COLLEGE BASKETBALL: 1993-94 SEASON PREVIEW : Laguna Beach

1992-93 RECORDS

OVERALL: 8-14

LEAGUE: 1-9

COACH: Lyman Olney

RECORD AT SCHOOL: 15-39

RETURNING STARTERS YR. HGT. P Katie O’Neal Jr. 5-7 G Deanna Olney Sr. 5-4 G

TOP RETURNERS YR. HGT. P Johaana Scheidecker Sr. 5-7 F Summer Stephens Sr. 5-5 G

TOP NEWCOMERS YR. HGT. P Shannon Chaffee So. 5-7 F April Chambers Fr. 5-5 G Chris Chambers Fr. 5-5 G Alina Meakin Sr. 6-0 C

OUTLOOK

Optimism isn’t always easy to come by after a 1-9 league season, but Laguna Beach has several reasons to look forward to this year. One of those reasons is a big one--as in a post player, something the Artists have lacked in Olney’s previous three seasons as coach. Meakin, a transfer from Texas, gives Laguna Beach an inside presence. “She’s got very good offensive skills, and we’re working on the defense,” Olney said. “It’ll be nice to be able to throw the ball into the post for a change.” On the perimeter, Laguna Beach has O’Neal, who will play point guard and who Olney says is the team’s best shooter. “We just need to work on Katie’s confidence,” Olney said. “She should get a lot of shots if teams try to take away the post.” Deanna Olney, the coach’s daughter, also returns and will play the off guard and spark the defense with Chaffee, a solid rebounder. Coach Olney believes the Artists are a much quicker team this year, with the return of Scheideker and Stephens and the addition of the Chambers twins. “We’ve got good athletes and good competitors,” Olney said. “I think we’ll be a better team.”