Girls basketball preview: CdM building a dynasty?

Richard Dunn

CORONA DEL MAR - If last season was a breakthrough year for the

Corona del Mar High girls basketball team, the 2000-01 campaign will

evoke more opposing coaches to show up in advance with clipboards and

videotapes before playing the Sea Kings.

In recent seasons past, that was unheard of.

“In my first year, I was convincing the girls to put down their

American Express cards, because what they were putting in on the floor

wasn’t going to get it,” said fourth-year CdM Coach Elbert Davis, the

former standout guard at Southern California College (now Vanguard

University).

The mild-mannered Davis has turned around the CdM program with last

season’s Pacific Coast League championship and berth in the CIF Southern

Section Division III-AA quarterfinals.

“They don’t even have records of the last time (CdM) won a league

title,” said Davis, whose squad went 22-6 last season as 5-foot-8 forward

Kristin McCoy was named PCL Co-Player of the Year, Newport-Mesa District

MVP and second-team All-CIF Division III.

McCoy, a senior, is one of four returning starters, along with her

sister, 5-7 sophomore guard Jackie McCoy, and juniors Andrea Gruber and

Carrie Hawkins.

Jackie McCoy, a first-team All-PCL choice last season, is the primary

shooting guard, while Gruber, a second-team all-leaguer a year ago with

averages of three assists and two steals a game, will play the point,

where Charlene Quon, the lone senior, earned all-district recognition

last year.

Hawkins, a 5-11 forward, is a defensive presence and rebounding force,

while Kristin McCoy can play inside and outside.

“Kristin does it all,” Davis said. “She leads our team in just about

every category, from diving on the floor for loose balls to rebounds and

assists.”

McCoy, who averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds per game last winter, is

a third-year varsity player who is being recruited by several Division II

colleges and, for now, has her eye on Cal State Dominguez Hills.

But McCoy & Co. have another PCL title to shoot for, and with three

freshmen on the varsity and rosters filled on all three levels, the

future appears bright for Corona del Mar, which struggled for years.

“Barring injuries and any other unforeseen events, we should (win the

PCL title again),” said Davis, whose team was picked to finish

second-to-last a year ago, then “shocked a lot of people. This year,

we’re definitely the team to beat, and people are coming to get us. No

one will overlook us anymore. Teams are actually going to scout us.”

Junior guard Courtney Kawata, who came off the bench on last year’s

star-studded squad, is expected to be CdM’s fifth starter this year,

while senior guard Mijanou Pham is also a returning letter winner.

“Originally, we returned nine out of 10 players from last year, but

one moved away, one is focusing on cross country and the other is not

playing this year,” said Davis, who likes the half-dozen players who are

coming back, in addition to eight first-year varsity players.

Leading the way among CdM newcomers is 5-10 sophomore forward Madison

Otterbien and 5-7 sophomore guard Kelliann Klien, both of whom were key

contributors on CdM’s league championship junior varsity team last year.

Sophomores Rachel Sessum, Kelly Luu and Naz Alateha are role players

this season, along with freshmen Lauren Snell, 5-8, Stacy Meservey, 5-7,

and Colleen Marks.

“We only have two seniors (Pham and Kristin McCoy) on the roster, so

the future looks bright for us,” Davis said. “For a small school, we’re

making strides. But we’re not a dynasty, yet.”

CORONA DEL MAR girls basketball

00 Lauren Snell 5-8 Fr.

5 Mijanou Pham 5-6 Sr.

10 Colleen Marks 5-3 Fr.

11 Courtney Kawata 5-3 Jr.

13 Andrea Gruber 5-3 Jr.

21 Kristin McCoy 5-8 Sr.

22 Naz Alateha 5-5 So.

23 Rachel Sessum 5-6 So.

34 Carrie Hawkins 5-11 Jr.

44 Jackie McCoy 5-7 So.

55 Madison Otterbien 5-10 So.

32 Kellyann Klien 5-7 So.

33 Stacy Meservey 5-7 Fr.

42 Kelly Luu 5-7 So.

Coach: Elbert Davis