Inglewood High School's Tony Scott and Hazel Ramirez are the Wave Newspapers Coach and Player of the Year, respectively, for girls basketball. (Photo by Gary McCarthy)
Story Created:
Apr 7, 2010 at 9:53 AM PST
Story Updated:
Apr 7, 2010 at 10:07 AM PST
Inglewood High School’s girls basketball team reached levels the past two seasons never experienced by the program in the past.
The driving forces behind a resurgence that has produced 61 victories, one trip to a state championship game, a Southern Section title and regional final appearance can be found on the court and the sidelines.
On the court, it’s point guard Hazel Ramirez, the Wave Newspapers Player of the Year for a second consecutive season.
From the sidelines, it’s Tony Scott, the Wave Coach of the Year for the second time in two years.
This season’s squad managed to advance nearly as far as the 2008-09 Sentinels despite heavy graduation losses.
Ramirez, the 5-foot-6 floor general who has signed with Loyola Marymount University, took a fairly inexperienced squad to a 30-6 record, the CIF-SS Division III-AA title and to the Southern Regional Division III final where the journey ended with a 56-54 loss to Bishop Amat. The Sentinels defeated Amat, 63-48 a couple of weeks earlier in the section semifinals.
Scott gave a lot of credit to Ramirez, who averaged 12.5 points, 5.1 assists, 3.8 steals per game and shot 87 percent from the free throw line. Her 39 3-point baskets also led the team.
The numbers might not jump out at you, but her ballhandling, passing and leadership was evident for those in attendance at Inglewood games. Without her, those playoff runs likely would have ended somewhat sooner.
“She put the team on her back this year because of all the starters we lost,” he said. “She had to score a little more than on the previous team. But as the season went on, she began to trust her teammates more.”
Inglewood assistant David Gray phrased it another way.
“Hazel is the key to our Rolls Royce,” he said. “She’s like our Magic Johnson, our Jason Kidd. She’s having a player-of-the-year season.”
LMU coach Julie Wilhoit is excited to be adding Ramirez, a two-time All-CIF selection who was the 2009-10 Division III-AA Player of the Year, to the program.
“Hazel is an unbelievable point guard,” Wilhoit said. “She has court vision, savvy, and passing skills. Her first look is to make a great pass, but she can also score and hit the three. She will add great depth to our point guard position after leading her high school and club teams to successful seasons.”
Scott, now in his sixth season at Inglewood, likes what he sees with the program.
With 6-1 junior Deajanae Scurry the top returnee, the Sentinels are looking to continue their successful ways next season.
“I’m really excited about the last two years and how the program has grown the past six years,” he said. “To win 60 games over two years and to be playing for a state title is not bad. A lot of good things are happening academically and athletically at Inglewood right now.”
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