Girls’ Basketball Preview: Bellarmine-Jefferson looks for repeat performance

Unexpected success was enjoyed by the Bellarmine-Jefferson High girls’ basketball team last season after failing to make the postseason the previous two campaigns.

After beginning the season with nine straight losses, the Guards were a game away from winning a Santa Fe League championship, made their way to the CIF Southern Section Division VI title game and advanced three rounds in the state playoffs.

“After what we were able to accomplish last season, I don’t think we’re going to sneak up on anybody this season like we did last year,” Bell-Jeff Coach Claudia Villa said. “So, we have to be ready for teams coming at us, because we’re not a secret any more.”

Bell-Jeff will have many key players from that team back for the 20016-17 season. Likewise, Burbank will also have many of its impact players returning. But that’s not the case at Burroughs and Providence, as both squads lost significant talent after winning league titles. At Lycee International of Burbank, the school has a new team and high expectations.

Here is a closer look at how the teams are shaping up.

BELLARMINE-JEFFERSON

The Guards are coming off a season in which they went 18-14, 8-2 in league and finished runner-up in league to St. Genevieve.

Bell-Jeff won’t have to deal with St. Genevieve this season, however, as the Valiants were moved up to the Camino Real League. New to the league this season is La Salle, which joins the Guards, Mary Star of the Sea, Pomona Catholic, St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy and St. Bernard.

“It’s too bad that St. Genevieve moved out, because I would have liked to see how we would do against them and maybe make up for last year,” Villa said. “But we still have St. Bernard in our league and they gave us a tough fight last year, so I’m looking for them to be tough again.”

Villa said she will have a relatively small team with seven or eight players. Although the Guards lost players to graduation and two decided not to come out for the team this season, the team will likely have its starting lineup back.

However, many of the team’s best players are still competing for the school’s girls’ cross-country team. Juniors Cosette Balmy and Claire Borot, along with sophomore Dalila Rincan, will all be counted on to contribute once they finish with cross-country. Bell-Jeff won the Santa Fe League championship in cross-country this season.

“What can I say, I’m always dealing with players who are dominating in other sports,” Villa said. “These girls were in volleyball and cross-country in the same season, then they go out for basketball and then to track and softball. But it’s all love. They are really talented girls and it’s blessing to have them on the team.

“But it is tough to wait for them to get finished with their other sport before they come out to basketball. But at a small school, we have to share athletes, so we have to adapt to that.”

Last season, Borot and Balmy were first-team All-CIF selections, while Rincan was a second-team pick after helping the Guards to the Southern Section Division VI title game, which they lost to Los Angeles Price, 62-40.

Another key player from last season was all-league junior Caitlyn Couch, the league cross-country champion and multiple titlist in track and field. Villa said she is waiting to see if Couch will join the team after a lengthy cross-country season.

The other returning starter is senior Paige Losoya.

“We also will probably have two to three freshmen and maybe another sophomore who is pretty raw still,” Villa said. “But overall, I think we’re going to be alright.”

BURROUGHS

The Indians (24-8, 14-0 in league last season) are coming off another successful season. Burroughs captured its fourth straight Pacific League championship and increased its league winning streak to 42 games. In addition, the Indians advanced to the Division I-A semifinals for the second straight season, losing to top-seeded Mira Costa, 47-39.

Burroughs lost league co-player of the year and All-CIF selection Jordan Meltzer (12.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.7 steals a contest) to graduation.

“It seems like every year we lose a group of key players for us. And this year we lost another group,” Burroughs Coach Vicky Oganyan said. “We’re going to be pretty young. We have seven sophomores and two freshmen and one junior. And, of our seniors, I think there are probably two that got a lot of minutes last year.

“It’s been a lot of teaching with the younger players with the group and doing a lot of repetitions with our drills. As far as what we’ve always done, not a lot has changed. We try to play a ton of games in the summer to get them experience, so hopefully that will pay off.”

One key returning player is senior Kamryn Cardenaz, an All-CIF selection who averaged 9.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.6 steals.

Also returning to potentially provide some leadership are seniors Haley Wilson and Jocelyn Rieken.

“Hopefully the girls who have the experience can lead the way and then the younger ones can kind of pick it up as we go,” Oganyan said. “Of the younger kids, there are some who are making pretty good progress, so that’s encouraging.

“We just want to make sure we’re a pretty good defensive team, so even when we struggle on offense we can remain in the game.”

Marin Grote, a 6-foot-4 all-league junior, who Oganyan said is “50 times better than last year” also returns to give the Indians some height in the middle.

Other players who could see substantial playing time are sophomore Ariana Farias and freshmen A’sia Morales and Sophie Hawkins.

In league, Oganyan said this year’s title could be up for grabs.

“Glendale is returning all of their players so I think they kind of have an edge,” she said. “Arcadia also has a lot of returners, but they might still be on the young side and Burbank has a lot of returners as well. ... I never count out Crescenta Valley and actually Pasadena looks better. So I expect the usually competitive league.”

PROVIDENCE

The Pioneers (18-11, 7-1) continued their success in the Liberty League last season, capturing a share of their seventh straight league championship. Providence advanced to the quarterfinals of the CIF Southern Section Division V-AA playoffs, losing to Oxford Academy, 40-31.

Lost to graduation were All-CIF players Jasmine Ramirez (10 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.1 steals) and Rachel Camonayan (7.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.7 steals) . Camonayan was also the league’s player of the year.

In addition, all-league player Fabi Jimenez (12 points, 3.2 rebounds,1.4 assists and 1.7 steals) also graduated and her sister, Sophia, a junior, transferred to Burbank.

“It’s one of those rare years that three of our best players graduated,” Providence Coach Andrew Bencze said. “Those were three kids who carried us throughout the year.

“I always say the same thing, I love these years. That’s because there’s not a lot of expectation and people will look at us and say, ‘How good are they going to be with all of their players gone?’ But for the most part, we’ve been able to thrive during these types of years. It will be a challenge that we will take on and I’m excited about it.”

Returning for the Pioneers are juniors Giselle Camonayan and Francesca Maravilla, seniors Krista Kurkjian, Christy Hoffman and Liz Cruz and sophomore Ariel Gordillo. A newcomer up from the junior varsity who could contribute is senior Christina Galstjan.

In the two-teared Liberty League, Bencze said he expects the stiffest competition to come from Holy Martyts, which won the CIF Division V championship last year and which he said “returns everybody.”

“The girls look up at the wall in the gym and see seven straight league titles and they don’t want to be the team that doesn’t continue the streak,” Bencze said. “They are pretty driven by that.”

BURBANK

Coach John Wells has taken over the Bulldogs program from Bruce Breeden. Wells inherits a squad that went 18-11, 8-6 to finish fourth in the Pacific League. Burbank lost in the first round of the Division II-A playoffs to Garden Grove in overtime, 49-44.

“The great thing about this year’s team is that we have nine seniors on varsity,” said Wells, who served as an assistant under Breeden. “We return everybody with the exception of a few from last year. So the core that was on varsity last year, the majority of that returns. Having nine seniors on varsity always helps with the chemistry.

“I’ve made a few adjustments this year with some of our offensive and defensive strategy and they have really been picking up on that. I’m not carrying that many on varsity this year, only 12, so that always carries with it some challenges.”

Burbank’s top returning player is junior Osanna Tirityan, who had a breakout freshman season. Tirityan, a first-team all-league selection, led the team with 12.3 points a game to go along with 8.4 rebounds.

“Getting first-team all-league, they all know about her in league now, whereas last year they didn’t with her being a freshman,” Wells said. “That will be the challenge for her to make herself better than she was last year.”

Also returning are seniors Ani Sarkisyan and Sarah Sarquiz, who both have three years of varsity experience. Joining them will be senior Emma Kerr and Sophia Jimenez from Providence, who will have to sit out after transferring.

“Those will be most of our critical pieces,” Wells said.

In league, Wells said there are a few teams that could rise to the top.

“From what I saw last year and some of the things I know this year, I truly think there’s not a clear-cut favorite,” he said. “Contrary to years past, I don’t think there’s going to be an undefeated team in league. Really, two to three losses could win league. I personally think it will be a very competitive with five or six teams that could beat up on one another.”

LYCEE INTERNATIONAL

The Lions embark on their first season of CIF Southern Section competition under coach Marilyn Dubon, who also coaches the school’s boys’ team.

“I have high expectations for both our boys’ and girls’ varsity basketball teams this year,” Dubon said. “We may be the new kid on the CIF [Southern Section] block, but we have worked hard to put our name on the map.

“This season I have set the highest standards for our teams and all of our players are up for the challenge.”

The Lions will compete in the tiered International League.

“Our first goal is a playoff stint, but our ultimate focus is a league championship,” Dubon said.

Senior Maddy Metras and junior Erin Sezgin are expected to be key players for LILA.

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Jeff Tully, jeff.tully@latimes.com

Twitter: @jefftsports