CCC girls basketball tips off with huge first-game showdown: El Capitan at Merced
The Central California Conference girls basketball season tips off Tuesday, and opening night will feature a showdown of two of the league’s top teams.
El Capitan (15-2) and Merced (13-4) will face off at Clemons Court at 7:15 p.m. in what should be an entertaining affair.
The game will feature two star players who each have surpassed 1,000 points in their high school career.
El Capitan senior guard Mady Dietz became the first player in program history to accomplish it. Merced’s Averie Steverson also reached that milestone this season, and she’s just a junior.
El Capitan is considered the preseason favorite to claim the CCC crown this season. The Gauchos shared the title with Atwater last season and return 10 players from that team.
The Gauchos are ranked seventh in the Sac-Joaquin Section by MaxPreps, and have won three tournament titles to open the season. First-year coach Adam Her, who worked as an assistant in the program before becoming the head coach, said it’s great to have such an experienced team.
“It makes it a lot easier for me, especially since it’s my first year doing it,” Her told Shawn Jansen of the Merced Union High School District. “They know the system. They know what I want to do already. We’re all kind of on the same page, so they understand my basketball and how I want to play. So they’re a really good extension of what I want to do on the court.”
No easy wins in the Central California Conference
Winning a CCC title won’t be easy — the league is full of talented players.
Atwater (9-8) won its fifth consecutive title last season and comes off a magical run to claim the section Division II championship. The Falcons return several key players from that team, including seniors Saige Harcksen, Riley Leonardo and Natalia Melgoza.
Merced will also be a challenger, with Steverson averaging 15.4 points and nine rebounds per game. The Bears also feature Samantha Barragan, a senior point guard who is a good three-point shooter.
Golden Valley (8-10) looks much improved from last season, with senior forward Zoe Gonzales and junior guard Kaylin Scheurich.
Los Banos is 10-6 heading into an opening night matchup with Atwater. The Tigers should be competitive with a roster made up mostly of juniors.
Buhach Colony (4-12) is young, but talented. Sophomore guard Taliyah Craft averages more than 17 points per game and has a bright future.
Western Athletic Conference
The season has been a struggle for a Livingston team that only has four seniors on its rosters. The Wolves are 3-10 overall and 0-3 in WAC play. Pacheco is 9-8 overall and 2-1 in league. Lathrop is the clear favorites to win the WAC championship. The Spartans are 17-0 overall and 3-0 in league play. Beyer (6-7 overall) is also 3-0 in WAC play.
Southern League
Stone Ridge Christian is 1-8 overall and has opened league play with a 1-1 record. Mariposa (10-5, 2-0 SL), Delhi (4-2, 2-0) and Denair (9-7, 3-0) are the main contenders to win the league title. Stone Ridge Christian plays host to Denair on Tuesday night.
