By Dick Dornan
MyBurbank Sports Editor
Coming off a historic season where they won 30 games and captured a third consecutive league title, the Burroughs girls basketball team has begun to rebuild with another intense summer competition.
The Indians graduated six seniors who contributed mightily to the success of last year’s CIF semifinal run. Eight players return as Burroughs uses the summer as a springboard for the 2015-16 season.
“This group has done a pretty good job so far in the summer,” Burroughs coach Vicky Oganyan said. “We have had very competitive games against some of the top teams out there such as Chaminade, Alemany, Ribet Academy, Buena, Keppel and Canyon.”
Abbey Ibarra, Brooke Radcliff, Jordan Meltzer, Haley Wilson, Melissa Garcia, Marin Grote, Kamryn Cardenaz and Jocelyn Rieken are the returners from a squad that at one point won 26 games in a row last season.
“Our focus right now has just been strength and conditioning and individual player development and just playing games against good competition to gain experience and figure out everyone’s roles,” said Oganyan. “After that I am looking to see who will be able to also make Varsity this year. I am looking at many different kids including some incoming freshmen. The newcomers have a lot to learn but are hard workers. By the end of the summer we should have the rest of the roster figured out.”
The Lady Indians have been playing in summer leagues at Burroughs on Tuesdays and at Burbank High on Wednesdays. The weekends have consisted of tournaments up and down the coast.
Recently, JBHS played in the Ventura College Tournament and went 3-1. They beat 29 Palms, Oak Park and Slam Basketball but lost to Rio Mesa.
Next was the Saugus Tourney where the Lady Indians defeated Buena and Pacifica and dropped contests to Sierra Canyon, Hart and Saugus.
The highlight of the summer was Burroughs’ annual summer fling to San Luis Obispo where the team bonds and enjoys time together. The Lady Indians had a great trip winning five of six games at the SLO Tournament.
Here are some scores and stats from the summer:
San Luis Obispo Tourney
Burroughs 48 Righetti 37
Jordan Meltzer had 18 points and 6 steals, and Abbey Ibarra had 15 points.
Burroughs 50 San Luis Obispo 31
Kamryn Cardenaz had 9 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 steals. Brooke Radcliff had 12 points and Abbey Ibarra had 8 points. Jocelyn Rieken had 4 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals.
Burroughs 38 West Coast Extreme 16
Brooke Radcliff had 12 points and 4 rebounds. Jocelyn Rieken had 6 points and Abbey Ibarra had 7 points.
Arroyo Grande 45 Burroughs 29
Kamryn Cardenaz had 12 points and Abbey Ibarra had 5 points.
Burroughs 37 Paso Robles 35
Kamryn Cardenaz had 15 points and 5 rebounds, Abbey Ibarra had 9 points and 7 rebounds, and Jocelyn Rieken had 2 points and 6 rebounds.
Burroughs 47 Mission Prep 41
Jordan Meltzer had 12 points and Abbey Ibarra had 10 points. Jocelyn Rieken had 8 points.
Summer Leagues
Chaminade 38 Burroughs 37
Kamryn Cardenaz had 7 points, Jordan Meltzer had 8 points, and Abbey Ibarra and Brooke Radcliff had 6 points.
Canyon 38 Burroughs 31
Kamryn Cardenaz had 8 points and Brooke Radcliff had 6 points.
Alemany 38 Burroughs 36
Jordan Meltzer had 8 points and Melissa Garcia had 9 points. Brooke Radcliff had 6 points and Haley Wilson had 6 points.
