Laguna braces for Newport Harbor

Mike Sciacca

It’s been a nearly a week since the Laguna Beach High girls’

basketball team has been together on the court, but Stacy Howard’s

eager crew is finally getting in some practice time in preparation

for its final nonleague game of the season.

The Breakers will visit Newport Harbor at 7 p.m. Thursday in a

nonleague clash.

It’s the team’s final tuneup before they launch Pacific Coast

League play on Jan. 14 by hosting Corona del Mar.

“We’re excited to be back on the court,” Howard said during a

shoot-around the team held on New Year’s Eve day. “It’s been a while

since the girls have been together.”

Laguna has not played since competing in the El Cajon Tournament,

which concluded Dec. 21.

The Breakers, 4-7 overall, finished fifth among the 16 tournament

teams, Howard said, but the Breakers coach said that neither she nor

the team were happy with their overall performance.

“We just felt we didn’t play too well,” she said. “But on the plus

side, we took on some new schools that we normally would not play,

teams that were both quick and athletic, and we were able to work out

some kinks.”

The tournament also served as the full return of senior post

player Lizzy Friedman, who had sat out the first part of the season

with a foot injury.

It was the first time this season in which Friedman had joined

fellow senior post player Leslie Schmalzried in the lineup.

The Breakers, Howard said, should see a third senior post player,

Katie Gallagher, return to the team on Monday.

Back problems have kept Gallagher sidelined.

“It will be great to have our team getting back to full capacity,”

Howard said. “It’s been a long time since we’ve all played together.”

With the Pacific Coast League race looming, Howard said her

players could sneak up on some teams.

“The [race] will be a tough, as always, but I see us being very

competitive. In fact, I think we’ll surprise a few people,” she said.