Girls’ basketball: Post-Vaughan Era features another scrap with Ventura

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One of the best enduring rivalries in the Southland is Ventura against Buena. The teams meet for the third time this season on Thursday when the Cougars step inside Joe Vaughan Gymnasium and try to complete a season sweep of Buena.

Ventura (20-2, 5-0), No. 14 in The Times’ rankings, can clinch outright the Channel League title with a victory. But if Buena (15-8, 5-1) can somehow solve the Cougars’ defense and score an upset, then Coach David Guenther will be positioned to share the league title in his first year as Vaughan’s successor and trail the legendary coach by only 26 titles.

Vaughan, the winningest girls’ basketball coach in state history (761-112), retired last season. He sits off to the side and keeps a low profile during games these days, but has done some scouting for Guenther.

‘Dave Guenther is doing good,’ said Ventura Coach Ann Larson, who played for Vaughan, was once an assistant to Vaughan, and whose team has now won 10 of the last 13 games between the rivals. ‘I’m happy for him. There are going to be ups and downs, but he’s doing a good job and the kids are playing hard and buying in to what he’s doing. Sometimes kids revolt or buckle against someone new.

‘He’s adding his own flair, which makes it harder to coach against him. I knew what Joe did.’

Pictured is Vaughan with some of his most outstanding players on the 2002 teams: (left to right) Courtney LaVere, Kelly Greathouse and Courtney Young.

-- Martin Henderson

-- Image by Anne Cusack/Los Angeles Times