All City Teams: Girls Basketball
Golden Eagles stay one step ahead
Friday, Mar. 28, 2008
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GIRLS BASKETBALL
Player of the Year
Blakely Goldberg
Clovis West, senior
The heart and soul of the Golden Eagles' back-to-back Central Section championship runs, Goldberg was named the Tri-River Athletic Conference Player of the Year. Last season's All-City Ms. All-Around and TRAC co-MVP, she ran the potent, uptempo Eagle attack from the point at both ends of the court. At 5-foot-10, she could play inside or outside, often using her height to take opposing defenders to the basket. A spectator for the final quarter much of the season as Clovis West (28-3) outscored its foes by 35.5 points per game (51.9 in league), she averaged 7.6 points, 4.3 steals, 3.3 rebounds and 2.4 steals in limited playing time.
Ms. All-Around
Marlee Wilkinson
Clovis East, senior
Asked to carry the load this season, the three-time All-City pick answered the call as the Timberwolves went 16-12 -- 10 more wins than a year ago (6-20). Wilkinson, who scored a Clovis Unified-best 22 points per game despite teams keying on her, led a young club -- four freshmen and two sophomores -- from the point. She had three 30-plus-point outings, including a season-high 39 against Merced. Not just a scorer, the first-team All-TRAC selection averaged 3.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists. Defensively, Wilkinson, at times asked to guard the opponents' top scoring threat, grabbed 3.9 steals per contest.
Newcomer of the Year
Morgan Hatten
Clovis West, junior
Hatten looked right at home in the cardinal and gold as the San Joaquin Memorial transfer added even more offensive firepower to the already deep Eagles. One of eight players to rotate through the starting lineup, the 5-11 junior, a 21-point, 12-rebound performer at Memorial in 2006-07, averaged 11.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.5 steals -- second on the team in each category -- this season. She was voted to the All-TRAC first team.
Coach of the Year
Craig Campbell
Clovis West
The third-year coach kept the Golden Eagle machine roaring at full force as Clovis West, ranked No. 9 in the final Cal-Hi Sports Overall Top 50 poll, won its second straight Central Section championship and advanced to the second round of the Southern California Regional playoffs. The Eagles are 74-18 and a perfect 30-0 in the TRAC during the Campbell era. Clovis West has won 34 league games in a row.
The Rest of the Team
Nikki Chapple
Clovis, sophomore
Just a sophomore, Chapple was awarded her second consecutive team MVP. This season she led Clovis to a 10-18 record -- the Cougars had won just eight the last two years combined. The focal point of the team's offense, the 5-9 forward topped Clovis in scoring (14.0 points per game) and rebounding (9.2). A smart player with good instincts, Chapple could post up or step out to drain 3-pointers.
Janae Coffee
Clovis West, sophomore
A force on the inside, the 6-3 center led the Eagles in scoring (13.0), shooting percentage (.581), rebounds (7.4) and blocked shots (3.0) to earn second-team All-TRAC honors. Coffee, whose season was cut short when she broke her left hand in the Valley title game, had a 15-point, 15-rebound, 6-block outburst in the team's TRAC title-clinching win.
Corinne DenHartog
Buchanan, sophomore
DenHartog led the youthful Bears -- two seniors -- in scoring (10.2) to garner the team's Most Outstanding Offensive Player award. She also handed out 4.2 assists. Blessed with a strong court sense and an accurate shot, her scoring numbers increased in league play, where the 5-9 guard/forward, a second-team All-TRAC pick, averaged 12.1 points.
Christine DeLa Rosa
Clovis West, senior
Like many of her Eagle teammates, DeLa Rosa's numbers dipped this year as the senior spent many fourth quarters on the bench. An adept guard at both the No. 1 and 2, last season's All-City MVP scored 7.9 points per game and made a team-high 2.6 steals. The first-team All-TRAC pick added 2.2 assists. She is a three-time All-City honoree.
Ashley Orlich
Clovis West, senior
Orlich, a 5-8 guard with a deadly shot from the outside, led the team in 3-pointers (37). One of three Eagles on the All-TRAC first-team, Orlich averaged 8.8 points, 3.0 assists and 2.2 steals. She was one of five senior team co-captains -- Orlich, DeLa Rosa, Goldberg, Blaire Caeton and Martika Hall. Orlich made the All-City squad for a second straight season.
Brianna Orlich
Clovis West, sophomore
The 2006-07 All-City Newcomer of the Year, Orlich's versatility showed through this season. The 5-9 Orlich averaged 6.4 points, 3.7 boards, 2.0 steals and 1.5 assists despite limited playing time on a roster packed with depth and with the Eagles often holding substantial leads in the second half. The Clovis West guard/forward was voted to the all-conference second team.
