New year, new start for court teams

The new year brings new challenges for area high school basketball teams. After a December of tournaments and preparation, local teams get serious about court competition as they begin 2016 with league play.

The Petaluma and Casa Grande boys teams, both with new head coaches, have had a mixed bag of success and frustration as they prepare to chase league pennants, while the St. Vincent boys, under veteran coach Lance Phillips, have generally played well against strong competition.

On the girls side, St. Vincent, under new coach Art Walker, have been impressive in non-league play, while Casa Grande has held its own with a basically young team. Petaluma’s girls are even younger. and have had to scramble to find wins as they learn the facts of varsity life.

NBL boys

Casa Grande, under new coach Jake Lee, although just 4-8 going into this week’s play, has actually played some pretty good basketball, losing several tight, competitive games. It would appear that the Gauchos are capable of beating any team in the North Bay League, with one possible exception.

Windsor is pretty much the consensus choice as the best team in the league. Led by senior veterans Gabe Knight and Parker Canady, the Jaguars are off to a 9-3 start, although they were beaten in the finals of their own Windsor Holiday shootout, 70-65, by Dublin.

The two teams most likely to challenge Windsor are Montgomery and Cardinal Newman. Montgomery was destroyed by Miramonte, 73-36, in the finals of Casa Grande’s Brett Callan Memorial Tournament, but no one came close to being as impressive as the Matadors in that tournament, and the Vikings have the balance to score from anywhere on the floor led by seniors Lane Young and Hayden Lee.

Overall, the Vikings entered this week with a 6-5 record after a 43-34 win over Petaluma last week. How much the retirement of coaching legend Tom Fitchie will affect the Vikings is still to be seen. He has been replaced by former Viking star Zac Tiedeman.

Cardinal Newman did not look impressive in the Callan Tournament, winning just one of three games, but the Cardinals are a solid 7-4 going into this week’s games, and Tom Bonfigli’s teams are always tough by the time league starts.

If last year’s All-Empire Player of the Year Connor Rubattino and guard Damian Wallace are able to return from football injuries, the Cardinals could give the Jaguars a run for the pennant.

Although Casa Grande, as a team, is on the smallish side with senior JJ Anderson at 6-6 its tallest player and main inside threat, the Gauchos showed in the Brett Callan Tournament, where they finished third, that they can compete with good teams. The Gauchos started the week with a 4-8 record, but four of their losses were by three points.

Santa Rosa (5-7), Maria Carrillo (4-7) and Ukiah (4-8) will have to scramble to contend for playoff berths, but each has the capability of pulling an upset that could change the course of the pennant and playoff chases.

Rancho Cotate (1-11) will look for wins wherever it can find them.

SCL boys

Just a year removed from a 5-18 record, Petaluma’s Trojans appear poised to challenge for the Sonoma County League pennant under new coach Scott Behrs. Petaluma, featuring a deep roster of hustling, selfless players, is 6-5 going into league play, with two of the losses coming to Montgomery, one of the favorites for the NBL title, and two more coming to powerhouses Enterprise and Chico in the Enterprise Tournament.

There doesn’t appear to be a clear favorite for the SCL title, although Analy might rate as the top contender. Analy is on the rebound from last season’s 12-15 record. The Tigers enter SCL play with a 9-4 record. They were the only team to hang with Miramonte in the Callan Tournament even though they lost, 66-61. They later beat Cardinal Newman to capture the consolation championship.

Led by Aidan Toner-Rodgers and Nick Fujii, Analy has the potential to score with any team in the Redwood Empire.

Healdsburg, led by returning all-leaguer Landon Courtman, is off to a good 8-3 start, but the Greyhounds have been playing schools their own size, but not necessarily the competition level they will face in SCL play.

Defending league champion Elsie Allen doesn’t appear to have nearly as much talent as last season’s exceptional team, although the Lobos have still demonstrated plenty of firepower while going 6-7 in pre-league play.

Piner (4-5) and Sonoma Valley (5-8) can’t be counted out of the title and playoff hunt, although neither has yet displayed the balance and firepower needed to contend with the top teams. El Molino (4-11) plays hard, and always has the potential to spoil some one else’s dream.

NCL II Boys

This could be the year for St. Vincent in the North Central League II. The Mustangs have shown good balance and depth while compiling a 7-3 pre-league record. Counted among the Mustang wins were consecutive victories over SCL teams Elsie Allen, Sonoma Valley and El Molino.

It is difficult to determine who might step up to challenge the Mustangs, who finished second last season.

Surprising Upper Lake is 6-3 in pre-league play, but all its wins, with the exception of a victory over St. Bernard’s, have come against NCL III teams.

Defending league champion Roseland University Prep is just 4-5 in pre-league play, while traditional power Rincon Valley Christian has played just three games, and lost all three.

Technology from Rohnert Park has been busy, playing to a 6-6 pre-league record, but lost to Elsie Allen, a team St. Vincent beat, 73-47.

Calistoga (1-6) and Tomales (0-5) are expected to play the role of spoilers.

NBL girls

Cardinal Newman might be the favorite to repeat as North Bay League girls champion, but it is hard to see the Cardinals again going through the league undefeated in what figures to be an extremely competitive chase for league pennant and playoff position.

Not that the Cardinals aren’t capable of again ruling the roost, with all-leaguers Hailey Vice-Neat and Mayla Flores returning.

Casa Grande’s defensive-minded and 3-point-popping Gauchos figure to be right in the middle of the scramble. Despite being young, the Gauchos are 6-4 against good opposition in pre-league play, and should get a big boost from the return of senior Cassidy McKinney, who has missed all of the season thus far with an injury.

Cardinal Newman (7-3) is again talented and has to be title favored until someone knocks it off.

That someone might well be Montgomery, which has shot off to a 9-3 start to the season.

Santa Rosa, a team that battled Cardinal Newman to the end last season before finishing second, is off to a slow start and is the only team in the league with a losing (5-6) pre-league record, but the Panthers are always dangerous with All-League Emily Codding, a 6-foot point guard, on the court.

Maria Carrillo, Windsor and Ukiah are all 6-5 in pre-league action and any and all could be involved in a scramble for league title and playoff spots.

SCL Girls

The girls Sonoma County League could be turned topsy-turvy this season.

Last year, the league featured two 20-plus game winners, Sonoma Valley at 22-7, and Petaluma at 21-7. They also finished one-two in league with Sonoma first at 11-1 and Petaluma second at 10-2.

This season, Sonoma Valley is off to a 6-7 start, while Petaluma is really struggling at 1-11. Sonoma Valley seems to have enough talent, led by league MVP Jenny Eggers, to contend for a repeat championship, but Petaluma will have to see rapid improvement from its young players to be in a position to play itself into the playoffs.

Healdsburg has been the league surprise in pre-league play, going 9-1 with its only loss coming to Fortuna. The Greyhounds’ momentum, coupled by with a formidable home court advantage and a veteran team, could possibly take them a long way in a year where there is no clear-cut favorite.

Analy is just 5-9 in pre-league play, but can never be counted out of any game, especially the ones it plays at home.

El Molino (2-12) and Elsie Allen (0-6) will continue to play hard, but will struggle to win.

NCL II girls

The competition at the top of the girls North Central League II will be tough, but St. Vincent has a chance to grab a pennant after finishing third last season.

The Mustangs are a deceiving 4-6 in pre-league play under Walker, but three of those losses have come to Marin County Athletic League teams, and they hold wins over Novato from the MCAL and El Molino from the SCL.

League favorite has to be defending champion Sonoma Academy. The Coyotes are off to another good season, standing 11-1 beginning league play.

Also off to a fast start is the always tough Rincon Valley Christian Eagles. RVC had what, for it, was a down season last year, going 13-13, but it is off to a 9-2 pre-league start and should battle Sonoma Academy and St. Vincent for the top spot.

Of the other teams, Technology (6-5) and/or Roseland University Prep (4-5) could surprise.

Last season’s surprise team, Upper Lake, 12-2 and second the in league, is scrambling a bit, going 4-7 in pre-league play.

Tomales (0-3) could shock someone along the way, as might Calistoga (2-3).