ALL-ORANGE EMPIRE CONFERENCE BASKETBALL TEAMS : Golden West Freshman Iwamasa Receives the Women’s Top Honor

Melanie Iwamasa, a freshman guard at Golden West, was selected the most valuable player of the Orange Empire Conference by a vote of the women’s basketball coaches.

Iwamasa averaged 18 points for the Rustlers, who were 12-0 in conference play. Dick and Dave Stricklin, the father and son team from Golden West, were named co-coaches of the year.

Cinnamon Basco and Francis Oda, also from Golden West, made the first team.

Others selected to the first team: Tamika Harold of Cypress, Traci Conte of Fullerton, Jana Davis, Colleen Hatch and Ricarda Kuypers of Orange Coast, Virginia Vaioletama and Delilah Vergara of Riverside and Shelly Calhoun of Saddleback.