PREP BASKETBALL ‘91-’92: SUNSET LEAGUE

HUNTINGTON BEACH

1990 RECORDS: OVERALL: 21-9 LEAGUE: 8-4

COACH: Nick Bartlett RECORD AT SCHOOL: 33-20

RETURNING STARTERS YR. HGT. P Deana Itow Jr. 5-8 G Clare Walker Jr. 5-9 G

TOP RETURNERS YR. HGT. P Amber Allen Sr. 5-6 G Danielle Bowman Sr. 5-6 G Jennifer Mills Sr. 5-7 F Tuesda Wistrick Sr. 5-10 C

TOP NEWCOMERS YR. HGT. P Nicole Featherstone So. 5-9 F Stefanie Noffsinger So. 5-7 F Stephanie Richter Jr. 5-6 F

OUTLOOK

Sunset League coaches pick the Oilers as the darkhorse team behind the big four of Edison, Fountain Valley, Marina and Ocean View again this season. “It seems we always play the sleeper role, but I like coming from that position,” Bartlett said. Leading Huntington Beach’s charge is a talented backcourt of Walker and Itow. Walker earned all-league honors for the second consecutive year last season, and Bartlett says Itow is the league’s top point guard. “There’s not a better ballhandler in the league, and she shoots 50% from the three-point line,” Bartlett said. While the backcourt is strong, Bartlett admits there are huge shoes to fill in his front line. Huntington Beach lost Jana Davis, the team’s leading scorer last season, Jennifer Johnson, a 6-0 center, and Amber Ambrose, the team’s most valuable player last season. Although Wistrick, whom Bartlett said might be the best rebounder in the league, helps fill the void underneath, Bartlett added that this Huntington Beach team will look distinctly different than the ‘90-91 team. “We’re a quicker team this year, and also better defensively,” Bartlett said. “We will challenge for the league title, if we stay healthy.”