Los Angeles Times 1988 ALL-STARS : Kings and Queens of the Court : Girls’ Team Has It All: Shooters, Defenders, Rebounders, Stars From League Champs, Others From the Also-Rans

The all-star boys and girls teams, each consisting of 10 members, their coaches and parents will be guests of the Times at 9 a.m. Sunday, May 1, at the annual Times High School Basketball Awards Brunch where all-star teams from 12 circulation areas will be honored at the Anaheim Hilton. The featured Speaker will be Loyola Coach Paul Westhead. The players and coaches of the year from each area will be announced.

The teams were chosen on the basis of a poll of area coaches, who are asked to fill out ballots nominating their own players and opponents, plus the observations of college scouts and sportswriters. Each player will receive the traditional Times golden basketball plaque and award certificate.

The Times’ All-Westside high school girls basketball team has everything an outstanding squad needs: scoring, defense and rebounding.

It is composed of players from championship teams as well as those who shone on average teams. Its members have won all-league, All-CIF Southern Section, All-Los Angeles City and most-valuable recognition.

The team includes 6-1 senior forward-center Trisha Stafford, named all-state by Cal-Hi Sports, and 5-9 senior guard Tammy Story, who sparked Westchester to its best season in school history. Stafford and Story were named Los Angeles City 4-A co-players of the year.

The Comets were undefeated (10-0) champions of the Mid-City League, won the school’s first City title in girls basketball and advanced to the semifinals of the state Division I playoffs.

Other stars include 6-1 senior center Kesha Martin of University, the City 3-A player of the year; 5-10 senior center-forward Jessica Fairbanks of Fairfax, an All-City 4-A selection; 5-8 junior Valerie Agee of Palisades, All-City 3-A and co-player of the year with Martin in the City West League, and 5-11 senior center Kathryn McGriff of Culver City, a second-team All-CIF 4-A selection.

More are 5-7 junior guard Lisa Cohen of Westlake School and 5-9 senior guard-forward Leah Stevenson of Notre Dame, co-players of the year in the Sunshine League. Cohen was named to the All-CIF 1-A first team and Stevenson to the second team.

Rounding out the squad are senior Kristin Klein of Marymount, a 6-0 All-Sunshine League center, and 5-8 sophomore Jamila Banks, an All-Delphic League forward and the mainstay of a Crossroads School team that, as usual, went undefeated (12-0) in winning its league championship.

Repeaters from last year are Stafford, Martin, Fairbanks, Cohen and Stevenson.

Capsule descriptions of each player:

Agee--Palisades Coach Kenneth Seidel said his star forward is “really a superstar who is at her best when crunch time comes.” She averaged 23 points and 12 rebounds and was also good at blocking shots and making steals.

Banks--Only a sophomore, Banks led her team in scoring with an average of 19 points a game and in rebounding with 12.6 a contest.

Cohen--The top player for Westlake’s Sunshine League champions, she led the Wildcats in every statistic except rebounding--and she wasn’t bad at rebounding either with an average of 6.5 a game. An excellent three-point shooter, she made 20 of 50 attempts. Other averages: 21 points, 3 assists, 4 steals, 2 blocked shots.

Fairbanks--Twice an All-City player, she averaged 23.1 points and 12 rebounds. Fairfax Coach Howard Safier said she “was as good a player as anybody we faced.”

Klein--Better known as an All-CIF volleyball player, she came late to basketball, but opponents wished she hadn’t taken up the sport. She averaged 18 rebounds, with a high game of 27, and 10 points.

Martin--Double- and triple-teamed as a matter of course, she averaged 27 points, 14 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 assists.

McGriff--A force inside, she averaged 21.4 points and 10 rebounds and shot 65% from the field.

Stafford--She dominated otherwise dominant front-court players. Her averages: 22.2 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.5 steals.

Stevenson--A three-time All-Sunshine League selection, she averaged 18 points and 15 rebounds and excelled in all other facets of the game. She could penetrate for shots or pop from outside.

Story--A perfect complement on the outside to teammate Stafford’s inside game, she averaged 17 points, 9 rebounds, 4.3 steals and 4.4 assists.

Honorable mention:

Beverly Hills--Kim Hallman.

Crossroads--Faye Stapleton, Amy Gandin.

Culver City--Melissa Punch, Yvonne Gutierrez.

Fairfax--Ladon Echols.

Hamilton--Sharise Moore.

Marymount--Molly O’Sullivan.

University--Patricia Harada, Shirley Kawaguchi.

Venice--Angela Shorts, Carol Ishioka.

Westchester--Relinda Reed, Tammie Sadler.

Westlake--Carol Koh, Tiffany Johnson.

Windward--Laurie Hill.

GIRLS PREP TEAM Name: Valerie Agee School: Palisades Year: Junior Height: 5-8 Average: 23.0 Name: Jamila Banks School: Crossroads Year: Sophomore Height: 5-8 Average: 19.0 Name: Lisa Cohen School: Westlake (L.A.) Year: Junior Height: 5-7 Average: 21.0 Name: Jessica Fairbanks School: Fairfax Year: Senior Height: 5-10 Average: 23.1 Name: Kristin Klein School: Marymount Year: Senior Height: 6-0 Average: 10.0 Name: Kesha Martin School: University Year: Senior Height: 6-1 Average: 27.0 Name: Kathryn McGriff School: Culver City Year: Senior Height: 5-11 Average: 21.4 Name: Trisha Stafford School: Westchester Year: Senior Height: 6-1 Average: 22.2 Name: Leah Stevenson School: Notre Dame Academy Year: Senior Height: 5-9 Average: 18.0 Name: Tammy Story School: Westchester Year: Senior Senior Height: 5-9 Average: 17.0