Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now
Mater Dei’s girls basketball team knows the challenges on the horizon.
There’s reigning state champion Etiwanda, which beat the Monarchs 71-58 in the CIF-SS Open Division semifinals last season.
There’s Sierra Canyon, which defeated Mater Dei 59-47 in the SoCal Open Regional semifinals and has since added touted transfer guard Jerzy Robinson.
And closer to home, there’s Sage Hill, which returns its starting five and added a key transfer.
So where does this leave Mater Dei?
“We’ve got a shot,” said coach Kevin Kiernan, who enters his 17th season leading the Monarchs. “Anything can happen.”
Mater Dei, No. 1 in the Orange County preseason rankings, will lean on top returners Addison Deal and Jenessa Cotton, who recently committed to Duke.
The Monarchs’ mix also features sophomore sharp-shooter Kaeli Wynn, improved guards Amaya Williams and Devyn Kiernan and Emily Shaw.
“I think we’re going to be pretty good,” Kiernan said. “We’ll play three point guards: Addie, Devyn and Amaya.”
One development to watch is the addition of Wynn’s mother, Jody, as an assistant coach. The former University of Washington and Long Beach State women’s basketball coach has been working on retooling Mater Dei’s offense, Kiernan said.
“We are very fortunate to have her on staff this year,” he said of Wynn, who starred at Brea Olinda before playing at USC.
“(We) want to promote great spacing and more ball movement and depend on reads instead of set plays. (The) last few years, we could always let (point guard) Caia (Elisaldez) loose. (We’re a) different team with a good mix of length, speed and shooting.”
Mater Dei could face Sage Hill in the Troy Classic, which begins Dec. 4, and Etiwanda in the Nike Holiday Classic in Portland, Ore., Dec. 28-30.
“I think they have the best returners in Orange County,” Kiernan said of Sage Hill. “(Etiwanda) is a super-team.”
SANTA ANA STEPPING UP
Mater Dei opens its season Nov. 22 against visiting Santa Ana, a Division 5AA team which approached the Monarchs about the nonleague game.
“To be better, you have to play the best,” Saints coach Calvin Barnes said. “I wanted (my players) to be exposed to the (high-level) game and to go back home and hopefully learn and have the want to be that great because at the end of the day, we won’t be playing those types of teams.”
NOTES
San Clemente All-County forward Zona Miller suffered a knee injury playing soccer in May and is not expected to play this season, Tritons coach Kerri Husbands said. “She is competing in rehab like she competes on the court,” Husbands added. …
Brea Olinda point guard Sarah Wong (shoulder) will miss the season, Ladycats coach Craig Matthews said. …
Buena Park, San Juan Hills and Fairmont Prep — all ranked in the county preseason Top 10 — will play in the Oxford Academy tournament that starts Monday. The tournament field includes Brea Olinda and Troy. …
Josh Lozano is the new coach at Fairmont Prep. He replaced Sara Brown, who is now at Canyon.
