CCC girls basketball could be another photo finish

Last season’s Central California Conference girls basketball race was as exciting as any in recent memory.

Merced, Buhach Colony and Atwater battled it out until the final week of the regular season, with the Bears emerging as the league champs.

Matt Thissen hopes the 2015 version will be even better. With many of the pieces back for Atwater, Merced and Buhach Colony, the race looks to be another doozy. And after a 9-3 showing in nonconference play, the Golden Valley coach is ready to throw his team’s hat into the fray.

“Being the fourth-place team, we kind of got to experience last year’s race from the outside looking in,” Thissen said. “It looks like this year is going to be every bit as close, with the difference being we expect to be a part of it.

“On paper, there are four good teams and only three go to the playoffs, so it’s going to come down to which teams are focused and ready to play every night.”

While the nonconference results have been mixed, Thissen said that Merced and Buhach Colony remain the favorites until someone knocks them off.

The Bears or Thunder have had at least a share of the past three CCC titles and have been the league’s most consistent teams over that span.

Defending champion Merced has played in a number of tight ballgames but sits at just 6-5. Bears coach Rob Pierce said consistency has been an issue.

“Our defense is going to lead us,” Pierce said. “If we get after it like we’re capable of, it leads to our offense. We’re still trying to find that middle presence to replace Dalonna (Jones). She blocked or at least altered a lot of shots and that made things much easier for our perimeter defenders.

“We were kind of up and down going into league last year, too, so hopefully we’ll have a similar response. With four teams likely battling it out to the end, you don’t want to fall behind early.”

Merced junior Lexi Thompson is the league’s top scorer at just under 20 points per game. She’s complemented by Alexis Pierce (8.6 ppg, 5.9 rebounds per game, 2.7 steals per game) and Symone Gilliam (7.5 ppg). The Bears have eight returners, including three starters.

Buhach Colony (4-7) has also been adjusting to life without a graduated star. Allison Wisdom’s departure for UC Merced left a big scoring void.

Seniors Barbara and Brandy Coward looked to shoulder a good portion of that load, averaging a combined 19.7 ppg, but Barbara has been sidelined because of an injury suffered in early December. That coupled with a brutal schedule has resulted in the slow start for the Thunder.

Even with two healthy Cowards in the lineup, the Thunder isn’t going to light up the scoreboard most nights. Kaylee Lynch and Luaren Scambray are both solid shooters, but Buhach Colony has topped 50 points just twice on the season. Still, with veterans like the Cowards and Elicia Solis leading a suffocating defense, Shane Gentry’s squad should be in almost every game.

Golden Valley (9-3) and Atwater (10-4) have the league’s best nonconference records.

The Cougars have six returners including leading scorer Camille Flores (14.9 ppg), Marissa Servantes, Naomi Peterson and Kayla Commons. Thissen believes newcomers freshman Delia Moore (10.9 ppg) and sophomore Abbee Croninger (3 ppg, 6.5 rpg) may be what helps push Golden Valley over the top.

Atwater might be playing the best basketball of everyone, having won seven straight and 10 of 11 after starting0-3.

Heaven Mazon (10.6 ppg), Brittany Massa (8.6 ppg, 11.9 rpg) and Chynna Peterson (8.5 ppg, 11.1 rpg) comprise the Falcons’ big three offensively. Jasmine Xiong and Maritza Hernandez provide quickness, particularly in transition.

Turlock (6-8) and Pitman (5-7) head into CCC play seemingly on the outside looking in. The pair were on the bottom of the league standings a year ago and early returns indicate they haven’t made many strides so far this season.

This story was originally published January 7, 2015 at 9:24 PM with the headline "CCC girls basketball could be another photo finish."