THE GAZETTE
Page B-6
Thursday, December 5, 2013 lr
HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS’ BASKETBALL PREVIEW BISHOP MCNAMARA
n Coach: Frank Oliver Jr. 1st season n Last season: 3-24 n Starters returning: 2 n Last WCAC title: None
NORTHWESTERN
Outlook: New coach Frank Oliver Jr. expects the upcoming season to be a challenge, with Bishop McNamara coming off a 3-24 season. But if the Mustangs play smart, fundamentallysound basketball, they could take a step forward, Oliver said. “This is going to be a work in progress. It’s going to be a team effort,” said Oliver, who previously coached at H.D. Woodson in Washington D.C. The young team has no seniors, four juniors, six sophomores and a freshman. “We expect the young ladies to play as hard as they possibly can,” he said. McNamara returns two starters from last year’s team. Look for junior guards Kholby Oliver and Myka Johnson-Matthews to contribute, along with sophomore forward Morgan Smith. “We’re just building [for] the future,” Oliver said.
n Coach: Ashelley Wilder 2nd season n Last season: 0-22 n Starters returning: 3 n Last state tournament: 1979
— ERIC GOLDWEIN
— ERIC GOLDWEIN
OXON HILL
n Coach: Devonne Williams 2nd season n Last season: 2-16 n Starters returning: 2 n Last state tournament: 2004
Outlook: Second-year Oxon Hill coach Devonne Williams knew his players for about one week before they embarked on last season and that unfamiliarity between coach and players showed. Leadership provided by senior guards Jasmine Butler and Mishayla Mason, the two returning starters, will be integral, Williams said. But the addition of freshman guards Brittany Whitley and Johnee Durham add depth to the lineup. The Clippers will rely heavily on stingy defense, Williams said, hoping to keep opponents’ scoring low to stay competitive. Mason will likely be the team’s top scorer. Despite her youth Durham has proven herself to be an effective point guard and Whitley, who has the most travel ball experience, is a wildcard that can be used at any position when needed.
— JENNIFER BEEKMAN
ST. VINCENT PALLOTTI
n Coach: Rod Hairston 1st season n Last season: 19-16 n Starters returning: 3 n Last IAAM title: 2007
GREG DOHLER/THE GAZETTE
De’Janae Boykin (right) of Charles H. Flowers drives to the basket against Kaila Charles of host Eleanor Roosevelt last February in Greenbelt. Both players return to lead their respective teams this season.
PARKDALE
n Coach: Lawrence Watson 3rd season n Last season: 13-14 n Starters returning: 3 n Last state tournament: 1981
Outlook: The Panthers hope to reach a state final for the first time in three decades. Thirdyear Panthers coach Lawrence Watson thinks his team has what it takes to, perhaps, come close to that goal. “Our goal is to make sure we come together as a team,” Watson said. “We’re looking to play hard.” Returning is guard Kareema Conteh, who averaged over 13 points per game. Guard Nailah Jones looks to improve her nine points per game average and fill void left by forward E.J. Ajaemba’s (Old Dominion University) departure. Ajaemba finished the 2012-2013 campaign with 454 rebounds. Guard Samantha Spencer is the other returning starter. Tabitha Johnson (6-foot-2) and forward/center Ruth Omolola hope to become a force inside.
POTOMAC
n Coach: Eli Horowitz 1st season n Last season: 5-13 n Starters returning: 2 n Last state tournament: 2005
— TERRON HAMPTON
n Coach: Jonathan Scruggs 4th season n Last season: 21-11 n Starters returning: 3 n Last WCAC title: 2010
— TRAVIS MEWHIRTER
Outlook: First-year coach Eli Horowitz has inherited an uphill battle in replacing shooting guard Makayla Johnson, an All-Gazette honorable mention and a 17-point per game scorer, from a team that was lost in the first round of playoffs. But he does bring back senior floor general Myia Fletcher while sophomore Aja Jamerson will be stepping into the varsity ranks as an expected starter. Taking on the responsibility of filling in for the graduated Johnson is shooting guard Johnese Hill. Joining Johnson amongst Horowitz’s underclassmen is freshman Diera Lawson. Horowitz’s young squad will get their first big test on Dec. 19 in matching up with defending county champ Gwynn Park.
RIVERDALE BAPTIST
n Coach: Sam Caldwell 2nd season n Last season: 29-6 n Starters returning: Not available n Last national title: 2012
— TRAVIS MEWHIRTER
ELIZABETH SETON Outlook: Three starters may be coming back for coach Jonathan Scruggs, including Central Connecticut State-bound point guard Camden Musgrave, but the coach graduated seven players from a WCAC semifinalist squad, six of whom are now playing collegiately. Janelle Hubbard, now with Richmond and a career 1,000 point scorer for the Roadrunners, left a hole, and Scruggs will likely lean on Casey Davis (George Mason) and Savannah Johnson (Brown) replace her points. The two combined for 13 points and 13 rebounds per game last year while Davis added five blocks a contest and Johnson contributed three steals. Senior forward Khayla Trowell (New Haven) rounds out the front court, bringing five points and five rebounds per game.
Outlook: The Wildcats were winless last season, but secondyear coach Ashelley Wilder said her team has the personnel and experience to improve. Sophomore Shirleah Ragin, junior Taylor Wilder and senior Gloria Ndongo return to the starting lineup while the Wildcats added several skilled and talented players. “I was fortunate to receive a lot of good players from our feeder programs and definitely expect to see whole new Northwestern girls’ basketball program,” Wilder said. Look for Ragin, the starting point guard, to take a step forward after leading the team in scoring last season. “She has developed physically and mentally and is such a humble and awesome player to work with,” Wilder said. The team will also get backcourt help from India Pineda and Wanda Murray.
SUITLAND
n Coach: Keith Lynch 5th season n Last season: 15-7 n Starters returning: 0 n Last state tournament: 2001
Outlook: With an entire starting lineup vacated, most would expect Lynch to default to “rebuilding mode.” But the coach is genuinely optimistic about this year’s team. He went deep into his bench last season, giving four of his projected starters valuable experience heading into this year. Charnise Tyler, whom Lynch described as “6-foot-2, strong, athletic, and very aggressive,” may be the tallest player in the county. She is joined in the frontcourt by senior small forward Tatiana Furr while senior Jade Young and junior Bishop McNamara transfer Dominique Smith will take over the backcourt. While the coach held positive expectations for the year, he admitted there will be a learning curve. By season’s end, however, “they’ll be ready.”
— TRAVIS MEWHIRTER
Outlook: The Crusaders recently returned from a weeklong excursion in Germany, a “great cultural experience,” as Athletic Director Terry Terrill labeled it. It will be far from the last time they see some stout competition, though the rest should be stateside. Ranked No. 10 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25, the Crusaders again are expected to be loaded. Caldwell graduated just 6-foot-2 center Jonelle Britt and 6-foot-1 power forward Maya Singleton. Junior Passion Scott and senior Khaila Prather are expected to fill out the vacated frontcourt. Chloe Jackson, an N.C. State recruit and nationally considered one of the top prospects of the 2014 class, is back for her final season as is backcourt teammate and Florida State recruit Chania Ray.
— ERIC GOLDWEIN
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT
n Coach: Delton Fuller 4th season n Last season: 26-2 n Starters returning: 2 n Last state tournament: 2013
— TRAVIS MEWHIRTER
SURRATTSVILLE
n Coach: Deon Yates 1st season n Last season: 9-13 n Starters returning: 3 n Last state tournament: 2009
Outlook: After former coach Tynisha Payton left the Hornets to coach at Wilson High (D.C.), Surrattsville hired last year’s junior varsity coach, Deon Yates, to take over the historically successful program. Yates has been greeted with a core of talented sophomores with which to build. Three starters are returning from last year’s team in sophomore center Jenelle Collier, sophomore combo guard Caniyia Buckner and sophomore point guard Tyonna Edmundson. “It’s a treat because I know I’m going to have all of them for three years,” Yates said. Like Hornets teams of the past, Yates expects to play an up-tempo game with lots of pressure on defense. “We’ll be a scrappy young bunch but they’re so young and raw, so it’s a big learning curve.”
— NICK CAMMAROTA
Outlook: New coach Rod Hairston wants to bring Pallotti from the middle of the pack to the top of the standings and believes he has the personnel to make the jump. Senior Beverly Ogunrinde will be a top contributor. She averaged 11.1 points per game last season and recently announced she was signing with James Madison University. “This is a kid that I think is doing to do really big things this season,” said Hairston, who replaces Josh Pratt. Hairston expects Kaiya Coleman to play a big role on the talented, experienced team. “I truly think I have seven kids that could play at the next level,” Hairston said. Hairston led Bullis to an Independent School League AA Division championship last season.
Outlook: After winning five consecutive state championships from 2006 to 2010, it was strange for the Raiders to go through a tough period in which the program didn’t win region titles, and thus not making it to the state semifinals. Last season was more in line with the program’s recent tradition when the Raiders only lost two games. But Roosevelt players and coaches say they know that not winning a state title renders a good season relatively hollow. “The boys have a poster of their state championship season and I put the poster in our team room,” Raiders coach Delton Fuller said. “It’s nice getting close but you have to win it.” The burden to change that falls to the two returning starters, guard Kalia Charles and forward/center Tolu Okomoer.
— TERRON HAMPTON
HENRY A. WISE
n Coach: Walter Clark 7th season n Last season: 10-10 n Starters returning: 0 n Last state tournament: 2012
Outlook: After back-toback appearances in state title games, last year was a tough one for the Pumas. It started with the two players they figured would lead them that year, center Ciara Lee and guard Carolyn Cosey, suffering knee injuries and missing the season. Both return this year from anterior cruciate ligament surgeries. “Carolyn (a senior) is further ahead than Ciara (junior),” coach Walter Clark said of their rehabs. Others expected to be key players are Niani Hartwell, Kiana Hinton and sophomore Kia Lisby. “There’s a lot of parity in the 4A this year, and that’s a good thing,” Clark said. “When we went 180, we weren’t ready to play on the state level. That won’t happen this year, there are five or so good teams.”
— KEN SAIN