Mitty Monarchs: probable starting lineup:
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PF SR Haley Jones (6-1)
C SO Olivia Williams (6-0)*
SF SO Marley Langi (6-0)*
SG SO Hunter Hernandez (5-9)
PG SR Ania McNichols (5-6)
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reserves:
PF SR Kate Conaway (6-2)
C SO Katie Springs (6-0)
SF SR Camille Morales (6-0)
SG JR Ashley Hiraki (5-5)
PG SR Charlize Andaya (5-3)
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SF SO Sydney Bourland (5-9)
SG JR Tori Delacroix (5-7)
SG SO Amelia Scharpf (5-9)
PG JR Amor Ai (5-3)
*transfers from Pinewood & Eastside Prep, respectively

http://www.maxpreps.com/high-schools/archbishop-mitty-monarchs-(san-jose,ca)/girls-basketball/roster.htm

Pinewood Panthers probable starting lineup:
______________________________________
F SR Klara Astrom (5-9)
F SR Trinity Copeland (5-7)
G SR Hannah Jump (5-11)
G SO Courtni Thompson (5-5)
G SR Kaitlyn Leung (5-3)
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reserves:
G SR Isabelle Chung (5-3)
G SO Annika Decker (5-3)
G SO Una Jovanovic (5-8)
F JR Natasha Thompson (5-7)
F FR Valentina Saric (6-0)
F FR Hailey Alexander (6-0)
G FR Kaile Cruz (5-0)
G FR Emily Lee (5-4)

http://www.maxpreps.com/high-schools/pinewood-panthers-(los-altos-hills,ca)/girls-basketball/roster.htm

The goofy world of California high school sports, Part 1002 ...

Just a reminder that most schools in the state can begin practice in mid-August (though not all do), but Bay Area schools cannot ...

However, the transfer sit-out period in all but one section of the 10 in the state allows players to play on Dec. 18. But the Central Coast Section, a notably conservative section, has decided that its transfers must sit out until Jan. 1, just like last year. But last year, the season went until March 24; this year, it ends March 9.

So what CCS is doing is penalizing students by not allowing them to play. And why? Isn't the object of high school sports to allow as many young people as possible to get the benefits of athletics?

Bottom line, though, is that Mitty won't have its transfers until 2019, and thus will be at a disadvantage in the major Christmas tournaments.

Thanks for the info, Clay! It certainly knocks out any enthusiasm that I had for the Monarchs this season. Archbishop Mitty has 11 consecutive away games before they open at home January 5th vs Sacramento. I was
excited October 1st when my niece's daughter, Courtni Thompson, told me about the two quality transfers heading to Sue Phillips. I asked why Olivia Williams was bolting and she told me that she did not receive enough
PT last season and did not start for Doc Scheppler. Doc does not believe in a traditional center but desires a starting lineup of five three point shooters. As a frosh, Olivia Williams averaged 6 rebounds. She should help Mitty inside along with JV post, Katie Springs. Marley Langi hit a dozen treys as a true frosh last season for ECP. She also should help fill the void of the three Div I graduates that are gone.

The world of Mitty bball AFTER Haley Jones would appear to build around the sophomore class (especially Hunter Hernandez, Marley Langi, Olivia Williams & Katie Springs).

With the ineligibility of the transfers, AM will be lucky to be around .500 after attending the Nike Tournament in
Arizona for four games. Pinewood and Mitty will probably battle again for the CCS crown for the 3rd consecutive year and be strong contenders in the Nor Cal playoffs for a state title shot. Pinewood travels to Hawaii right away and will play three games in the Iolani Classic.
GO BEARS!

Pinewood will be tested by Incarnate Word (St. Louis) in Hawaii, but it seems to me this year in California girls' basketball will feature a lot of upsets and no dominant power, either in NorCal or SoCal.

After all, highly touted O'Dowd already lost to Oakland, and most teams have barely started playing real games.

Should be a fun season, except for the coaches who get "upset" by a team they were "expected" to beat.

Mitty Monarchs took a bus ride down to SLO to open their season vs Arroyo Grande (2-0). I watched on the internet and AM full courted pressed the entire game, winning 97-37!

http://www.maxpreps.com/games/girls-basketball-winter-18-19/archbishop-mitty-vs-arroyo-grande/12-1-2018-4P-VJGvA9UipKvYgo0X29g.htm#tab=box-score&schoolid=0f63870a-34f3-4d5b-9dbf-653c8410f969

Clay was correct-neither transfer (Olivia Williams nor Marley Langi) was in uniform. Sue Phillips utilized all of her other dozen players to the utmost, however. . She started off with four guards (SR Charlize Andaya, SR Ania McNichols, SO Hunter Hernandez & JR Ashley Hiraki) and SR Haley Jones. Basically-it's like five guards implementing the manic press. Arroyo Grande could actually shoot well in the half-court offense but had to play helter-skelter ball instead. The Monarchs scored 28 points in each of their initial two (8 minute) quarters of the season.

Four Mitty guards all shot between 50-80% on their treys. Junior tandem, Ashley Hiraki & Amor Ai, connected on 4 of 5 and 2 of 3, respectively... Needless to say, AM was impressive.
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In another opener, Pinewood crushed Dublin, 72-38, last Tuesday night in Los Altos Hills.
http://www.maxpreps.com/games/girls-basketball-winter-18-19/dublin-vs-pinewood/11-27-2018-Srctd_MeG0qgtUtb04-4Eg.htm#tab=box-score&schoolid=

GO CCS!

Haley Jones went off tonight for 30 points & 22 rebounds in a 67-29 over Christian Brothers @ Chabot College. A junior 6-0 guard named Bria Shine played for the team from Sacramento. Is she related to Brittany Shine who played for Cal? Certainly sounds like it! This was Mitty's second game (2-0) of the season as opposed to Christian Brother's fifth contest (3-2). The Monarchs played a dozen players (see box below).

http://www.maxpreps.com/games/girls-basketball-winter-18-19/archbishop-mitty-vs-christian-brothers/12-8-2018-0il8cLOIQE-CDS4VMMTyzg.htm#tab=box-score&schoolid=0f63870a-34f3-4d5b-9dbf-653c8410f969

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Pinewood squeaked out their second victory (2-0) by defeating Cardinal Newman of Santa Rosa by two points in Los Altos Hills.

This is boring. When St. Mary's of Stockton had unreal teams, Willtalk didn't bore us with meaningless games. The Pnwewood game was a great game but you didn't mention Anya Choice from Card Newman who everyone said was the best player on the court. That is what we want to hear. Not about stuff we already know about. If you posted the Mitty and Pinewood starting lineups, why not the Cardinal Newman.

Wvit-evidently you're a bit grumpy this morning. Maybe my tracking AM & Pinewood is a bit self-serving but these
two teams have been the dominant CCS programs since these senior classes have been there. Mitty was undefeated and #1 in the nation until their final game last season when Pinewood upset them in the NorCal Championship. The Panthers return their entire lineup except their PG Claros. Also, their 6-0 post reserve, Olivia Williams, transferred to Mitty but will not be eligible to play until January. AM was a deep team since Haley Jones was a freshman but has lost three Div I players each of the last two seasons. This season's team is centered around the top player in the nation, Haley Woods, plus four sophomores (two ineligible till 01/2019).. Mitty's JV finished undefeated last season and has jumped out to a 4-0 start this season.

I've been attending Mitty games often but they open with 11 consecutive road games. My niece's daughter, Courtni Thompson, a soph guard, is the only non-senior starting for Pinewood. Obviously, I'll try to go to a couple
of her games, too.

I will stop covering the top two teams in Northern California. Btw, Cardinal Newman is 4-3 and has lost to Pinewood by 2, SHC by 2 and Dublin by 10. Pinewood killed Dublin by more than 30 points (see above).
As you have always stated: "It's all about match-ups!"

Sorry about my excitement over these two exceptional girls high school programs. Unless I observe exceptional talent on another team-I will no longer track the two top teams in the SF Bay Area here. Salesian (NCS) may be in contention for top NorCal honors come play-off time.

GO BEARS!

By the way, Cardinal Newman lost to Dublin by 10, and Dublin lost to Pinewood by 34.

Mitty, Pinewood and Salesian are the top three teams in NorCal, it seems, and if St. Mary's of Stockton gets healthy, then maybe they join that group. Otherwise, though, it's hard to say, as Pinewood barely got by Cardinal Newman and Bishop O'Dowd and this year, upsets are not only possible, but likely.

That said, as long as Haley Jones is on the court, Mitty will be very hard to beat.

Clay, I understand there is a very good young guard at Antelope. Who is it and are they playing in the Jamboree?

There is a good guard at Antelope (though they just lost to Bear Creek, who has a really good guard).

Antelope is playing in the Jamboree, but not in the Elite. You can see Antelope's Jamboree schedule -- and all of the 149 teams' Jamboree schedules -- by going to MaxPreps, go to the team's schedule, and then click on the icon on Dec. 27 to see the bracket. (All of the brackets are available once you get to one bracket, by the way.)

So is Bear creek playing? They were a good team last year. Never get to see those teams.

Choice can ball

Cant wait til my daughter is eligible Jan 1st. Go Monarchs

BayTongan650 said:

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Cant wait til my daughter is eligible Jan 1st. Go Monarchs

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Likewise!!! Its gonna get ugly in league play!!