No Change Is Money for North Hollywood

In 13 seasons, not much has changed regarding girls’ basketball in the Valley Pac-8 Conference. North Hollywood High is still the team to beat, without a challenger in sight.

The Huskies are 118-15 against conference and league opponents in the last 13 seasons.

North Hollywood, which plays in the Mid-Valley League, last lost a Pac-8 game three seasons ago to Van Nuys, 57-55, in overtime. Since then? Thirty-seven consecutive victories.

The Huskies (11-3) are off to a roaring good start. All five starters are averaging 10 points or more a game. The losses are to the area’s finest: No. 2 Crescenta Valley, No. 5 Bell-Jeff and No. 8 Alemany.

No. 9 North Hollywood has recorded impressive victories over No. 10 Kennedy, Fillmore, Glendale and has beaten Burroughs twice.

To be sure, the Huskies have played one of the toughest nonconference schedules in the area. And for good reason: the Pac-8 conference is no place to get ready for the playoffs.

Grant (9-5) is the only other team in the conference with a winning percentage of .500 or better. The six other teams are .300 or worse.

Because of blowouts in league, starters don’t play a full game and the team limits its press to less than half a game. That hurts come playoff time.

Senior Stephanie Wasserman, junior Lindsay Sotero-Higa and sophomore Tashean Thomas--all guards--are returning starters. The Huskies have gotten a big boost from newcomer Markia Derby, a transfer from North Carolina, and Claudia Villa, a returning letterman.

Traditionally, North Hollywood’s toughest competition has come from Monroe, which is 56-35 in five seasons under Coach Bryant Ching.

But this season, Grant should provide North Hollywood with its toughest test.

Grant, which was elevated to 4-A this season after winning the East Valley League the past two seasons, has one returning starter.

The Lancers build their young team around junior 6-foot forward Nakeisha Perkins, who is averaging 12.5 points and 16.5 rebounds. Jenny Mallon, a 5-7 junior guard, is averaging 10.1 points.

Monroe (3-7) and Van Nuys (3-8) will challenge Grant for the second playoff berth.

Monroe has returning starters in guards Shirlee Low and Melissa Onken.

Van Nuys, which finished second last year, was hit hard by the loss of senior forward Lynne Berry, an excellent player who is academically ineligible.

EAST VALLEY LEAGUE

The other half of the Pac-8 Conference--the 3-A Division--has an entirely new look.

Three of the four coaches are new. Only Reseda’s Bob Wallace returns.

With coaches coming and going so often, it’s no wonder that few teams besides North Hollywood and Monroe have found success.

“To be competitive, there has to be some continuity in the program,” said Coach Rich Allen, who is in his 14th season at North Hollywood.

None of the four East Valley teams have been successful in the preseason. Reseda (2-4), Poly (2-7), Sylmar (0-3) and Canoga Park (0-7) are a combined 4-21.

The league title is up for grabs.

Reseda returns two senior starters, point guard Latisha Green and forward Stacy Mayer. Mayer will get some help in the front court from returning letterman Neysa Guerrero, a 5-10 sophomore.

Poly, which defeated Canoga Park and Cleveland in the preseason, also has two returning starters in Monie Simmons and Ruby Fernandez and a new coach in Lou Goodman.

Senior guard Maria Becerra is the lone returning starter for Sylmar. Canoga Park also has one returning starter, senior point guard Nyisha Jones.

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AT A GLANCE

* THE PROVEN: North Hollywood’s Stephanie Wasserman (5-foot-6), Lindsay Sotero-Higa (5-5) and Tashean Thomas (5-4) make up the Huskies’ three-guard offense. Each is averaging 10 points or better a game. . . . Nakeisha Perkins (6-0) of Grant is the conference’s best post player. The junior averaged 13.1 points and 14.5 rebounds. . . . Poly’s Monie Simmons (5-9) is a two-time all-league selection who averaged 8.6 rebounds.

* THE PROMISING: Forward Latricia Fleming (5-9) of Monroe is just a freshman but is averaging 14 points and 14.1 rebounds in 10 games. . . . Neysa Guerrero (5-10) of Reseda is a sophomore center who came off the bench last season.