When it comes to girls’ basketball, Burroughs High and Burbank both have quality programs and strong coaching leadership.
The Indians are coming off a season in which they went 23-8 overall and 11-3 in the Pacific League while reaching the CIF Southern Section playoffs.
Burroughs lost a key player to graduation in Marin Grote, a 6-4 center, who averaged a double-double in points and rebounds and also played volleyball where she was a standout.
Currently Grote is at the University of Washington where she is on the women’s volleyball team.
“I expect our team to be prepared and competitive in every game,” longtime Burroughs coach Vicky Oganyan said. “As usual our league will be very tough. Arcadia, Crescenta Valley, Glendale, Burbank and Pasadena all are returning very good talent.”
It’s always exciting when the two city rivals meet.
Burroughs will host Burbank on Jan. 11 and the Bulldogs will host the Indians on Jan. 31.
The Indians, who are undefeated this season at 6-0, will very likely lean heavily on Faith Boulanger, a highly-skilled 5-11 sophomore center/power forward, who averaged 12.7 points with 7.3 rebounds and was selected all-league, first-team.
Despite being a freshman, Boulanger proved her worth early and was a major force on offensive and defensive.
Kayla Wrobel, a 5-10 sophomore power forward was a second-team, all-league pick after tossing in 5.4 points and 5.2 boards per game.
Dyani Del Castillo, a 5-8 sophomore shooting guard averaged 5.6 points and 4.4 caroms which translated into being tabbed honorable mention.
Ariana Farias is a 5-3 senior point guard and will lead the offense for Oganyan.
This job is critical because Farias sets the tone.
There are six returners from last year’s team and they include seniors Nicole Rumfola, a 5-9 small forward, Camryn Lotka, a 5-7 shooting guard, Emily Gutierrez, a 5-4 point guard and Jillian Kukawski, a 5-7 shooting guard.
There are two juniors on the squad and they are Sophie Hawkins, a 5-7 shooting guard and A’sia Morales, a 5-7 shooting guard.
The rest of the team will consist of seniors Jhazmin Pitts and Jordyn Jackson and freshman Noor Fahs.
It’s a certainty that the best player on the floor for the Bulldogs, who went 10-18 and 5-9 in league and are 5-2 this season, will be Osanna Tirityan, a 5-9 senior small forward.
“She does everything for us,” Burbank interim coach Bruce Breeden said of Tirityan, who averaged 14 points and 11 rebounds and was named all-league, first-team three consecutive years.
Sofia Aslanian, a 5-10 senior power forward, is likewise a three-year starter. “Sofia controls the boards and gives us leadership,” Breeden said.
Jayla Flowers is a 5-7 sophomore shooting guard and junior Brianna Castro is a 5-5 shooting guard.
“Jayla is a great athlete,” Breeden said of Flowers, who was an honorable mention. “Brianna is our best shooter.”
Also on the team will be Emily Monterrey, a 5-5 senior point guard, Jasmine Chavez, a 5-3 senior point guard and Roxy Payinid, a 5-6 sophomore point guard.
Rounding out the squad are Dakota Cortez, a 5-6 senior small forward, Adel Bandarian, a 5-9 junior power forward, Adrianna Cabrera, a 5-8 junior small forward and Kim Pimentel, a 5-4 sophomore point guard.
Rounding out the squad will be senior small forward Serlie Pouladian, senior small forward Knar Geghamya, junior small forward Val Martinez and sophomore guard Erika Montoya.
