Best of the Best Among Girls

The basketball season concludes in two weeks with the State tournament in Oakland. Competition for The Times’ boys’ and girls’ player-of-the-year awards could come down to the final game.

The boys’ player and coach-of-the-year nominees were listed last week, and this week it’s the girls’ turn.

For girls’ player of the year:

Timicha Kirby, Lynwood--Although she is a junior, Kirby is playing more like a senior. At 5 feet 11, she has been the leader for the undefeated and top-ranked Knights, averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds.

Marion Jones, Thousand Oaks--The All-American sprint champion may be better known for her track abilities, but Jones is no slouch on the court. The 5-11 forward has displayed her versatile abilities by averaging 23 points and 14 rebounds for a Lancer team that was undefeated for most of the season.

Cathleen Grice, Crenshaw--City teams have not received much respect in recent years because of their poor performances in the State tournament. But Grice, a 5-6 guard, has helped turn the Cougars into a legitimate contender. Crenshaw is seeded second in the Southern Regional Division I. She is averaging 19 points.

Nicole Erickson, Brea-Olinda--The Ladycats won their fifth consecutive Southern Section title last Saturday, and Erickson is a key reason. The 5-6 junior guard is the latest in a long line of top-quality players at Brea. She is averaging 23 points and eight assists.

Olivia DeCamilli, Costa Mesa--One of the most improved players this season, DeCamilli is averaging 23 points for the Mustangs, who won a Southern Section title last Saturday. The 5-10 senior guard played well with the Lynwood traveling team last summer.

Honorable Mention--Elana Adams, Lynwood; Angie White, Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley; Erin Alexander, Santa Ynez; Tina Thompson, Inglewood Morningside; Mimi McKinney, Palos Verdes Peninsula; Melissa Lord, La Canada; Joi Turner, Playa del Rey St. Bernard; Michelle Giordano, Ventura Buena.

For girls’ coach of the year:

Ellis Barfield, Lynwood--The former Lynwood assistant almost lost his job when it was discovered he had, against CIF rules, coached the team in a summer league tournament. But when the school fired Coach Maurice Roberson, Barfield took over, moving into a difficult situation. The 27-year old coach responded by directing the Knights to an undefeated season and top ranking.

Major Dennis, Crenshaw--Crenshaw broke Washington’s reign as the City power this season by winning the Division 4-A title. The Cougars, long overshadowed by the school’s boys’ team, are a contender for the State Division I crown. Dennis has been a quiet leader for several years.

Rob Tatum, Inglewood Morningside--Tatum had the difficult task of rebuilding at Morningside after Coach Frank Scott and All-American Lisa Leslie departed. The road back to the top has been difficult, but the Monarchs are finally there. They are the top-seeded team in the Southern Regional Division III.

Chuck Brown, Thousand Oaks--Brown has had plenty of talent over the years, but he received a real boost when Marion Jones transferred last season. Brown handled the transfer flack well and helped develop Jones into one of the state’s premiere players. Thousand Oaks could meet Lynwood Thursday night in a battle between the area’s two best teams.

Leo Wingett, Hacienda Heights Wilson--The Wildcats are the success story of the season. They finished 22-3 last season but were eliminated in the second round of the Southern Section playoffs. This year they are 27-1 and coming off their first Southern Section divisional championship. Wilson routed Ventura, 49-29, to win the II-A crown Saturday.

Honorable Mention--Harlan Peet, Capistrano Valley; Joe Vaughan, Ventura Buena; Lisa McNamee, Costa Mesa; JoAnn Reck, Santa Ynez; Nick Bartlett, Huntington Beach.

Prep Notes

Hal Harkness, City athletic commissioner, recently decided to no longer draw playoff brackets for major sports until the regular seasons are complete. “I inherited this process and it needs to be improved,” he said. He made the decision after several revisions were made to the basketball playoffs. . . . Germaine Gray, an All-American lineman from Rialto Eisenhower, is the last top local football player who has not signed a letter of intent. Gray initially committed to Florida State, then changed his mind before the signing day. The 6-5, 255-pound senior is considering USC, UCLA and Arizona State.

Basketball fanatics will get their fill of games Saturday at the Sports Arena. The State Southern Regional finals for boys and girls in Divisions I, II and III will get under way at 10 a.m. with the girls’ Division III game, and will conclude with the boys’ Division I game at 8 p.m. Cal State Dominguez Hills will play host to the boys’ and girls’ Division IV and V finals Saturday, beginning at 2 p.m.

Times’ Top 20 Basketball Polls

The Times’ top 20 high school basketball polls, with teams from the City and Southern Sections.

BOYS

School Sect. Div. Rec. LW 1. Mater Dei SS I-A 31-1 1 2. Crenshaw City 4-A 24-2 2 3. JW North SS II-AA 30-0 3 4. Morningside SS III-AA 26-5 9 5. Muir SS II-A 27-5 10 6. Dominguez SS II-AA 25-3 4 7. Hunt. Beach SS I-A 28-4 6 8. LB Jordan SS I-AA 21-6 11 9. Thousand Oaks SS I-A 26-2 7 10. Artesia SS II-A 25-4 5 11. St. John Bosco SS II-A 25-3 8 12. S. Torrance SS III-AA 26-3 NR 13. B. Montgomery SS III-AA 23-3 12 14. Simi Valley SS I-AA 25-5 NR 15. SO Notre Dame SS IIII-A 24-6 NR 16. LP Kennedy SS II-A 26-4 15 17. San Dimas SS III-A 25-4 17 18. Westchester City 4-A 22-7 14 19. Pasadena SS I-A 23-7 18 20. Lynwood SS I-AA 21-8 13

GIRLS

School Sect. Div. Rec. LW 1. Lynwood SS I-AA 26-0 1 2. Buena SS I-A 23-3 5 3. Thousand Oaks SS I-A 29-1 2 4. Brea-Olinda SS II-AA 28-2 3 5. Morningside SS III-AA 23-2 4 6. Crenshaw City 4-A 24-2 7 7. St. Bernard SS IV-AA 25-4 8 8. Costa Mesa SS III-A 26-4 11 9. HH Wilson SS II-A 27-1 13 10. LB Poly SS I-AA 22-4 6 11. Capo Valley SS I-AA 24-4 9 12. Santa Ynez SS IV-AA 26-2 10 13. Ventura SS II-A 22-5 12 14. Marina SS I-A 22-5 14 15. Alemany SS III-AA 25-5 16 16. Hunt. Beach SS I-A 25-4 17 17. Nordhoff SS IV-AA 22-2 15 18. Gahr SS II-AA 21-9 19 19. Millikan SS I-AA 18-8 18 20. Peninsula SS I-AA 17-9 20