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[TheHillZ]

Girls basketball preview 2023-24: Rankings, players to watch, more

Bay Area News Group girls high school basketball preview: Archbishop Mitty’s Morgan Cheli, Piedmont’s Natalia Martinez, San Ramon Valley’s Sofia Bowes are among the top returning …

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While both are very good, I don't think OTech or SRV is quite as good as their projections. Mitty definitely is. They absolutely annihilated Carondelet in a scrimmage. Won by 50-60 points.

 

[ClayK]

Mitty might be the best team ever in NorCal.

 

[AtomicDawg1911]

Mitty might be the best team ever in NorCal.

Lol. Ok Skip

 

[GBBall4L]

Mitty might be the best team ever in NorCal.

Are we overlooking previous Mitty teams let alone Bishop O Dowd and St Mary's previous teams? Like seriously???

 

[ClayK]

I've seen them all. This team is something.

 

[GBBall4L]

I've seen them all. This team is something.

With Cheli and McKenna Woliczko you have two of the best players in their class. From what I understand they have 2 or 3 other D1 girls but I recall Mitty teams having 4-6 D1 seniors not to mention the under class girls that went D1 all on the same team. Mitty has had so many teams with Haley, Jones, Karisma Ortiz that saying the greatest Mitty team ever is a difficult statement to make. On top of that we haven't even seen this years Mitty team so how do you come to that conclusion?

 

[observer22]

He said they “might be” the best team ever in NorCal. That’s hardly a conclusion. Obviously, they still need to play out the season before any conclusions can be made.

 

[letsski]

With Cheli and McKenna Woliczko you have two of the best players in their class. From what I understand they have 2 or 3 other D1 girls but I recall Mitty teams having 4-6 D1 seniors not to mention the under class girls that went D1 all on the same team. Mitty has had so many teams with Haley, Jones, Karisma Ortiz that saying the greatest Mitty team ever is a difficult statement to make. On top of that we haven't even seen this years Mitty team so how do you come to that conclusion?

Mitty's 2006-2007 team with Danielle Robinson had 10 D1 players, with an 11th, Keilani Rickets, had D1 offers but chose softball. That team won state, as did the 2007-2008 team. But this current Mitty team is something else. There is just so much talented size and skill throughout the roster. This will be a very fun team to follow as the season progresses.

 

[GBBall4L]

Mitty's 2006-2007 team with Danielle Robinson had 10 D1 players, with an 11th, Keilani Rickets, had D1 offers but chose softball. That team won state, as did the 2007-2008 team. But this current Mitty team is something else. There is just so much talented size and skill throughout the roster. This will be a very fun team to follow as the season progresses.

How many D1 girls are on this Mitty team? Being that last season Mitty did graduate some seniors that played a lot when have we gotten the chance to see this group play this season? Mitty is Mitty. They are always dominant. Have you guys been at a secret Mitty showcase this season because I havent seen any games in MaxPreps this season?

 

[ClayK]

Mitty graduated six seniors, and I think five of them are playing D1. But Cheli was hurt most of the year. And they did add, I understand, a young point guard who has a very high ceiling -- along with their well-drilled, talented pool of younger players to draw on who know the system inside and out.

Right now they start four D-1 players taller than six feet who are capable of pressing quality high school teams. The press isn't deadly but it sets a tempo at both ends that high school teams simply cannot match.

Of course this potential might not be realized. And maybe someone gets hurt. And of course Etiwanda and Sierra Canyon and Mater Dei are loaded, and Mitty might not even win State (Folsom and SMS could beat them up here).

But the potential is there in this team to be spectacularly good.

 

[GBBall4L]

Mitty graduated six seniors, and I think five of them are playing D1. But Cheli was hurt most of the year. And they did add, I understand, a young point guard who has a very high ceiling -- along with their well-drilled, talented pool of younger players to draw on who know the system inside and out.

Right now they start four D-1 players taller than six feet who are capable of pressing quality high school teams. The press isn't deadly but it sets a tempo at both ends that high school teams simply cannot match.

Of course this potential might not be realized. And maybe someone gets hurt. And of course Etiwanda and Sierra Canyon and Mater Dei are loaded, and Mitty might not even win State (Folsom and SMS could beat them up here).

But the potential is there in this team to be spectacularly good.

Lets be clear here. Mitty is going to the Open Division State Championship again and could win it. I don't know who is at Folsom and I know SMS isnt what it was in the past but they are still top NorCal teams. But I don't see any NorCal teams truly challenging Mitty. Unless we have a dark horse somewhere but I doubt that.

 

[ClayK]

Does anyone know if Taissa Quieroz is eligible for Cardinal Newman? I asked but got no reply.

 

[colhenrylives]

Those with relatively long memories well recall those dominant Sacred Heart Prep teams of the early 1990s. They won 80 games in a row and, at one point during their run, they were 113-1, with four CIF state titles, two of them in Division I. All told, those teams contained eight Division I college scholarship players. Some of the names: Jenny Circle, Alexis Felts, Liz Rizzo, Renee Robinson, Tricia Felts, Kobe Keenan. Were they the best ever in NorCal? Maybe. They are most definitely in the conversation. Clay saw them. He knows.

 

[GBBall4L]

If you told someone new to girls hoops that Sacred Heart Prep used to be the Mitty of girls Basketball they wouldn't believe it. What happened to them? Coaching changes?

 

[ClayK]

Success comes and goes, depending more on administration than coaching changes, especially in private schools.

But Campo was once a power, for example, and there was a time Antioch had some very good teams. Skyline and Castlemont had their moments, Monta Vista and Monte Vista were both contenders, and so on.

It goes in cycles.

 

[Norcal_Fan]

Success comes and goes, depending more on administration than coaching changes, especially in private schools.

But Campo was once a power, for example, and there was a time Antioch had some very good teams. Skyline and Castlemont had their moments, Monta Vista and Monte Vista were both contenders, and so on.

It goes in cycles.

disagree 95%. When Campo had the great teams in the 90's Scott Brown, Casey and you were a huge part of that success. After Scott left, they were way down until you came back and they were good for a while (you also had a solid staff top to bottom). Berkeley is the same thing...Post Nak and Cheryl, they have gone down hill and can't keep a coach longer than 1-2 years.

In private schools SHC was a power. After harrigan left, they were ok but nowhere where they were when he was in charge. C-Let, when Gardner left it was in shambles until Kelly took over and the jury is still out on his legacy there, but it's in better shape than it was between Gardner and him. I agree though, administrations can ruin a great program...look at St. Mary's of berkeley. man, what a power they could have been.

 

[ClayK]

In the short run, coaching is huge. In the long run, it's administration.

It's just like every level. Look at Cal -- horrible administration and Sonny Dykes couldn't win there. He goes somewhere they care about football and he's good.

The NFL and NBA, the same. Bad owners like Daniel Snyder doom franchises over time. Good owners will, in the long run, deliver good teams.

 

[GBBall4L]

Don't forget Coach Hip and St Joseph Notre Dame also. They ran him out and have been a dormat since with no sign of ever playing high level basketball.

 

[Norcal_Fan]

In the short run, coaching is huge. In the long run, it's administration.

It's just like every level. Look at Cal -- horrible administration and Sonny Dykes couldn't win there. He goes somewhere they care about football and he's good.

The NFL and NBA, the same. Bad owners like Daniel Snyder doom franchises over time. Good owners will, in the long run, deliver good teams.

top to bottom, Cal must be one of the worst Power 5 schools in the county. to say they don't care about athletics is a HUGE understatement.

 

[colhenrylives]

Cal does care. But, unfortunately, the cash flow and ready dollars simply aren't there to pay for a true top-tier athletic program. In debt and under-funded, the Bears struggle to finance their teams, both male and female, at the level necessary for serious success. Money is the mother's milk of college sports. Make no mistake about it.

 

[ClayK]

I do not believe Cal's administration is committed to winning. Carol Christ said just that, saying something along the lines of "We are not that concerned with winning; we want to compete."

The incompetent AD she extended for seven years has a contract, according to sources, that lays out goals such as graduation rates, participation in the 30 (way too many) intercollegiate sports and fundraising. There is no mention of success in the two sports that drive everything, football and men's basketball.

If Cal were serious about winning, an AD with no P5 experience, and a background of Rensellaer Polytechnic and a scandal-ridden Air Force, would never have been hired, much less extended for seven years.

 

[Norcal_Fan]

Cal does care. But, unfortunately, the cash flow and ready dollars simply aren't there to pay for a true top-tier athletic program. In debt and under-funded, the Bears struggle to finance their teams, both male and female, at the level necessary for serious success. Money is the mother's milk of college sports. Make no mistake about it.

While that may be true, when was the last time Cal had a winning program and by winning not just above 500? There are many teams that consistely do better with MUCH less. The people Cal hires is off the chart stupid and total head scratcher. The people they keep is even worse. Look at their gymnastics coach who they sheltered and Neil McGuire the soccer coach who was blased by former players for inflicting trauma, yet still remains.

 

[ClayK]

And they still haven't settled the Terri McKeever case.