Photo by John Napalan/Art O’Neill
The Compton girls’ basketball team made history last season under head coach Derrick Anderson, not only making the playoffs as the fourth-place team out of the Moore League, but winning a first-round game at home to advance to the second round for the first time in decades.
The truth is, it will be an uphill battle for Compton to repeat that success, since last year’s roster was loaded with experienced seniors. But Anderson is excited for the challenge of rebuilding with a roster that features just two seniors.
“We want to build on last year’s success by continuing to apply pressure to opponents and utilize speed to create turnovers and easy buckets,” said Anderson, last year’s Moore League Coach of the Year honoree.
Compton does return some key players from last year, including Iyana Paige, Makaia Smith, and N’Dya Wilson, who all started games. Freshmen Kimberly Cruz and Kaushlynn Ruffin will bring some new blood into the program.
“Kimberly plays like a seasoned vet, she’s a pass-first point guard with great court vision,” said Anderson.
LONG BEACH GIRLS’ BASKETBALL PREVIEW
Photo by John Napalan/Art O’Neill It’s shaping up to be a special girls’ basketball season in Long Beach, with three teams making appearances in the CIF Southern Section rankings to start the year as well as the reigning Moore League Player of the Year and more than half of last year’s first team
