Competing in the 24-team Elite Division of the Inglewood Tournament of Champions, the girls basketball teams from Mira Costa and Redondo will began their quests for a CIF championship with an opportunity to play against some of the best programs Southern California has to offer.
Consisting of eight pools of three teams each, the tournament will be played at four sites – Inglewood, St. Bernard, St. Mary’s Academy and Hawthorne high schools.
All but one of the 24 teams advanced to the playoffs last season with nine teams reaching the finals in their respective divisions in either the CIF Southern Section or LA City championships.
Redondo is coming off a 21-9 season in which the Sea Hawks ran the table in league play to capture the Bay League crown with a 10-0 record before losing in the second round of the Division 1AA playoffs.
Coach Marcelo Enriquez’s team will begin its 2011-12 campaign against Centennial/Compton Monday, Nov. 28 in a 6 p.m. contest at Inglewood. Redondo will conclude pool play with a 3 p.m. game against Muir on Wednesday. Bracket play for Platinum, Silver and Bronze divisions starts on Thursday, Dec. 1. Championship games will be held on Saturday, Dec. 3.
Redondo has a young team that will be led by senior captains guard Annie Park (5’5”) and forward Brittany Stafford (6’0”). Other varsity returners include junior forwards Inara Nyingifa (6’0”) and Isabella Hall (6’0”) and junior guard Taylor Smith (5’7”).
Mira Costa begins the tournament with pool play games at St. Bernard. The Mustangs will face Reseda at 6 p.m. Tuesday before taking on Long Beach Jordan at 3 p.m. Wednesday.
Jordan will be looking for payback after Mira Costa defeated the Panthers 56-51 in the first round of the playoffs last season.
The Mustangs enter the season amid controversy after head coach Craig Takahashi resigned in mid-October after serving six years as assistant coach before taking over the head coaching position last season.
Takahashi was in his seventh season coaching the Mustangs, serving six as an assistant under former Coach Don Braunecker. He took over the head coaching position last season.
Braunecker and Takahashi helped turn Mira Costa into a powerhouse, winning three straight Bay League titles (2008-10). During their tenure, the Mustangs were the 2008 CIF Div. 1 State runner-up and the 2007 CIF-SS Div. 1-A runner-up with an overall record of 117-41.
Replacing Takahashi will be Trenton Jackson, a proven winner from Marlborough High School in Los Angeles where his teams won six Sunshine League titles and amassed a 145-63 record in his seven seasons as head coach.
With only two seniors on the team and half of his 14-player roster consisting of freshmen and sophomores, Jackson hopes his team will mature at a rapid pace.
The Mustangs went 19-10 last season while finishing second in the Bay League and reaching the second round of the Division 1AA playoffs.
Varsity returners include senior winger Mackenzie Austin (5’6”), junior forward Ashley Reese (5’7”), junior center Rachel Humphrey (6’0”), junior guard Cameryn Chan (5’5”), sophomore forward Camille Mills (5’7”), sophomore center Shannon Savino (5’10”) and sophomore guard Shaylyn Austin (5’4”).
