1995-96 GIRLS’ BASKETBALL PREVIEW : SOUTH COAST LEAGUE

Capistrano Valley: 12-14, 3-7 in 1994-95. Coach: Pete Belanto (third year, 26-28). Prospects: Perhaps no team benefited more from open-enrollment opportunities this season than the Cougars, who picked up two starters from Newport Harbor, Jenny Jennings and Mary Anderson. They also have a player who spent part of last season with University, Natasha Coombs, before transferring to Capistrano Valley. They will join returning guard Nicole Franklin and sophomore forward Sarina Kissell (5-9). They’re in a tough league, but worth watching.

Dana Hills: 5-20, 1-9 in 1994-95. Coach: Carolyn Waltman (second year, 5-20). Prospects: The Dolphins should be a better group on the floor because they have four starters returning: junior Jennifer Hass (5-6, 8.0 points), senior post players Erika Tillman (5-10, 4.5 points) and Pam Wolter (5-10) and guard Tori Hamilton (5-7). Big difference this season? Eleven varsity players return instead of two.

Mater Dei: 28-2, 10-0 in 1994-95. Coach: Mary Hauser (third year, 52-7). Prospects: The Monarchs won the section Division I-A title, finished second in the state (losing, 52-50, to Atherton Sacred Heart) and was ranked 21st nationally; this year, they’re USA Today’s No. 4 team. Eleven players return, including Stanford-bound guard Melody Peterson (5-9, 24.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists), a Street & Smith preseason All-American and The Times’ player of the year in 1994-95. Starting guards Allison Luckey and Rhonda Gondringer and forward Margaret Hollis (5-10) are back, and so is three-point specialist junior Lori Hurlbut (broken foot, out until January). Adding some size to the Monarchs is freshman Bianca Larson (6-3), and 5-10 sophomore Anna Grey from Hawaii. Mater Dei lost only twice last season, and might not lose more than that this season.

Mission Viejo: 13-12, 5-5 in 1994-95. Coach: Jim Irby (fourth year, 36-35). Prospects: Tami Higham (4.5 points, 9.0 rebounds) is the only returning starter back for the Diablos, who will rely on their strengths--defense and rebounding--to try to be competitive in the league. They are quicker this season, and Irby says the ballhandling and shooting is better than the last three years, but it is still a tall task to finish in the upper half. Sue Denny, Christina Carcich, Cheryl Harmon, Amy Hayes and Margaret Enoch are counted on to complement Higham.

San Clemente: 17-11, 7-3 in 1994-95. Coach: Mary Mulligan (11th year, 132-92). Prospects: There are four starters back, plus senior forward Katie Turnbull (5-10)--a starter injured in the season’s second game. Guard Emily Ela (10.4 points) is the top returning player among the 10 who are back, and she should get help underneath from junior forward Kirsten Quade (5-11, 5.9 points), junior guard Kelly Grant (5-7, 6.2 points), and sophomore guard Amanda Engle (5-6, 9.0 points). Although it might be a stretch to expect San Clemente to beat Mater Dei (even though the Tritons lost in overtime last year and blew a five-point, fourth-quarter lead in the other), it isn’t a stretch to think they will win 20 games despite their youth (only three seniors) and size (no one taller than 5-11).

Trabuco Hills: 16-9, 4-6 in 1994-95. Coach: Howard Stephens (fourth year, 30-22). Prospects: Stephens has done a terrific job since taking over the program, but this is a tough year to rebuild--at least four teams will be better than they were last year. The Mustangs have two starters back, seniors Jana Smulowitz (5-1, 4.7 points) and Sarah Warnick (12.4 points), and will be hoping for contributions from seniors Jillian Gurnett (5-9), Stephanie Rapel (5-9) and Kim Yankie (5-5).