For Openers, It’s Crowded at Top

Flashy records and high expectations are shared by several teams at the beginning of the Orange Empire Conference women’s basketball race, which starts Wednesday.

Five teams have 11 or more victories, topped by Orange Coast, which is 16-1. But the Pirates, ranked second in the state, are far from a clear choice to win the title. Santa Ana (13-2) is ranked third.

So who is No. 1? That would be Ventura, which beat Orange Coast once and Santa Ana twice.

Here is a look at the conference teams:

Cypress (5-10)--Sophomore forward Sharee Brown is a force for the Chargers. She is averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman point guard Triana Allen is averaging four assists.

Fullerton (13-6)--The Hornets, who reached the state tournament two seasons ago, have a six-game winning streak, including four in their own tournament.

Missy Bynon, a transfer from Cal State Fullerton, is playing point guard and leading the team with averages of 13 points and five assists. Valerie Matweeff is tops in rebounds with eight. Teresa Manning is back at guard as well.

Golden West (13-2)--The Rustlers didn’t play the most difficult nonconference schedule, but they have won 13 in a row. The team has gained confidence, which will be needed against Orange Coast and Santa Ana in the first week of conference play.

Sophomore forward Tracy Twellman leads the team with averages of 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Irvine Valley (11-5)--The Lasers were surprise conference champions last season after being picked fifth. They were picked first this season.

Three sophomores--center Lauren O’Hara, forward Jami Allred and guard Jennifer O’Keefe--who were key members of a team that reached the state tournament last year--return.

Orange Coast (16-1)--The Pirates looked solid going into conference play last season but stumbled after losing two starters to injuries.

OCC, which has won 14 in a row, is deeper this season and has four starting sophomores. Forwards Sarah Middlebrooke, Erin Tomlinson and Leah Wilde are joined by transfer Shauna Steward, a guard who averaged 21 points two seasons ago with Golden West.

Freshman guard Karyn Fierst is the first player off the bench and was the most valuable player of OCC’s tournament in December.

Riverside (10-8)--Freshman forward Claudine Auld leads the team in scoring at 17.7 and rebounds at 9.7, and sophomore Kristin Harris is second in scoring at 14.3 points.

The Tigers finished third in the Fullerton tournament.

Santa Ana (13-2)--Atari Parker, a transfer from Fresno State, is the most dominating player in Southern California. The 5-foot-10 guard is averaging 29 points and leads the conference in scoring, rebounds, assists and steals.

Forward Stephanie Patton, who scored a career-high 34 already this season, is back and joined by her sister Sydney up front. Stephanie leads the conference in rebounds, averaging 15 per game.

Guards Lisa Arcangel, who is averaging 14 points, and Kim Taylor, who is averaging 11 points, make the idea of double-teaming Parker unappealing.

Saddleback (4-12)--Steve Popovich takes over as coach after being an assistant for the Saddleback men’s team.

Erin Edmiston, a 5-foot-10 sophomore guard who played two seasons ago, is averaging 20 points and nine rebounds.