Barstow looking to build on breakout

Michelle Gardner, Staff Writer San Bernardino Sun
Article Launched: 11/08/2006 12:00:00 AM PST

For the Barstow College women's basketball team, the 2005 season was a pleasant surprise with a disappointing ending. The Vikings posted a 19-11 mark, the best in school history. Yet when it came time for the playoffs, their power ranking fell just short.

Veteran coach Kim Ensing and the Vikings are looking to right that wrong as the new season gets underway this week. The Vikings, third in the Foothill Conference last year behind Rio Hondo and Antelope Valley, should challenge for top honors again with three solid starters returning.

Ensing, starting her ninth year at the helm, is hoping the strong showing last year set a new standard of expectations in the program.

"Every year is different, especially at this level where you have so much turnover every two years," she said. "But I hope we set a precedent for teams to come. That team had a unique chemistry but this team also has that kind of potential."

Two key performers departed, with Danah Smith off to Cal Poly Pomona and Annie Ritsick now at Cal State Stanislaus, but there is plenty of reason for optimism. Among those returning are forwards Kim Fox (13.3 ppg, 8.8 rpg) and Cindy Fannin (7.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg) and guard Tiffany Green (9.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 3.4 apg).

Also among the veterans are reserve guards Madalynn Sifford and Sabrina Ortiz. The team will be bolstered by the return of 6-foot-1 center Anaka Robertson, who played as a freshman but was out with an injury last season.

The Vikings should be solid in the paint with Robertson, Fox and Green. They also have impact freshmen in 5-11 center Rachel Barnes and 5-7 forward Brittney Pham.

Last year's success came despite turnovers that came in bunches.

But Ensing thinks that shouldn't be as much of a sore spot this time around.

"I think the problem wasn't as much our ballhandling as the decision-making," she said. "Our guards gained a lot of experience last year so I don't think it will be as much of a problem."

Green and Ortiz are both Barstow natives and freshman guard Angela Stone is from nearby Hesperia. But as usual, the balance of the roster consists of players from the Las Vegas area. Nevada does not have junior college athletics so its student-athletes are offered in-state tuition rates through a "good neighbor" policy.

"We have had a lot of luck getting athletes from there," Ensing said. "A lot of the kids from here want to leave and go away for college."

Barstow is likely the best bet of area teams to wrestle away a conference title from the usual powers.

San Bernardino Valley College won two of its last three games a year ago with one of those wins being an upset of Antelope Valley.

The Wolverines won just four games but are in position to at least double that total with coach Sue Crebbin having a full roster for the first time.

"Last year it was tough keeping five on the court," she said. "I think we're going to surprise some people this season."

New Victor Valley coach Lana Tomlin finds herself in the same position Crebbin was in last year, being appointed so late to where there was no chance to recruit. She has just six players now, with two more coming in after fall sports are over.

"We do have some kids with a great competitive spirit and they don't like losing," she said.

Newspaper Article Archives 2005-06

Desert Dispatch

Barstow College women look to turn things around

Vikings Look to Extend Streak

Barstow women on pace for record season

Barstow pulls off upset

San Bernardino Sun

Women's college capsules-11/9/2005

Vikings shoot for first place

Apple Valley Press

Barstow ends AVC's 21-game conference streak