Agoura Girls Look To Make New Impact in Hoops

While the Agoura girls' basketball team is not exactly rebuilding, it did lose six players from last year's Southern Section runner-up team that won its first 30 games.

Even with two Marmonte League wins without a loss, Charger coach Steve Scifres thinks the way the schedule breaks down could be beneficial.

While Agoura (6-3, 2-0) has beaten Moorpark once and Thousand Oaks twice – the first time being in the Buena-Kiwanis Tournament in Ventura -- the Chargers are focused on tournaments during winter break, participating in the Santa Barbara tournament through today, followed by the Oaks Christian tournament  beginning on Monday.

"I think it's going to be very beneficial for us," Scifres said. "We have a lot of work to do and we have a lot of progress to make. And to be able to have those games in between our opening stretch and league, I think is going to benefit us."

"We're going to be playing some tough competition, and I'll probably be happy with just playing well, to the best of our ability."

With only four returning players from last year's team, including junior guard Kylie Cunningham, senior center Camille Mahlknecht and senior guard Samantha Fisher, the Chargers are a work in progress but seem to be gelling.

"The important thing is that we will be ready for league play, and ready to play to the best of our capability," said Scifres. "That's the beauty of the season. You go through the exhibition season, the summer and fall, and you try to get better each day."

Mahlknecht, who registered a triple double Dec. 15 against Thousand Oaks, agreed with her coach.

"Having two freshmen and four people with their first year on varsity, it's going to be a tough transition," Mahlknecht said. "But we've been doing well, and it just takes experience. We've been able to get some wins, and I'm optimistic."

Last year, Cunningham averaged 14.2 points and 6.2 assists, Mahlknecht had 8.5 points and 7.7 rebounds, Fisher averaged 6.9 points, as Agoura finished 30-2, including 14-0 in league.

"As long as we're learning, and as long as we make what I call aggressive mistakes, where we're hustling and all (of) that stuff, I'm still going to be happy," said Scifres. "But I do have to understand as a coach that there are going to be some growing pains. As long as we're growing from it, I'm going to be OK and try to be as patient as I can."