PREP BASKETBALL ‘92-’93 / CENTURY LEAGUE

Orange

1991-92 RECORDS OVERALL: 4-16 LEAGUE: 2-8

COACH: RECORD AT SCHOOL

Bob Gunther: 82-54

RETURNING STARTERS YR. HGT. P Susie Chu Sr. 5-2 G Kristina Estrada Sr. 5-7 C

TOP RETURNERS YR. HGT. P Chris Hernandez Sr. 5-5 F

TOP NEWCOMERS YR. HGT. P Mary Adam Jr. 5-5 F Chris Puccio Jr. 5-4 F

OUTLOOK

With only three players returning, the Panthers are not only short on experience, they are short . . . period. The Panthers’ starting center by default is 5-foot-7 Estrada, who averaged six rebounds. Sophomore Gina Cooper, who is 5-8, is the only player taller than Estrada. “We basically have eight guards and two forwards,” Gunther said. “We’re probably the smallest team in Orange County.” The best of the guards is Chu, the starting point guard last season who averaged five assists. Also returning is Hernandez, Orange’s top reserve. Gunther hopes to get immediate production from Puccio and Adam, the top players from Orange’s JV squad, which finished second in the league last season. According to Gunther, Puccio, a first-team all-league second baseman for the softball team, and Adam should give Orange better outside shooting. If the Panthers can’t score outside, it could be a long season, since the bulk of their inside scoring has graduated. With leading scorer Becky Welty, 6-0 Joslyn Moten and 5-10 Cori Stroud gone, the Panthers will also have a harder time defending the league’s top post players including first-team all-leaguers Lisa Petronis and Rona Rathod of Canyon and Jamie Shine of El Modena. “We used to pound the ball inside, but now we’re stressing transition offense and pressure defense,” Gunther said.