The Register’s All-County girls basketball team.
FIRST TEAM
Reili Richardson
Brea Olinda, Guard, Sr.
The Register’s player of the year.
Ally Rosenblum
Mater Dei, Center, Sr.
Thrust into the role of Mater Dei’s go-to scoring option, Rosenblum proved plenty capable of taking on such a responsibility. She led the Monarchs’ youngest squad in recent memory to a 27-win season. The 6-foot-3, UCLA-bound center averaged 17.7 points per game, 8.2 rebounds and shot 54 percent from the field. She feasted on opponents who lacked size down low, and she was as dependable as any player in the county this season. She made 75 percent of her shots from the free-throw line.
Barbara Sitanggan
Troy, Guard, Sr.
No one in the county played with more effort, hustle and grit than Troy’s four-year varsity letter-winner. She capped a stellar high school career with a 26-win season and an Open Division consolation bracket championship. Sitanggan was arguably the county’s best defender, compiling more than 100 steals this season. The Pepperdine-bound guard’s point production dipped slightly (11 points per game) with the addition of Kianna Smith, but her rebounds and assist numbers spiked. She had a 5.6-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Troy played 33 games this season, and she never turned the ball over more than twice in a contest despite playing many of the top teams in Southern California.
Kianna Smith
Troy, Guard, Jr.
The skilled transfer from J.W. North of Riverside made her much-anticipated Orange County debut in early January. The junior combo guard, who has one of the smoothest shooting strokes around, finished the season as Troy’s leading scorer at 15 points per game. She had the skill to get to the hoop with ease, and her step-back jumper seemed indefensible at times. She teamed with Barbara Sitanggan to form one of the best starting backcourts in California. Smith drew Division 1 college interest from across the country as a junior, and she’ll remain in the spotlight when she returns as one of the area’s top talents next season.
Tyiona Watkins
Brea Olinda, Forward, So.
The uber-athletic wing finished as Brea Olinda’s second-leading scorer, putting up better than 16 points a game and helping capture the program’s 10th state championship. She scored 22 points in the CIF State Division I final. Watkins already possesses a strong mid-range game, and she is capable of guarding any position on the defensive end of the floor. Her teammate, Reili Richardson, is departing, but Watkins has the talent to keep the Wildcats atop the county and state hierarchy. She has already made two trips to state finals, and has the ability to keep such a streak rolling as a junior.
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ALL-COUNTY GIRLS BASKETBALL
Contact the writer: kconnolly@ocregister.com
