Gientke Led Way for No. 1 Ventura

VENTURA — Away from the basketball court, Alex Gientke volunteers at a retirement home, helping the elderly feel a little younger.

On the court this season, she did everything within her ability to make opposing coaches feel a lot older.

Ventura High’s senior guard was quite successful.

Gientke, The Times’ Ventura County player of the year, was the top player on the region’s top girls’ team.

She didn’t lead the region in any statistical category, but her team led the region in victories.

With Gientke at shooting guard, the Cougars (25-2) won three tournaments and shared the Channel League championship for only the second time in 24 seasons.

It certainly wouldn’t have happened without the 5-foot-10 sharpshooter.

“She’s the kind of player opponents love to hate,” said a rival coach.

The comment was meant as a supreme compliment.

Gientke, who has signed with Santa Clara, played hard-nosed, emotional basketball, often unnerving opponents.

She wasn’t the tallest, quickest or most gifted player in the region, but few could match her clutch performances.

If Ventura needed a big rebound, it was Gientke who usually got it. If the Cougars needed a crucial defensive stop, she routinely delivered. A three-point basket? She’d pop one without hesitation.

Gientke, a four-year starter and three-time all-county selection, averaged 16.3 points, shot better than 47% from the field and finishes as Ventura’s No. 2 career scorer with 1,409 points.

As a senior, she also contributed 3.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.8 steals and made better than 72% of her free throws.

Gientke had a typically solid 16 points and eight rebounds in the Cougars’ most memorable game, a 67-55 victory over rival Buena in a regular-season finale.

The victory clinched a share of the Cougars’ first league title since 1991 and ended Buena’s 73-game league winning streak.

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Player of the Year: Alex Gientke

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Glenn Gray II / Ventura

Coach of the Year

25-2

Assistants: Glenn Gray Sr., Joe Bova, Paul Tafoya.

Led Cougars to school record for victories, captured three tournament titles and a share of first Channel League championship since 1991.

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Jennifer Lacy / Agoura

6-1, Forward

Junior

The best all-around athlete in the Marmonte League, Lacy averaged 17 points and 13.7 rebounds to lead the Chargers to a second-place tie and their first playoff victory in more than eight seasons.

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Alex Gientke / Ventua

5-10, Guard

Senior

Player of the year.

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Courtney Young / Buena

5-10, Guard

Junior

The transfer from Crossroads was among the region’s top athletes and averaged 15.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 3.8 steals for the Bulldogs.

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Kelly Greathouse / Buena

6-3, Forward

Junior

A three-time all-county selection, Greathouse was Channel League co-player of the year after averaging a county-best 21 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocked shots.

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Lauren Ferreira / Camarillo

5-11, Forward

Senior

The top player on the region’s Cinderella playoff team averaged 12.8 points and 8.3 rebounds to lead a run to the Division I-AA quarterfinals.

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Elise Metcalf / Simi Valley

5-11, Forward

Senior

Metcalf lended maturity to an otherwise inexperienced lineup and led the Pioneers to a second-place tie in the Marmonte League. She averaged 15.3 points and 8.1 rebounds.

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Memory Rhone / Oxnard

6-1, Forward

Senior

The top player on the region’s most balanced team, Rhone averaged 9.2 points and 7.4 rebounds for the Yellowjackets (22-7), who won their second consecutive Pacific View League title.

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Monique Taylor / Channel Islands

5-7, Forward

Senior

Despite playing on a third-place team, Taylor was selected Pacific View League player of the year. She averaged 19 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.8 steals.

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Kristen Galbreath / Royal

5-10, Guard

Senior

The Highlanders’ career scoring leader, Galbreath had team-high averages of 18 points and 7.4 rebounds. The most valuable player of the Thousand Oaks tournament made 54 three-pointers.

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Kristine Gleisberg / Ventura

Ht., Forward

Senior

The Oregon State-bound Gleisberg averaged 13.4 points and 6.5 rebounds to help the Cougars to a share of their first Channel League title since 1991.