Girls

The Times’ girls’ basketball all-star team:

*--* G Layshia Clarendon, Cajon 5-9 Jr. A fantastic scorer who was the center of Cajon’s emergence as a Southland power, Clarendon averaged 20.7 points, 6.7 assists and 4.0 steals to lead the Cowgirls to their first section title. F Courtney Clements, Millikan 6-1 Sr. The Rams, the only Southland team to beat Poly the last two seasons, were Division I-AA runners-up. A threat from anywhere on the floor, Arizona-bound Clements provided 30% of the offense with 17.7 points on 65.1% shooting. She also averaged 12.2 rebounds. G-F Jasmine Dixon, Long Beach Poly 5-10 Sr. The Times player of the year and perhaps the Southland’s strongest player, Dixon transformed Poly from a very good team to a great one that won three section and three state titles in her four seasons. Headed to Rutgers, she averaged 14.1 points, 10.1 rebounds, 4.2 steals and 3.2 assists. G Rebekah Gardner, Ayala 6-0 Sr. One of the Southland’s most prolific scorers over her career, UCLA-bound Gardner averaged 19.7 points for the Bulldogs, who were beaten in the Southern California Regional finals by Mira Costa in triple overtime. She also averaged 8.1 rebounds, 3.9 steals and 3.1 assists. F Mikah Maly-Karros, Mira Costa 6-1 Sr. Tenacious rebounder was a big scorer for the state finalist Mustangs. Maly-Karros, who is headed to Loyola Marymount, averaged 18.1 points and 15.9 rebounds and with Megan Richardson formed one of the Southland’s best 1-2 punches. G-F Christina Marinacci Foothill 6-1 Jr. Marinacci was the classic “big guard” player who did it all for Foothill and raised the program into the top 25. She committed last week to USC after averaging 21.5 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3.5 steals and 2.5 assists for the Division I-A quarterfinalist. G-F Atonye Nyingifa, Redondo 5-11 Sr. One of the most skilled all-around players in the Southland, UCLA-bound Nyingifa led Redondo to the Division I-A title in a supposedly rebuilding season. She averaged 21.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, and scored 2,192 points in her career. G Nikki Speed, L.A. Marlborough 5-9 Sr. The small-school Mustangs won four consecutive section titles with Speed in the lineup. A deft ball-handler who thinks two and three passes ahead, the Rutgers-bound point guard averaged 17.8 points, 10.5 assists and 4.8 rebounds. G/F Reiko Thomas, Narbonne 5-9 Sr. Despite its third coach in three years, Narbonne continued as the City’s preeminent program with a stellar class that included Danielle LeNoir and Gabrielle Clark. Thomas was the go-to player, and the Arizona-bound lefty delivered 16.1 points on 47.4% shooting. G Chloe Wells, Miller 5-7 So. Despite her youth, Wells has already established herself as one of the Southland’s clutch players. She averaged 17.5 points, 5.7 assists and 4.8 steals for the Division II-AA champion Rebels. Coach of the year: Ann Larson, Ventura Ventura didn’t have a player average more than seven points, but featured a tenacious defense that allowed only 33.4 points. Cougars finished 27-3, with two losses -- to Perris and Cajon -- by a combined three points. Closed the season with quarterfinal victory at Brea Olinda, and a 49-43 loss to Millikan in a Division I-AA semifinal, during which free-throw attempts were 28-8 in favor of Millikan. *--*