There was never an off day in the Del Rey League last season in girls basketball.
Serra, Bishop Montgomery, St. Bernard, Bishop Amat and St. Paul provided one of the state's top league environments, and the consolation prize was they were able to go their separate ways and dominate their respective playoff brackets.
Not anymore.
Not only will the Del Rey League teams have to survive another grueling league schedule, they are all grouped together in a super division known as the CIF Southern Section Division IV-AA playoffs.
It is one big Division IV-AA family.
"There is no escape," St. Bernard coach Bo Corona said. "There is no easy way out."
Division IV-AA is a beast of a bracket, a conglomerate of private school powers with a mix of some tough public schools.
In addition to Serra, Bishop Montgomery and St. Bernard, there is Windward, Chaminade, Notre Dame/Sherman Oaks, St. Anthony, Bell-Jeff, JSerra, Centennial, Laguna Beach, Muir, Oaks Christian, Rosary, Cerritos Valley Christian, Santa Maria St. Joseph, Chadwick, Pasadena Poly and Santa Clara.
Yikes.
Most of these teams are regulars in section finals and regional play. But now they will be in one bracket, knocking each other off one by one.
"This division is just stacked," Bishop Montgomery coach Alexa Johnson said. "It's tough all around. There are going to be a lot of opportunities to compete."
So how do the South Bay schools stack up?
Serra might be best suited for a deep run after taking in a trio of high-profile transfers.
Bishop Montgomery should benefit from the return of star Devon Brookshire from an ACL injury and the return of Johnson as head coach.
St. Bernard has the luxury of sophomore Lajahna Drummer, who is emerging as one of the nation's top players, and sharp-shooting Chyanne Butler.
"Once you play in our league, our division is just an extension of our league," Serra coach McKinsey Hadley said. "I don't think it gets any tougher than our league. It gets you ready for anything else you're going to see.
"I know Division IV-AA is stacked beyond belief, but looking at the teams, there's not one team I see that I don't think we can beat."
There's reason for Serra's optimism.
First, 6-foot-2 center Rejane Verin returns for her senior campaign. She is an inside force who has already committed to UNLV but is still drawing the interest of Georgetown among others.
Also returning are last season's transfers in Simone and Siera Thompson.
Simone is a 5-8 senior guard and Siera is a 5-7 junior guard who provides some sharpshooting and prolific scoring capabilities.
Then there are the transfers.
Deandrea Toler is a 5-5 junior point guard from Morningside who gives Serra instant credibility in this division, someone who can handle the ball in place of 2010 Daily Breeze Player of the Year Bria Richardson (Pepperdine).
Toler's Morningside teammate Tatianna Howard, a 6-2 senior forward, also transferred to Serra.
Erika Carson is a 6-0 senior forward from New Millennium in Carson who Hadley said he likes to call "Karl Malone's little sister," adding "she's built like a man - I hate doing drills with her."
Suddenly Serra has a ballhandler, perimeter threats and an imposing frontcourt.
It also is a perfect complement to returners Caila Hailey (5-9 sophomore forward) and Nicole Collins (5-11 senior forward).
"I'm really tremendously excited about this season and about the competition," Hadley said. "We've never been this deep. I feel confident in 12 girls. I would feel confident starting my 12th girl. I'm excited."
So is Bishop Montgomery, which beat Serra three times last season.
Brookshire returns after missing last season's entire postseason with an ACL injury. She missed 10 months but has said she feels strong.
"I've been nothing but impressed with her," Johnson said. "She's handled the injury mentally and physically in the best way a coach can ask for. I'm extremely impressed with where she is right now."
Johnson, who coached Bishop Montgomery to a CIF final and a regional final two years ago, returns and already has been conditioning her team, especially with Brookshire continuing her rehab.
"We've done a lot of conditioning. I'm kind of crazy that way. The girls know," Johnson said. "They're never excited about conditioning until they see what it can do for them. I tell them no basketball until we're in shape.
"They joke they run more than our track team."
In addition to Brookshire, Bishop Montgomery returns a highly skilled 5-4 senior point guard in Lauren Martin and an athletic 5-8 senior guard/forward in Airiona Sampson, two players with plenty of big-time experience.
Johnson said she is also looking for big things from 5-6 senior guard and lockdown defender Kim Willis and 5-6 junior guard and sharpshooter Dani Lee to help overcome the losses of Kristen Ale (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo), Chelsey Aaron (UC Riverside, academics) and Ashton Reid (Occidental College).
Freshman 5-6 guard Christine Delapina is already making an impact.
"We definitely have the tools to make a big playoff run again," Johnson said.
St. Bernard also proved it is a legitimate threat last season, advancing to the CIF State Division V final.
Drummer is a 6-2 sophomore who is drawing interest from LSU, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Arizona, Washington, Cal and UCLA, among others. She maintains St. Bernard's inside presence without Kacy Swain (UCLA) and Destini French (Montana State).
Butler is a sophomore who grew four inches in the past season. She is overcoming a broken nose sustained six weeks ago but is dangerous behind the 3-point arc.
Four-year players Gabrielle Adoh (5-9 senior forward) and Brianna Willis (5-10 senior forward) provide valuable experience. Also returning is 5-9 sophomore forward Michelle Curry, 5-6 sophomore guard DeMoria White and 5-8 senior guard AJ. Ford (three-year varsity player).
St. Bernard also got a Price transfer in Chenelle Pelle, a 6-2 sophomore.
"Last year we had solid leaders, but this young group might have more talent," Corona said.
Serra, Bishop Montgomery, St. Bernard, Bishop Amat and St. Paul provided one of the state's top league environments, and the consolation prize was they were able to go their separate ways and dominate their respective playoff brackets.
Not anymore.
Not only will the Del Rey League teams have to survive another grueling league schedule, they are all grouped together in a super division known as the CIF Southern Section Division IV-AA playoffs.
It is one big Division IV-AA family.
"There is no escape," St. Bernard coach Bo Corona said. "There is no easy way out."
Division IV-AA is a beast of a bracket, a conglomerate of private school powers with a mix of some tough public schools.
In addition to Serra, Bishop Montgomery and St. Bernard, there is Windward, Chaminade, Notre Dame/Sherman Oaks, St. Anthony, Bell-Jeff, JSerra, Centennial, Laguna Beach, Muir, Oaks Christian, Rosary, Cerritos Valley Christian, Santa Maria St. Joseph, Chadwick, Pasadena Poly and Santa Clara.
Yikes.
Most of these teams are regulars in section finals and regional play. But now they will be in one bracket, knocking each other off one by one.
"This division is just stacked," Bishop Montgomery coach Alexa Johnson said. "It's tough all around. There are going to be a lot of opportunities to compete."
So how do the South Bay schools stack up?
Serra might be best suited for a deep run after taking in a trio of high-profile transfers.
Bishop Montgomery should benefit from the return of star Devon Brookshire from an ACL injury and the return of Johnson as head coach.
St. Bernard has the luxury of sophomore Lajahna Drummer, who is emerging as one of the nation's top players, and sharp-shooting Chyanne Butler.
"Once you play in our league, our division is just an extension of our league," Serra coach McKinsey Hadley said. "I don't think it gets any tougher than our league. It gets you ready for anything else you're going to see.
"I know Division IV-AA is stacked beyond belief, but looking at the teams, there's not one team I see that I don't think we can beat."
There's reason for Serra's optimism.
First, 6-foot-2 center Rejane Verin returns for her senior campaign. She is an inside force who has already committed to UNLV but is still drawing the interest of Georgetown among others.
Also returning are last season's transfers in Simone and Siera Thompson.
Simone is a 5-8 senior guard and Siera is a 5-7 junior guard who provides some sharpshooting and prolific scoring capabilities.
Then there are the transfers.
Deandrea Toler is a 5-5 junior point guard from Morningside who gives Serra instant credibility in this division, someone who can handle the ball in place of 2010 Daily Breeze Player of the Year Bria Richardson (Pepperdine).
Toler's Morningside teammate Tatianna Howard, a 6-2 senior forward, also transferred to Serra.
Erika Carson is a 6-0 senior forward from New Millennium in Carson who Hadley said he likes to call "Karl Malone's little sister," adding "she's built like a man - I hate doing drills with her."
Suddenly Serra has a ballhandler, perimeter threats and an imposing frontcourt.
It also is a perfect complement to returners Caila Hailey (5-9 sophomore forward) and Nicole Collins (5-11 senior forward).
"I'm really tremendously excited about this season and about the competition," Hadley said. "We've never been this deep. I feel confident in 12 girls. I would feel confident starting my 12th girl. I'm excited."
So is Bishop Montgomery, which beat Serra three times last season.
Brookshire returns after missing last season's entire postseason with an ACL injury. She missed 10 months but has said she feels strong.
"I've been nothing but impressed with her," Johnson said. "She's handled the injury mentally and physically in the best way a coach can ask for. I'm extremely impressed with where she is right now."
Johnson, who coached Bishop Montgomery to a CIF final and a regional final two years ago, returns and already has been conditioning her team, especially with Brookshire continuing her rehab.
"We've done a lot of conditioning. I'm kind of crazy that way. The girls know," Johnson said. "They're never excited about conditioning until they see what it can do for them. I tell them no basketball until we're in shape.
"They joke they run more than our track team."
In addition to Brookshire, Bishop Montgomery returns a highly skilled 5-4 senior point guard in Lauren Martin and an athletic 5-8 senior guard/forward in Airiona Sampson, two players with plenty of big-time experience.
Johnson said she is also looking for big things from 5-6 senior guard and lockdown defender Kim Willis and 5-6 junior guard and sharpshooter Dani Lee to help overcome the losses of Kristen Ale (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo), Chelsey Aaron (UC Riverside, academics) and Ashton Reid (Occidental College).
Freshman 5-6 guard Christine Delapina is already making an impact.
"We definitely have the tools to make a big playoff run again," Johnson said.
St. Bernard also proved it is a legitimate threat last season, advancing to the CIF State Division V final.
Drummer is a 6-2 sophomore who is drawing interest from LSU, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Arizona, Washington, Cal and UCLA, among others. She maintains St. Bernard's inside presence without Kacy Swain (UCLA) and Destini French (Montana State).
Butler is a sophomore who grew four inches in the past season. She is overcoming a broken nose sustained six weeks ago but is dangerous behind the 3-point arc.
Four-year players Gabrielle Adoh (5-9 senior forward) and Brianna Willis (5-10 senior forward) provide valuable experience. Also returning is 5-9 sophomore forward Michelle Curry, 5-6 sophomore guard DeMoria White and 5-8 senior guard AJ. Ford (three-year varsity player).
St. Bernard also got a Price transfer in Chenelle Pelle, a 6-2 sophomore.
"Last year we had solid leaders, but this young group might have more talent," Corona said.
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Source: Tony Ciniglio, Staff Writer, Daily Breeze