi Valley--Averaged 13.1ppg, 3.9 apg
Jameka Taylor 5-5 Sr. Littlerock--Loves to make steals

SHOOTING GUARDS

Jaline Bradley 5-8 Sr. Channel Islands--There's no one better
Kate Beckler 5-8 Jr. Alemany--Averaged 20 ppg as sophomore
Cara Blumfield 5-5 Sr. El Camino Rea--Should lead region in scoringl
Sierra Hauser-Price 5-8 So. Notre Dame--Coaches rave about her skills
Schquay Brignac 5-5 So. Cleveland--Watch her score on fast break
Alex Gientke 5-9 Jr. Ventura--Should give Buena trouble
Liz Sun 5-8 Fr. Chatsworth--can make immediate impact

FORWARDS

Damaris Hinojosa 5-10 Sr. Moorpark--Does everything but fill water bottles
Sinnamonn Garrett 5-10 Jr. Crescenta Valley--It's her breakout season
Markia Derby 5-7 Sr. North Hollywood--Returning All-City Player
Latricia Fleming 5-11 Sr. Canyon--Might be best in Foothill League
Jessica Cosby 5-6 Jr. Cleveland--Finds a way to come up with rebound
Stacey Howard 5-10 Sr. St. Bonaventure-- Tri-Valley League MVP
last year

CENTERS

Kelly Greathouse 6-3 So. Buena--One day she'll be the best
Omelogo Udeze 6-0 Sr. Harvard-Westlake--Runs the court like a guard
Christen Roper 6-5 Sr. Nordhoff--Last season had 105 blocked shots
Teresa Russell 6-1 Sr. Royal--Averaged 14.3 rebounds last year
Christine Lambert 6-2 Sr. Paraclete--Average 12.8 ppg, 11 rpg
Kristine Gleisberg 6-0 Jr. Ventura--She's becoming a force on offense
Courtney LaVere 6-2 Fr. Buena--Ready for big-time varsity competition
Briana Kentfield 6-0 Sr. Hart--Can clear the boards

Teams to watch

THE PROVEN:

There might be some new banners in Buena's future. Since Coach Joe Vaughan took over the program in 1975, the Bulldogs have won five Southern Section championships and two state titles. A loss in the Division I-A semifinals last season to Marina ended eight consecutive years of championship appearances. Don't expect an early exit this season. Besides returning 6-foot-3 sophomore Kelly Greathouse, the Bulldogs have two excellent guards, Amrit Chima and Kelly Murray.

The Bulldogs will face a challenge in the Channel League from Ventura, which finished second in the Watts Summer Games to Palisades and returns 6-foot Kristine Gleisberg and 5-9 Alex Gientke.

Channel Islands has the region's best guard combination, Jaline Bradley and Chenne Tuimoloau.

Don't feel sorry for Crescenta Valley now that Michelle Greco has moved on to UCLA. Point guard Kristie Umemoto and forward Sinnamonn Garrett will keep the Falcons rolling.

North Hollywood has aspirations of facing Palisades in the City Section championship game. The Huskies, led by guard Tashean Thomas, forward Markia Derby and center Richelle Sherman, will be tested by a tough nonleague schedule.

Is there a better league than the Mission? Alemany and Harvard-Westlake shared the league title last season, then won section titles. Alemany lost in the state Division III final. Both teams are loaded again. Kate Beckler, Karina Siam and Nyasha Bralock return for Alemany. Brooke Porter and Omelogo Udeze are key players for the Wolverines. Don't miss their two league games, Jan. 12 at
Harvard-Westlake and Feb. 4 at L.A. Baptist.

THE PROMISING:

Any team with Damaris Hinojosa on it is good. So don't dismiss Moorpark from challenging for the Marmonte League title.

But defending champion Royal, coming off a 25-4 season, has the personnel to repeat. Kristen Galbreath, a 5-11 junior, was the Bell-Jeff tournament MVP. Teresa Russell is a dominating rebounder. Annette Wilson is as tough as her father, Tim, a former All-City catcher at Poly.

Canyon could be ready to win the Foothill League title behind 5-11 Letricia Fleming.

Littlerock returns guard Jameka Taylor, a two-time All-Golden League selection with consecutive seasons of more than 100 steals. Add forwards Kristel Jones and Lizette Rams and the Lobos look solid.

FAST FACT:

Buena's Vaughan enters the season with a 559-58 career coaching record and is the winningest girls' basketball coach in the state.

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