(Prep2Prep takes a look at the anticipated top five boys and girls basketball teams in the greater Bay Area. Today we feature the St. Ignatius girls):
The St. Ignatius girls are poised for success in 2014-2015.
Josie Little and Sydney Raggio are an ideal duo for the defending CCS Open champs. Each is a 6-foot-1 senior and has anchored the front line of the St.
Ignatius Wildcats the past couple of seasons. Each blends seamlessly into a versatile, team-first offense. Last year the Wildcats finished 26-5 overall, 10-2 in the WCAL. They lost to Sacred Heart Cathedral in the WCAL championship game, but routed the short-handed Fightin’ Irish, 55-36, where it counted more. The foray into the CIF Playoffs (Open Division) was short-lived, as St. Ignatius lost to Salesian in the first round.
The roster this season is loaded with upperclassmen, and only upperclassmen: eight seniors and four juniors. Point guard Joleen Yang, shooting guard Addi Walters are likely to start, with the other spot probably going to Brianna Beckman. Janessa Manzano Erin Hanley, Tyler Brown, as well as the only returning player from last year’s sophomore class, Nahrie Pierce, will also flesh out the rotation. Yang and Manzano each shot better than 40 percent from beyond the arc in 2013-14. Little and Raggio were second and third in scoring behind senior Quinci Mann. Overall, nine players from last season return. And ittle, Raggio, and Beckman have all been playing varsity since their freshman year.
Head coach Mike Mulkerrins calls Little and Raggio “athletic, big and strong – key pieces to the team.” While they have the respect of the players, “each player holds herself accountable,” Mulkerrins said.
Mulkerrins and and Wildcats are also aware of the buzz surrounding the squad.
“They all have very high expectations of themselves and of their teammates. There’s lots of expectations within the group
itself and from the outside.”
Mulkerrins is 179-69 since taking over in 2006. Yet postseason gold has eluded the Wildcats. Sacred Heart Cathedral is their
biggest rival and most frequent roadblock in that regard, while St. Mary’s-Stockton and Salesian has also ended their hopes inrecent years. He says the “little things” can end up being the difference-maker in a game and acknowledges that no matter how strong the roster there is room for improvement.
“They are unselfish, motivated, and focused. If we go out and compete and learn from ourselves we can make a nice run out of this.”
Mulkerrins says the staff purposely stepped up the difficulty in the preseason. That includes skipping the Leo LaRocca Sand Dune Classic in favor of the West Coast Jamboree, Platinum Division, where they will face off against McClatchy in the pening round.
St. Ignatius entertains a quartet of tough teams at the La Jolla Country Day Tournament in San Diego, December 3-6. The
Wildcats also host Bishop O’Dowd on December 12, meet SoCal giant Lynwood in the Elite Shootout at Laney College the very next day, have an away game January 3 at Berkeley, and a date with Reno, Nevada’s Bishop Manogue at the Martin Luther King Jr. Showcase at St. Mary’s-Stockton January 19. “We (wanted to) test ourselves early,” Mulkerrins said. “If we play together as a team, we’ll do just fine.”
The aspiration, then, is to prepare the club for a postseason run. Of course, first the Wildcats must make it through the WCAL, a grand enough feat in itself given the presence of the Sacred Heart Cathedrals, the Mittys et al.
“Every coach in our league is so good that any team can be beaten on any given night,”