Girls' basketball teams open preseason at Moorpark High Tip-Off Classic

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers SEASON STARTS-Above, Agoura's Leah Loewenthal works on her outside jumper during a recent practice session. Left, Lauren Goldman of Calabasas looks for a passing lane. Both teams are playing in this weekend's Moorpark High Tip-Off Classic. With winter just around the corner, it's time for basketball season at many high schools. Four teams in the Marmonte League will get an early glimpse this week of the 200607 season when they compete at Moorpark High's Tip-Off Classic Tournament.

Tournament action got underway Wednesday at Moorpark High and will continue through Saturday.

After a successful event last year, Marmonte League teams Agoura, Calabasas and Newbury Park will join Moorpark as well as out-of-league teams Camarillo, Chaminade, Santa Monica and Channel Islands in the second annual tournament.

"We are doing this tournament again for a couple reasons," Agoura head coach Kenny Golub said. "I think their facilities are phenomenal, the competition is tough, and it's a good preseason warm-up for league play."

ADAM DAVIS/Acorn Newspapers Golub, who's in his first season as varsity head coach after previously coaching the Chargers' JV team, will bring up the majority of his junior varsity squad.

"I'm bringing back basically the entire JV team from last year, being that we were very successful last season," Golub said. "I've been very impressed with all the girls so far, with them accepting a huge challenge by me over the summer where they played 52 games over six weeks from mid-June until late July. I think that gained them some experience at the varsity level and hopefully it will carry over into this tournament and beyond.

"I think this tournament will give us the chance to read our opponents' strategies for the season and see just how good our opponents will be. I'm certainly excited about it," the coach said.

One of the teams Agoura will be comparing themselves to is Newbury Park, last season's Marmonte League winners with a 14-0 record.

Newbury Park didn't just win games in league last year, they blew away the competition. Marmonte League teams only came within seven points of the Panthers three times.

The Panthers lost Kavita Goss to graduation, and Chelsea Davis has left Newbury Park for her senior year, but NPHS is still in good shape when it comes to experience.

Arlene Harris and Nikki Graham return for their senior years-their fourth seasons on the varsity squad. Allison Turley also returns, as does Sarah Godfrey and Doris ParkSherman.

"I think this league is very tough," Newbury Park head coach Nori Parvin said. "Five to seven teams in the league have the potential to beat you on any given night. Is it possible we can go 14-0 in league again? I don't know. That's something I try not to look at during this point in the season."

Parvin's team returns to the Tip-Off Classic for the second year after enjoying the competition last year.

"The caliber of the tournament is very strong," Parvin said. "Our goal for the tournament is to take steps forward, not backward. I would like our defense to get more aggressive. Any coach will tell you that your offense feeds off your defense, in any sport.

"I also like the tournament because of the fact that it's local," she said. "We have a good following for our team from parents and fans, and it's great that they don't have to travel far to come out and support us."

Calabasas will return to the tournament, where they struggled last year, losing all four games. This season head coach Stan Whithed is looking to make a better impression.

"It's a great tournament to start the season, even though we didn't do too well in it last year," Whithed said. "It's a good gauge to see where you are at as a team, and we did really enjoy it last year.

"This year we have some depth on our team, and we are hoping to play a little better by going at least 2-2 and getting

some respect. Hopefully we can show the Marmonte League that we are for real and we're not going to be a pushover anymore."

The Coyotes will have a couple of players coming back from injuries just in time.

Seniors Tori Cusick (concussion), Michelle Malkin (knee), and Daniella Turenshine (flu) should make an impact. Whithed said junior Danielle Ploussard and Danielle Kleiman have impressed him in practice.

"She (Kleiman) is a true hustler who works hard for rebounds," Whithed said.