Girls basketball preview: Rebuilding blocks

Richard Dunn

NEWPORT BEACH - With nowhere to go but up, Newport Harbor High’s

girls basketball team expects a nothing-to-lose approach under first-year

head coach Glenn Albios in the 2000-01 campaign.

As though the remnants of a 4-23 season last year (0-8 in the Sea View

League) are forgotten, the Sailors intend to open a few eyes with

returning starters Evita Castillo, a 5-foot-11 junior center/forward, and

sophomore point guard Athena Vasquez.

“They’ll be the main focus of our offense,” said Albios, whose squad

features three freshmen and three sophomores, along with three juniors

and two seniors (Brianna Brooks and Melissa Scharfe).

“I look forward to having a good season. We’re going to surprise a lot

of people this year, because I think we have a good team ... the future’s

looking good right now, I’m telling you.”

Albios, who was hired in late July at the end of the Sailors’ summer

program, was a junior varsity coach last season at Newport Harbor, his

first stint back on the bench since 1990, when Albios was an Agoura Hills

freshman hoops coach.

“I just heard about a job opening (last year) and wanted to get back

into (coaching),” said Albios, a Rancho Santa Margarita resident. “I

didn’t want to rush coaching the varsity level, but it just opened up and

I thought I’d give it a try.”

Along with a fresh attitude, Albios believes his Harbor squad is

“athletic” with “a lot of talented freshmen this year in the program.”

Castillo, an honorable mention All-Sea View League choice last year,

will probably be forced to play center because of the Sailors’ lack of

height.

Brooks, a returning 5-9 player, will likely start at forward. But

Brooks, Castillo and Vasquez are the only players back from a year ago.

“We’re not very tall, so we’ll try to push the tempo up quite a bit

and take advantage of our speed and athleticism,” Albios said.

Newport Harbor apparently lost returning center Lindsay Woller for the

entire season because of various conflicts, but Albios said there’s a

“possibility” she could return at some point in the campaign.

Of the Sailors’ top newcomers, Amanda Campbell, a 5-10 sophomore, is one of the team’s best defensive players and could see time at center or

forward.

Junior Nadja Topalovic, the top player on Albios’ JV team last season,

will start at guard alongside freshman Jillianne Whitfield.

“(Whitfield) is real talented,” Albios said. “She’s only a freshman

and one of the great ballhandlers. We’ll rely on her for some outside

shooting, as well.”

One of Albios’ first players off the bench will be junior Sara Gorman,

the team’s best three-point shooter, while 5-8 freshman Alexis Kerns, 5-8

sophomore Tiffany Linsday and 5-3 freshman guard Krystal Mino will be

role players.

Scharfe is suffering from a knee injury and trying to avoid surgery,

Albios said. But she could also return to the floor in a month.

“(Scharfe) is one of my bangers,” Albios said. “She’s my Horace Grant,

or will be.”

Kerns is an aggressive player who will post up or play the outside,

while Linsday is considered another good shooter. Mino will start the

season as a backup point guard.

“We’ll be all right,” Albios said. “We’ve just got to get them in a

basketball mode ... we’re going to be up and coming.”

NEWPORT HARBOR girls basketball

10 Amanda Campbell 5-10 So.

11 Alexis Kerns 5-8 Fr.

12 Nadja Topalovic 5-4 Jr.

15 Melissa Scharfe 5-8 Sr.

21 Jillianne Whitfield 5-7 Fr.

22 Krystal Mino 5-3 Fr.

23 Evita Castillo 5-11 Jr.

24 Athena Vasquez 5-5 So.

32 Tiffany Linsday 5-8 So.

34 Brianna Brooks 5-9 Sr.

44 Sara Gorman 5-8 Jr.

Coach: Glenn Albios