CANYONS TAKES NO. 4 SEEDING INTO PLAYOFFS COUGARS (24-6) TO FACE NO. 13 PASADENA IN HOME OPENER.

Byline: Scott Magoloff Staff Writer

VALENCIA - The last time the College of the Canyons women's basketball team was seeded No. 4 in the Southern California regional playoffs was 1995, when it lost in the first round of the state tournament.

The deepest the Cougars have ever advanced is to the state championship game, losing in 1997.

The team this year is mostly different from the aforementioned teams. But the one constant is that all were expected to at least make the state tournament. The No. 4 Cougars (24-6) begin their run at 7 tonight, as they host No. 13 Pasadena (19-10) in the second round.

``This year, it's the deepest team I've ever had. In the past we've had great individual stars and the rest were just role people,'' coach Greg Herrick said. ``At the beginning of the season, I thought it was the best team I've ever had and they've played like that the last month and a half.''

The Cougars have won their last 12 games, dating back to the Western State Conference season opener on Jan. 5.

This is in stark contrast to the way COC began its season, losing four of its first nine games.

Freshman point guard Natalie Avanecy then was learning Herrick's system and the offense was sluggish. The ball wasn't being moved according to the offense's design.

As Avanecy improved, so did the team. In fact, she has directed the second-most potent offense in the state.

The Cougars' average of 80.4 points per game puts them behind No. 2 Santa Ana (88.1 ppg.).

As far as the Cougars are concerned, it is that frenetic pace, always pushing the ball and forcing the issue, which will help the team succeed in the playoffs.

``Sometimes we'll play in spurts,'' said Tasha Allen, who is the fourth- leading scorer in the state. ``In the first half we'll play like an unbeatable team and in the second half we won't play as hard, but we'll still win. We can't get away with that in the playoffs. Teams play different in the playoffs. Everybody is 0-0; you lose, you're out.''

The offense is the closest thing to the earlier successful teams in the program's history, although it doesn't quite match up. For instance, the 1997 Cougars averaged a state-community-college-record 95 points per game. That team also eclipsed the 100-point plateau an amazing 14 times.

``But we've played a tougher schedule this year than we ever have,'' Herrick noted. ``This year we've played the very best teams in the state.''

And that's the way it's going to be from now until the end of their season. There won't be any easy games in the playoffs.

Thus, Herrick said he has devised some ``special'' defensive sets and offensive plays for Pasadena. He especially wants to contain the Lancers' top two players, Trena Alston (17.9 ppg., 5.3 apg., 3.8 stls.) and Tyrea Smith (13.3 ppg., 4.4 apg., 2.3 stls.).

Alston scored 29 points in Pasadena's first-round victory against Chaffey, a game which the entire COC coaching staff and nine of its 12 players attended for a scouting trip.

``That's very unusual that the players took their Saturday night to scout an opponent,'' Herrick said. ``That's never happened. We've had one or two before. There's nothing I can tell them that they haven't already seen.''

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Photo: (color) Kameelah Purdom and College of the Canyons (24-6) open playoffs tonight at home against Pasadena.

Phil McCarten/Staff Photographer