GARDEN GROVE LEAGUE

Bolsa Grande: 10-12, 5-7 in 1996-97. Coach: Ed Eldridge (first year). Bolsa Grande will have a tough year with no returning starters and only three players from last year’s fifth-place team. Eldridge, who is coaching on the varsity level for the first time, says his guards will be strong, but without any proven center or forwards, rebounding will be a concern. Dina Atlia, Jamine Walters and Lan Lang are the only seniors on the team, and they are all new. Katie Mai, Bao Le and Debby Baeder are returning and will share time at guard.

Garden Grove: 10-17, 6-6 in 1996-97. Coach: Keith Clarkson (third year, 23-25). With five starters returning, Garden Grove should be in the hunt for the league title this year. A mature team with eight seniors, the Argonauts should improve on their first-round playoff loss. First-team all-leaguers Lorena Davis and Katie Werdel are back. Werdel (5-8) led the team with 13.3 points at forward. Davis (5-7) will start at guard. Jessica Apperson (5-9) will play center and Leslie Nakagowa (5-7) is at guard. The only non-senior in the starting lineup will be sophomore Gloria Rojas, a 5-5 guard.

La Quinta: 4-18, 3-9 in 1996-97. Coach: Holly Jefferson (second year, 4-18). La Quinta should move up from its sixth-place finish of last year and might surprise a few. Probably a fourth-place finish. The Aztecs return three starters, including junior Nadiya Aziz (5-6, 14 points). Pat Rains (six assists) is back at guard and Lacee Keller (5-6) will also be at guard. Forward Melissa Gresham (5-7, guard Jessica Young (5-5) and forward Vanessa Freidl (5-10) round out the returning players.

Los Amigos: 0-22, 0-12 in 1996-97. Coach: John Keating (first year). Things don’t look much better. A victory or two may be possible, but getting out of the bottom of the league might be too much to expect. Seniors Liz Romero (5-7 guard), Carol Tran (5-9 forward) and Karyn Tucker (5-9 forward) return.

Pacifica: 21-7, 11-1 in 1996-97. Coach: Hahn Tran (first year). Hahn inherits a Mariner team that has won three consecutive league titles and went to the second round of the playoffs last season. Many in the league pick Pacifica to win the title again. Senior forward/guard Jaymee Pendergast (5-10, 17.9 points) was the league MVP last season and 6-1 senior center Tracy Downs also returns.

Rancho Alamitos: 14-13, 10-2 in 1996-97. Coach: Vern Broadnax (first year). Broadnax might have a hard time getting his team back to its second-place finish of last season. It returns three starters, but will be hard-pressed to overtake Garden Grove and Pacifica. Senior Eurydyka Ciejka (5-9, eight rebounds) is the strength of the team at forward and will be joined by junior forward Marjorie Niumata (5-9). Senior guard Karla Santillan (5-6) and senior guard/forward Ericka Urias (5-7) are the other returners. Graduated Araceli Hernandez (12.7 points, seven rebounds) will be hard to replace.

Santiago: 14-12, 7-5 in 1996-97. Coach: Ron Heusser (ninth year, 98-112). Heusser wants to capitalize on his team’s outside shooting and quickness. Two starters return, and he hopes it is enough to maintain a third- or fourth-place finish. Senior forward Veronica Cerda (5-7, 10.3 points, 10.6 rebounds), a first-team all-league selection, will be the team’s backbone. Also on the front-line is junior forward Sega Asiata (5-8, 6.7 points, 8.1 rebounds). Heusser brought up three seniors from junior varsity and senior forward Brandy Gibson (5-7) is a new arrival from El Paso, Texas.