Girls’ program sees brighter future

What a difference a few months have made.

Heading into the 2011-12 girls’ basketball season, Laguna Beach started its campaign with an eight-player roster. Without any depth, the Breakers suffered through a rough, winless 18-game season.

Fast forward to summertime and Mark Lewis, who begins his second year as head coach, had 14 players competing during summer league play, with the Breakers going 17-12.

In the final week, the Breakers beat Garden Grove by 25 points, nipped St. Margaret’s in overtime, 38-36, and capped the summer schedule Monday with a 39-33 win over Newport Harbor.

Lewis said that six of eight players from last year’s team returned for summer ball, joining several incoming freshmen who Lewis said bring “talent, determination and the drive to be successful.”

“I am highly encouraged about the team and its potential for this upcoming season and for the foreseeable future,” he said.

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Boys’ Basketball

There’s a new champion in the Laguna Beach boys’ basketball alumni tournament.

The 2009-2012 alumni team put an end to a five-year run that saw the 1998-2000 team win the first five tournaments. The 2009-2012 group did it by defeating the reigning champs in the final Saturday at Dugger Gym.

Seven teams and about 60 players came out for the tournament. The 2009-2012 team included Ryan Lawler, Dylan Roley, Chris Taylor, Adam Selevan, Cody Duplisea, Christian and TK Kesler, Derek Reigel, Brandon Lewis, Luke Barker and Bryce Blanton.

“It was another great reunion and huge success,” Laguna Coach Bret Fleming said. “Guys came in from New Hampshire and other parts of the country. We had a changing of the guard with a new team winning.”

michael.sciacca@latimes.com

Twitter: @MikeSciacca