GIRL'S BASKETBALL PREVIEW: LANCASTER HOPES TO MAKE IMPACT EAGLES COULD TEST LEADERS IN GOLDEN.

Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer

LANCASTER - The Lancaster High girls' basketball team has yet to emerge as a force in the Golden League in the five-year history of the school. The Eagles have never qualified for the CIF Southern Section playoffs, which remains one of co-head coach Orbin Love's key objectives.

``My goal is to have a varsity program that is very competitive, have a strong showing in league and make the CIF (Southern Section) playoffs,'' said Love, who shares coaching duties with Jennifer Solee.

Love said his team's biggest overall strengths are athleticism and knowledge of the game, but he is concerned his players have a tendency to let down and don't always play up to their potential.

Lancaster will have a tough time emerging as a Golden League power with defending league champion Antelope Valley, Palmdale and Quartz Hill, among others, standing in its way.

But the Eagles are off to a 5-4 start, with their most impressive win, a 63-44 victory over Bakersfield East, coming over the weekend at the Mojave Tournament. Senior De Anna Butler, the most underrated player in the league according to Love, led the Eagles with 21 points.

Butler, an athletic 5-foot-4 point guard who is averaging 17 points per game, has great floor awareness and is a dangerous player to guard in the low post and on the perimeter. Love said her leaping ability is remarkable.

``She's 5-4, but she jumps like she's 6-11,'' he said.

Senior Brittanie Radcliff, a 5-9 guard/forward, is an excellent shooter and also has solid ballhandling and rebounding skills, and Showonna Ross, a 5-11 center, shoots well and is one of the team's hardest workers. Radcliff is averaging 12 points per game and Ross is averaging nine points per game.

Seniors Gail Unverferth and Lindsey Franklin, who are both centers, give the Eagles plenty of depth in the low post. Unverferth, who has varsity-level experience, is 5-11, and the 6-3 Franklin is in her first season playing varsity ball after two junior varsity seasons.

Freshman guard Desiree Butler (De Anna's younger sister), is a strong outside shooter and runs the floor exceptionally well. She is averaging 14 points per game.

Senior Rebecca Monnette, a 5-11 center, and junior Elizabeth Brandt, a 5-10 forward, give the Eagles rebounding and defense off the bench. Juniors Courtney Whalen and Audrey Gomez, both 5-11, give an already height-rich Lancaster team added size. Whalen, an excellent outside shooter, is known more for her offense and Gomez is known more for her defense.

Senior guards Alicia Pratt and Trenia Taylor are both strong outside shooters who will be counted on to spark the Eagles off the bench.