Even with star guard Alex Price knocked out for the season with a knee injury, the Scotts Valley High varsity girls basketball team just keeps winning.
The team, following the lead of senior Kelsey LaPorte and junior Liz Munger, is 8-1 in preseason play after sweeping through three games at the Lady Cougar Classic at San Lorenzo Valley High over the weekend.
LaPorte was named tournament MVP, and Munger made the all-tournament team with her play.
The team’s four seniors, LaPorte, Price, Katrina Silver and Sonya Gustaffson, are team captains, and coach Jim Hart raves about his team’s smarts on and off the court.
“These kids are all incredibly intelligent girls,” Hart said.
Not only do they pick up the game plan on the court, but six of the players have grade-point averages over 4.0, and the team GPA is over 3.8.
But Hart has a simple goal for the team in each game: score 50 points.
Since Hart took over as coach two seasons ago, the Falcons are 33-3 in games when they scored 50 or more and 2-30 in games when they scored 49 or less. This season is no exception, as the Falcons have scored more than 50 in all of their wins and scored 31 in their sole loss, a 40-31 defeat at the hands of North Salinas in early December.
Hart employs a full-court and half-court press and uses an eight-player rotation to keep everyone fresh.
“They’re in great shape,” he said.
LaPorte and Munger average more than 15 points each per contest, and LaPorte notched a triple-double earlier this season with 28 points, 10 rebounds and 10 steals in one game.
After Christmas, the team will travel to Lake Tahoe to play twice before Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League play begins Jan. 5 against Aptos High.
“Every night in this league is a battle,” Hart said. “If we play well, we’ll be one of the top three teams in league.”
Santa Cruz, St. Francis and Aptos highs will be top opponents, and valley rival SLV is no slouch this season, making each game important once league play starts.
“This is one of the few leagues where there are no easy wins out there,” Hart said.
Last season, the Falcons reached the Central Coast Section playoffs and won their first two games before bowing out in the third round.
“This year we’re trying to go further,” Hart said.
