Long Beach Poly is our pick as the top girls basketball program in California this season. Also watch out for Mater Dei, Windward, St. Mary's and Saint Mary's.
The Long Beach Poly girls won it all in California last season.
File photo by David Steutel
MaxPreps 2013-14 California Girls Basketball Preseason Fab 5 presented by the Army National Guard
Click here to see the girls basketball preseason Fab 5 from every state1. Long Beach Poly2012-13 finish: 29-5, State D-I champion
Head coach: Carl Buggs
The addition of 6-foot-3 transfer and UCLA-bound
Lajahna Drummer,
who won't be eligible until Jan. 6, makes Poly a legitimate national
title contender. The perennial national power already returns three of
its top four leading scorers including leader
Arica Carter,
Jada Matthews and
Tania Lamb. As usual, Poly relies on speed, depth and defense.
2. Mater Dei (Santa Ana)2012-13 finish: 30-2, Southern California Open finalist
Head coach: Kevin Kiernan
Since
Kiernan arrived in 2007, the Monarchs have won at least 30 games every
year, won three state titles and two mythical national crowns. With the
nation's top junior in
Katie Lou Samuelson (6-3) and superb supporting cast, including Top 20 2016 recruit
Neah Odom, a national crown is still the aim and a legitimate possibility.
3. Windward (Los Angeles)2012-13 finish: 32-1, Southern California Open champion
Head coach: Vanessa Nygaard
With the return of arguably the nation's top point guard
Jordin Canada and inside presence of 5-star recruit and 6-1 post
Kristen Simon,
the Wildcats will challenge for another state title. Navigating through
the ultra tough Southern California playoffs will be their biggest
challenge.
4. St. Mary's (Stockton)2012-13 finish: 32-3, Sac-Joaquin Section champion
Head coach: Tom Gonsalves
Under
Gonsalves high-pressure, 3-point-shooting system, the Rams have won at
least 28 games in seven of the last eight seasons and taken three state
titles. He has another stellar group to work with led by junior point
guard
Brijanee Moore, sophomore guard
Kat Tudor and senior forward
Charise Holloway.
5. Saint Mary's (Albany)2012-13 finish: 30-5, North Coast Section champion
Head coach: Nathan Fripp
Led by two of the top 15 seniors in the country, 6-1 guards
Gabby Green and
Mikayla Cowling,
the Panthers will always be one of the best and most exciting teams to
watch. Both Green, who plays the point, and Cowling are headed to Cal.
