Hoops teams eye league crowns

The Laguna Beach boys’ basketball team split its first two games of its 2010-11 season that launched Monday.

On Tuesday, the Breakers picked up their fist win by defeating Rancho Alamitos, 49-33, at the La Quinta Tournament. Tyler Kesler scored 16 points, Brandon Lewis had 10 points and Cole Kesler scored eight. The Breakers, however, lost returning all-league starting point guard Tyler Masukawa in the second quarter to a foot injury.

Breakers Coach Bret Fleming said he didn’t know the “severity” of the injury, stating, “but it doesn’t look good.”

Laguna dropped its season opener Monday, 65-35, to San Clemente. Jake Dalke had 12 points and Masukawa scored seven.

The Breakers continue play today and Saturday at the tournament. On Wednesday, they’ll open their home slate with a 7 p.m. nonleague game against Dana Hills.

Fleming, in his 16th year as boys’ coach, has five returning players — three who started — from last year’s team that went 10-14 but was 6-2 in Orange Coast League play and won the championship. Fleming has guided the Breakers to four straight league titles.

Returning players are Masukawa (PG, 5-8, Jr.), Dalke (G, 6-3, Soph.), Lewis (F, 6-2, Jr.), Tyler Kesler (F, 6-0, Sr.) and Derek Reigel (G, 6-1, Jr.),. Masukawa, Dalke and Reigel started last year and all three earned all-league honors. Masukawa averaged 10.4 points and four assists per game, Dalke 8.5 points and three rebounds and Reigel 5.6 points and six rebounds.

Rounding out this 2010-11 roster are newcomers Cole Kesler (G, 6-2, Soph.), Jack Pillsbury (G, 6-3, Jr.), Remington Zona (G, 5-9, Jr.), Paul MacCabe (G, 6-2, Soph.), Luke Barker (Post, 6-3, Jr.) and Noah Blanton (F, 6-3, Fr.).

“This is still an awfully young group, although we do have some experience,” Fleming said. “There’s still some question as to how good we’ll be this year. I think if we can get healthy and stay healthy, we can be pretty competitive.

“I’m impressed with this group’s dedication. They show up and work hard every day, from the end of last season, till today. We have some talented kids who should mature into really good players. We still need to figure out what it takes to beat really good teams, how to dig a little deeper, how to fight.”

*

Boys’ basketball schedule

Monday: Lost 65-35 to San Clemente

Tuesday: Won 49-33 over Rancho Alamitos

Today-Saturday: at La Quinta Tournament

Wednesday: Dana Hills, 7 p.m.

Dec. 10: Irvine, 7 p.m.

Dec. 13-18: at Orange Optimist Classic (at Westminster High)

Dec. 22: vs. Marina, 12:30 p.m., (North/South Challenge, at El Toro High)

Dec. 27-30: at Century Tournament

Jan. 12: *at Estancia, 7 p.m.

Jan. 14: *Calvary Chapel, 7 p.m.

Jan. 19: *Godinez, 7 p.m.

Jan. 21: at *Costa Mesa, 7 p.m.

Jan. 26: *Saddleback, 7 p.m.

Jan. 28: at *Calvary Chapel, 7 p.m.

Feb. 2: *Estancia, 7 p.m.

Feb. 4: *Costa Mesa, 7 p.m.

Feb. 8: at *Godinez, 7 p.m.

Feb. 10: at *Saddleback, 7 p.m.

(* denotes Orange Coast League game)

*

Girls’ Basketball

Like the boys’ team, the Laguna girls opened their season earlier this week and split their first two games.

At the Corona del Mar Tournament on Wednesday, senior guard Emily Writer poured in a game-high 35 points, senior center Sam Garner had 10 points and sophomore guard Lola Cowie and junior forward Holly Battle scored six and three points, respectively, to power the Breakers to a 55-36 win against Santa Ana Valley. The Breakers outscored the Falcons, 34-13, during the second and third quarters to take command.

Laguna started its campaign Monday and dropped a 55-36 first-round tournament game to Los Amigos.

The Breakers continue play at the CdM tournament today and Saturday. They’ll host Fullerton in their home opener at 6 p.m. Tuesday in a nonleague game.

Coach Jon Hendrickson has five players back from a year ago, including starters Writer (G, 5-10, Sr.), Garner (C, 5-11, Sr.), Cowie (G, 5-5, Soph.), Battle (F, 5-6, Jr.) and Madeline Knutson (G, 5-4, Soph.). Writer averaged 22 points and Garner eight rebounds per game last season. Writer was first-team all-league and Garner second-team all-league.

Also on the varsity roster are Kylie Even (F, 5-6, Soph.) and Mandi Wisbaum (F, 5-5, Fr.).

“We hope to compete for a league title and have an above .500 overall winning percentage,” said Hendrickson, who noted that numbers in the program are up for the 2010-11 season.

Seventeen players are in the program this year, which unlike past years is fielding two teams (varsity, frosh/soph), he said.

“I am impressed with the team’s desire to compete each and every day on the court during practice,” Hendrickson said. “We need to improve defensively and in rebounding.”

*

Girls’ basketball schedule

Monday: Lost 55-36 to Los Amigos

Wednesday: Won 55-36 over Santa Ana Valley

Today-Saturday: at Corona del Mar Tournament

Tuesday: Fullerton, 6 p.m.

Dec. 14: at San Juan Hills, 7 p.m.

Dec. 20: at Beckman, 6 p.m.

Dec. 22: at Whitney, 6 p.m.

Jan. 4: at Savanna, 7 p.m.

Jan. 6: at Ocean View, 7 p.m.

Jan. 8: Vaughn, 6 p.m.

Jan. 11: at *Estancia, 7 p.m.

Jan. 13: *Calvary Chapel, 7 p.m.

Jan. 18: *Godinez, 7 p.m.

Jan. 20: at *Costa Mesa, 7 p.m.

Jan. 25: *Saddleback, 7 p.m.

Jan. 26: at St. Margaret’s, 6 p.m.

Jan. 27: at *Calvary Chapel, 7 p.m.

Feb. 1: *Estancia, 7 p.m.

Feb. 3: *Costa Mesa, 7 p.m.

Feb. 7: at *Godinez, 7 p.m.

Feb. 9: at *Saddleback, 7 p.m.

(* denotes Orange Coast League game)