HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL LEAGUE PREVIEWS : Village Christian’s Double-Team Over?

The makeup of the Alpha League was altered with the departure of Western Christian and the addition of Vasquez, but don’t expect the league champion to change.

Village Christian has won 30 consecutive Alpha League girls’ basketball games and three titles in a row.

And even though the Crusaders have lost all-league players Trisha Palmquist and Clanci Lehman, they still have Lindy James, the league’s most valuable player and an All-Southern Section Division IV-A selection.

“It’s Village Christian and the rest of the league,” L.A. Baptist Coach Mary Christiansen said.

James led the league in points, assists, steals and blocked shots last season. She doesn’t have the supporting cast that helped the Crusaders to a 21-5 record and into the Division IV-A semifinals, but isn’t likely to need it to win the Alpha League.

“We’re all just battling for second place,” Maranatha Coach Barbara Ireland said. “Village will win the league.”

Western Christian, last season’s second-place finisher, moved to the Christian League and has been replaced with Vasquez of Acton. But don’t expect the Mustangs to finish anywhere near the level the Lancers did.

This is the first varsity season for Vasquez, which has no seniors. That leaves L.A. Baptist, Marshall and Maranatha to compete for the league’s two remaining playoff spots.

Marshall, which finished fourth in the five-team league last season, has a good shot at one of them.

“They may give us some good games,” Village Christian Coach John Domke said. “I’m a little worried about them.”

Three starters return for the Eagles (6-2). Tanai Smith is averaging 17 points and Alissa Alexander averages 12.

L.A. Baptist missed the playoffs last season on a coin flip after finishing tied for third with Maranatha, but will be hard-pressed to have another playoff-caliber season.

All-league forward Eliza Voita graduated and second team all-league selection Cherie Girard decided to play soccer this season.

Add three other graduates and the Knights are left with one returning starter--6-foot-1 junior center Deanna Bergeson.

Maranatha also suffered losses to graduation. Four starters are gone, including two all-league players, from its playoff squad.

But eight players return for the Minutemen, including 5-11 center Melissa Ellison and Julie Negvesky, a 5-10 forward.

The size of those two players coupled with the ballhandling and scoring abilities of junior point guard Esther Shu give the Minutemen a shot to make it back to the playoffs.

Around the League

VILLAGE CHRISTIAN

1994-95: 21-5, 8-0

Forward Lindy James is not the only Crusader returning with all-league honors. Ashley Wornall, a 5-8 sophomore forward, was a second team all-league selection.

Also returning are seniors Karrie Langhans, Dawn Evans and April Price, giving the Crusaders a roster full of experience.

Even with so many returnees, Coach John Domke has given freshmen Shannon Spielbuehler and Jenny Greslie significant playing time.

Greslie has missed three weeks with a broken leg but is expected to return in time for the league opener Monday.

The Crusaders (6-6) may run into problems in the playoffs because of their lack of height (no player taller than 5-9), but their quickness and outside shooting should enable them to cruise through the Alpha League.

L.A. BAPTIST

1994-95: 8-12, 4-4

Joining Deanna Bergeson is Julie O’Brien, a 5-7 junior forward who was a top reserve last season.

Bergeson leads the Knights with 14 points and 10 rebounds a game, with O’Brien at eight and five.

Transition offense is a weak point for the Knights, who are averaging 22 turnovers a game. They are at their best when they set up in a half-court offense and are able to feed Bergeson on the low post.

The Knights (2-6) have victories over the Louisville junior varsity and Malibu High.