Realistically, barring serious injuries or some other major development, there isn’t much question about who will win the Moore League girls’ basketball title.  Poly has won four consecutive state championships, and looks to be just as talented, experienced, and deep as ever.  But even with first place likely belonging to the Rabbits, this should still be a fun year for local hoops fans.

Why?

It’s been five years since second place was decided by less than two games in the Moore League girls’ basketball race, since Poly and Wilson tied for second at 9-3 in 2005—even that was only due to the Rabbits forfeiting two games.  Usually, there’s the top team, a clear-cut second-best team, and then everybody else.  This season, though, should be different.  Welcome to the age of parity in the Moore League, where there’s a pretty even battle for second through fifth place.

Let’s get to know the competitors—and of course, come back for game updates, and an updated standings box every week.

Poly

If you’re a fan of a team in the Moore League other than Poly, this probably doesn’t seem fair.  After four straight state championships, it might be reasonable to expect a talent drop-off from the Jackrabbits…instead, they return three All-CIF players, are currently ranked number two in the nation by MaxPreps, and are a top five team according to USA Today and ESPN RISE.  Yeesh.

The faces are familiar—the Wilson twins are back, as is Ariya Crook-Williams, the blindingly fast junior point guard.  On the inside, the Rabbits pack a powerful punch with Sheila Boykin, whose knee is fully recovered after last season, Ta’Nitra Byrd, and Thaddesia Southall, who is just beginning to practice after her knee injury but who could be ready in the next few weeks.  If you’re scoring at home that’s two sharp-shooting guards, a point guard who could be running track and who sees the floor well, and three skilled post players who are six-foot or taller.

Currently, Poly is sitting at 9-2, with the losses coming to national top-fives Brea and Mater Dei at the Nike Tournament of Champions.  Maybe next year someone can jump up and bump the Rabbits off, as they graduate the Wilsons, Byrd, and Southall…but they’re the odds-on favorite for the league title, the section title, and a fifth straight state championship, provided they stay healthy.

Millikan

If you’ve been following the Moore League closely, know that you shouldn’t take Millikan’s 7-5 starting record—including a disappointing 35-33 opening loss to St. Anthony, the first time a Long Beach public school lost to the Saints in over a decae—too seriously.  The Rams have been awaiting the return of Sequoia Hernandez, the sophomore guard who will dictate much of the offensive tempo for them.  She was out with a sprained ankle, but as of Millikan’s thrilling 53-51 win over Jordan to end 2009, is back, and looking healthy.

Aside from the versatile Hernandez, Millikan’s opponents will have their hands more than full with Hilary Drinovsky, who will likely go down as one of the city’s most improved players. Drinovsky had the body last year—she’s 6’2″ and can run—but was pretty raw, and coach Lorene Morgan spent a lot of time working with her on footwork.  The work has paid off—Drinovsky can still score, but now she’s doing more of the work they need her to do, pulling down boards.  The senior is averaging 13 points and 15 rebounds a game through nonleague.

Other players to watch include senior guard Rachel Flores, and senior forward Mimi Patterson.  With young players (like Hernandez) continuing to develop, the Rams will likely be the most up-and-down of the four second place contenders—but their up is also likely to be higher than anybody else’s.

Wilson

It’s a strange in-betweener year for Wilson, as they graduated Ciarra Ford and Jazmyne Porter (who’s at Long Beach State), but are still developing young talent like Janelle Porter and Michaela Reed, two of four freshman on the varsity roster.  While that may not sound like a recipe for success (especially with Cheyenne Butler’s career at Wilson over because of a knee injury), Tiffany Bailey is good enough to help the Bruins contend for second place this year, almost all by herself.

Averaging 16 points and 9 boards a game, Bailey is a 6’1″ post player who has the ability to take games over.  She’s backed up in the paint by one of those talented freshman, Joi Bertrand, who’s also 6’1″.  Alanah Grant, a senior, also plays down low.

Talented guards Samira Fields (junior) and Reed (who’s averaging 12 points a game as the Bruins’ second best scoring option) will be the barometers—if Wilson gets good guard play to back up their big girls, they could be a force to be reckoned with.

Jordan

The Panthers, who finished fourth in the league last season, are the surprise of the Moore League so far during nonleague play, as they’ve jumped out to a 9-5 start and have showed impressive depth and athleticism.  For a budding program, the depth in particular is surprising, and Jordan coach (and girls’ athletic director) Adara Newidouski deserves a lot of credit for getting her team into position to contend for second place so quickly.

Danesha Long is the straw that stirs the drink, as the 5’9″ senior captain is a three-time All-Moore League guard who can score, and run the offense efficiently.  Armani Wiley, a sharpshooting guard, is the Panthers’ only other returning All-League player from last year’s team, but the key for Jordan is that the depth below their best players is very even, there isn’t the sharp dropoff you normally expect from prep girls’ hoops.

The Panthers will have déjà vu this week—after a two-point loss to Millikan at the Gahr tournament to end the year, they’ll open league play with a crucial match against the Rams tonight.

Cabrillo

Last year, in Karen Candelaria’s third season coaching the Jaguars, things really started to turn around—yes, there were the usual pair of wins over Compton.  But Cabrillo also beat Lakewood (twice), Wilson, and even Millikan.  This is a team that is starting to believe in itself, and the program—and they’re seeing results.

What’s the key to keeping it going this year?  Rely on the experience—senior guards Irene Morgan and Carmela Morris, along with Jamie Robinson and Jocelyn Forkland (both hybrid guard/forwards), will try to help raise Cabrillo’s profile.  Right now the Jags are on the uptick, and appear to be finding their offensive rhythm, putting up 60+ in their last two games.  As they head into league, they know that will be the key to staying productive, since their defense is pretty consistent. 

If the senior leadership steps up and can produce points as well as stops, this definitely won’t be the last time you read about the Jags this year.

Lakewood

The Lancers (4-10) have struggled so far this year, especially on defense, but there is a lot of experience in their backcourt that could end up causing an upset or two this season.  Before that can happen, they’ll have to retool the defense, which is giving up more than 50 points per-game in nonleague play, including two games in which they gave up 70 points.  The wins are over Bell Gardens, Downey, Mission Viejo, and Los Al, so they definitely have the potential—but it all comes down to defense.  In those four wins, they allowed an average of 36 points.  In the ten losses, they’ve given up an average of 57 points.

One problem to overcome is height—listed as a guard/shooting forward, Ariel Shipp is doing the yeoman’s work on the boards, leading the team in rebounds and blocked shots despite being just 5’6″.  Offensively, talented junior Jasmine Balangue runs point, and leads the team in scoring (10 ppg) and assists (3 per-game).  If Balangue and senior guards Danaya Griffin and Lisa Burtzlaff step up, the Lancers could throw a real wrench in somebody’s playoff plans.

Compton

The Moore League may have the biggest talent disparity in the country—at the top are the Jackrabbits, with a Poly team that’s currently ranked number two in the country by MaxPreps.  Bringing up the rear for the last several years is the Compton Tarbabes, who are currently ranked 16,769th in the nation.

The Tarbabes have failed to win a single league game in either of the last two seasons (they swept Lakewood and took a game off Cabrillo in 2006-07), and this doesn’t look like it’s going to be the easiest year to start changing the culture, as coach Wes Louis will continue to do in his second year.  So far Compton is 1-8, with the lone win coming 46-36 over Cavalry Chapel. They open against Wilson and Cabrillo this week.

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