FREEWAY LEAGUE

Buena Park: 7-20, 2-8 in 1997-98. Coach: Ric Reed (eighth year, 25-114). Only two starters return from last year’s squad, senior point guard Tammy Darrow and junior forward Veena Hambrick. Both will be counted on heavily, Darrow with distributing the ball, Hambrick and senior forward Stephanie Pitts with rebounding. The Coyotes, lacking depth and a proven scorer, will try to reach .500 with tough defense and rebounding.

Fullerton: 12-14, 5-5 in 1997-98. Coach: Loriessa Randle (first year). The Indians have some hard-nosed players such as freshman guard/forward Leilani Kauhane (5-9) and junior forward Kristen Swink (5-8), but their fortunes rest with starters Bethany Ferr (5-10, 12.3 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.5 steals) and Dawn Richardson (5-8, nine points, 5.5 rebounds, three assists), both seniors, and sophomore guard Julie Blied (five points, 2.5 assists). Junior Danielle Araujo (5-5) will get a good look as a point guard.

La Habra: 8-18, 2-8 in 1997-98. Coach: Frank McCarroll (first year). Diana Fukushima (5-5, 16.2 points) could be among the county’s best three-point shooters, but the sophomore guard who shot 37% from beyond the three-point arc is trying to be a more complete player and create off the drive. Senior forward Desiree Alcaraz (5-9, 4.3 rebounds) also returns. Senior guard Jennifer Smallwood (5-4) was a starting point guard as a freshman, but has been injured most of last two years. Another impact player is Ranay Dato, a 6-0 freshman center.

Sonora: 18-8, 8-2 in 1997-98. Coach: Rick Albano (fourth year, 51-27). The Raiders might not have enough to overtake Troy, but they do have the league’s most valuable player, senior center Sarah Fister (6-1, 17.7 points, 13.7 rebounds), who is now comfortable shooting 12 to 15 feet from the basket. When Fister’s away from the basket, junior center Mindy Clark (6-4, 9.2 points, 14.2 rebounds) is a good bet to clean up. Senior guard Lillian Hewko (5-7, seven points) and sophomore forward Brandi Davis (5-10, 14 points) also return, though Davis can’t play as wildly as she did at times last season for the Raiders to be an elite-level team. If senior Tanya Avila steps up as a point guard, freeing Hewko to be the shooting guard, Sonora could be a regular in the top 10. Samaya Brown (6-2), a transfer from Georgia, adds front-line strength.

Sunny Hills: 9-14, 3-7 in 1997-98. Coach: Lori Peterson (second year, 9-14). The Lancers’ goal is to make the playoffs, and a third-place finish would provide that. There are six players returning, including starters Shannon Lewis (5-4), a senior guard, and Jessica Perez (5-7), a junior forward.

Troy: 28-4, 10-0 in 1997-98. Coach: Kevin Kiernan (third year, 50-8). The Warriors won their sixth consecutive league title last season, then gave Brea Olinda a battle into the second half of the Division II-AA title game. Leading scorer Heidi Hardeman (18 points) has graduated, but her sister, junior guard Katie Hardeman (6-0) transferred from Brea and didn’t come by herself. Junior point guard Michelle Pietka (5-11) and sophomore center Kiana St. Laurent (6-2, a junior varsity player) also transferred, though Pietka’s knee surgery last August threatens her season. They join an already talented group, including sophomore guard Veronica Johns-Richardson (5-10, 12 points, four assists, four steals) and Kristin Arnold (5-3, nine points, five assists, five steals), both returning starters, and sophomore Kianey Givens-Davis (6-0) and senior center Alina Mamyluk (6-3).