Sean Lynch: Merced College opens Central Valley Conference with rival

Whoever drew up this year's Central Valley Conference women's basketball schedule seemed to lack a sense of drama.

Merced College and Fresno City College have finished one-two atop the CVC standings the last two years and have been perennial conference powers for the better part of the decade.

That being said, the bitter rivals are ready to renew their power struggle tonight as the Lady Devils open CVC play in Fresno. Tip off is set for 5 p.m.

It's not the dream scenario for MC head coach Allen Huddleston.

He watched as his young team fought through the highs and lows of an inconsistent nonconference season.

Unfortunately for Huddleston, there was often more ebb than flow and the Lady Devils (7-11) head into the showdown riding a season-high four-game losing streak and have lost six of their last seven.

"Fresno City is just as good as ever and if we don't show up ready to play hard, we're in for a long night," Huddleston said. "Having that extra week off was good for us because it allowed us to really work on some of the basic things we weren't getting done in the nonconference season."

While Huddleston has had an extra week to prepare, he acknowledged that the Rams' high-octane, high-intensity approach is almost impossible to recreate.

"We haven't faced anyone this season that compares with the kind of pressure they create," Huddleston said. "We watched video from last year's game so the guards could see how important it is that they hold onto the ball."

Huddleston emphasized two keys for his team moving forward.

First, Linda Murray must continue to dominate. And secondly, the Lady Devils need improved guard play.

Murray has been a double-double machine this season, averaging 11.7 points per game and 10.1 rebounds. As tremendous as the freshman center has been, Huddleston needs more.

Teams have figured out who MC's go-to player is and have schemed their defenses accordingly. Murray must find a way to continue to contribute, even when facing double and triple teams.

All of that will be made easier if Huddleston's guards rise to the level of their abilities.

Plain and simple, they need to knock down shots. Murray's play has freed up a lot of open space for the rest of her teammates, but Huddleston said his guards have been timid, passing on open looks.

Instead, they've tried to force the ball inside, contributing to the team's almost 19 turnovers per game.

Players like Alyssa Wright (6.2), Porsha Grayson (8.6) and Lashari Clayborne (5) are going to have to up their scoring averages.

While Fresno City still remains the Lady Devils' biggest hurdle in a conference title run, Huddleston said the CVC has improved across the board.

Here's how the rest of the conference shapes up:

Fresno City (13-6)

The Rams are still the top-scoring team in the CVC and are blessed with a number of shooters. Sophomore Sumiya Darden (20.2) leads the offense and Blakely Goldberg (17.3) isn't far behind.

Sequoias (10-7)

COS is probably the most improved team in the CVC and already boasts a win over MC. The Giants have good size across the board and are led by forward Alley Reeves' 20.2 ppg.

Reedley (8-8)

Reedley might have the most size in the conference and likes to pound the ball inside. Monique Reed's 16.2 ppg lead an offense that has all five starters averaging almost seven points per game.

Taft (6-8)

Taft had some talent last season, now an 11-player freshman class has given it depth. Sophomores Theresa Henderson (14.3 ppg) and Christine Taylor (11.4) provide a formidable one-two punch.

Porterville (2-12)

The Pirates struggled in nonconference play, but can put points on the board behind freshman guard Alex Shew (17.4 ppg).

Sean Lynch is a Sun-Star sports writer. He can be reached at 385-2476 or via e-mail at slynch@mercedsun-star.com.