January 9, 2007

Westmont waiting for first league victory under new coach

Promising preseason in Morgan-Riley era

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Westmont is gelling with a new, run and gun system implemented by first year girls’ basketball coach Jane Morgan-Riley this season.

First year Westmont Coach Jane Morgan-Riley (right) offers Scotts Valley transfer Stephanie Priest direction at practice this week. Photo by Justin Petersen

Yet, the Warriors (6-5, 0-2) dropped two straight to open league last week, after nobly navigating a top-flight schedule through preseason.

“We played two of the most competitive teams in the league,” said Riley following the Jan. 5 loss at Piedmont Hills.

The Warriors fell 44-34 at Piedmont. “We started out really good, but the little things got us,” said Riley.

Westmont fell behind 27-19 by half and never recovered, despite a game high 14 points dumped in by senior guard Megan Scheibli.

Junior point guard Kelly Gregg was the second highest scoring Warrior, good for seven points and one three pointer on the night.

Preceding league play, the Warriors cruised to six preseason wins, including one over Homestead on the eve of a cheery jaunt to the Del Mar Christmas Tournament Championship.

There the Warriors narrowly lost 49-43 to Mountain View, the Mercury News’ 13th ranked girls’ basketball team in the Central Coast Section.

While Westmont must make a swift recovery to improve on its early effort, Riley said that shouldn’t be a problem, considering the girls’ abilities on the court.

“If all goes according to plan, we will make CCS,” she said. “What we need to work on is just the fundamentals; squaring up, making the two footers. Everybody nowadays is about the three-point shot, but I am old school—I want to pound it inside. If we can just do the fundamentals, make short shots and make good passes, we’ll be fine.”

Westmont has not lost by more than 10 points to an opponent this season, according to Coach Riley.

“Our plan is to hopefully go 9-5 in league,” she said. “The highlight of the season has been putting in a new system and the girls picking it up so quickly. They have done a great job. They are a great bunch of girls.”

The success of Riley’s philosophy will largely depend on the speed of point guard Gregg this season. “Kelly is a great ball handler,” said Riley. “She gets down the floor, and that’s where our team’s quickness comes from. She just hits the wings on fast breaks and goes.”

Gregg’s options to distribute the ball include captain Scheibli and junior Stephanie Priest, a promising transfer from Scotts Valley.

“Megan Scheibli is the leader of the team,” said Riley. “She is a good outside shooter, but she can also drive. She is very aggressive on defense.”

Priest meanwhile is a presence on perimeter, driving to the basket or down low from a post position. “She is a good all around player,” said Riley.

When things are clicking for the Warriors, it will be hard to slow them down.

Riley described a moment during the game versus favored Homestead, where everything came together for Westmont.

Trailing by two points with seconds remaining before half, Riley called a timeout. A moment later, Priest converted on a Scheibli lob that Riley had called to expose a weakness that she had detected in the Mustang defense.

Westmont went on to win 48-47, harnessing momentum as they headed into the Del Mar tournament.

“Offensively we want to run, fast break, get the ball and go,” said Riley. “If we don’t have anything on the break, then we slow down and set it up. Defensively, we switch it up. We go both man and zone, depending on the quickness of the opponent, but we put a lot of pressure on the ball, regardless.”

Riley inherited the program this year from 8-year veteran John Mackey who enjoyed success of late, challenging Leigh and Leland for the top spots amongst A-league Mount Hamilton Division competitors. Mackey molded an insurgence of Warrior talent in recent years, which included stars Lynley Takaki and Rachel Gellman.

Upon her hire, Riley abandoned Mackey’s system that featured zone attacks and firing threes.

Riley said the challenge for her Warriors has been polishing fundamentals, while the systematic concepts have permeated players’ games. “We just need to improve on the little things like fundamentals,” said Riley. “We are doing well on the big things like running the offense and shooting the ball well and blocking out.”