The season is still young, but the Culver City High School girls’ varsity basketball team needs an identity check. The team has talent, but they are young and somewhat inexperienced. The 6-6 Lady Centaurs will need to grow up fast because in a few weeks they will start league play in a very good Bay League. Palos Verdes is currently 10-0, Mira Costa is 8-1, Redondo Union is 5-2 and although Santa Monica and Peninsula currently have losing records, they are always competitive.
“The league is going to be tough as always and we are going to have to figure out how to come together as a group,” said Culver City girls head coach Julian Anderson.
Starting his 17th season as the girls’ basketball coach, 15 years as the head coach Anderson still has that competitive spirit that has made him one of the most successful high school girls basketball coaches in California. During his 15 years as the head coach, he has a record of 270 wins and 150 losses. That’s a pretty good winning percentage. Anderson is hoping this year’s team will get some on the job training fast. “Once they learn how to become a team and stay together, they will actually be alright. Right now, that’s the battle.”
The battle started last summer and fall when some of the new players were introduced to his summer and fall workouts on the track. “A lot of them did not understand how hard the workouts are,” said Anderson. “The environment is different, and the pace is different, but they did the work.”
One of the girls that has appeared to except the challenge of getting better is junior Londyn Jones. Against Immaculate Heart a few weeks ago Jones was fighting for loose balls and diving on the floor for 50-50 balls. On one particular play, Jones and Zion Fergurson of Immaculate Heart got into a wrestling match over a loose ball on the floor. “Sometimes I let my emotions get to me and that affects how I play,” said Jones. “I need to work on that to be able to play better. But I have a love for the game. I don’t like losing.”
Jones is trying to get used to playing in front of big crowds. “I am not really use to it yet but I’m learning how to deal with the crowds. It’s a lot of pressure but when I am playing, I need to block out all the crowd noise and other distractions. I need to be able to block out the noise and just focus on the game.”
Jones thinks the Centaurs can pull together and have a winning season. “I feel like we need to be more together as a team. I feel like we have a long way to go but during the rest of the year I think we can get the job done and win games. If we pull together that will help us win games. That’s our main goal.”
