Bryn Mawr Mawrtians
1993-94 record: 8-8. Coach: Nick Schloeder.
Top players: Emily Hickman, 5-11, Jr., G; Misty Smith, 5-7, Jr., G; Mia Medlin, 5-8, Soph., F; Gailor Large, 5-7, Soph., F.
Outlook: Hickman (16 ppg, 9 rpg, 4 apg), a standout point guard who is being recruited by Division I schools, is one of two returning starters. The Mawrtians have a tough December schedule, but they should contend in the balanced Association of Independent Schools A Division.
Carver Bears
1993-94 record: 10-6. Coach: Cynthia Tucker.
Top players: Vida Milberry, 5-10, Jr., F/G; Cassandra Miller, 5-5, Sr., G; Latarsha Marshall, 5-11, Sr., F/C; Deneka Cornish, 5-9, Jr., F.
Outlook: Milberry (22 ppg, 12 rpg, 5 apg) is one of four returning starters for the Bears, who lost to Poly in the regional playoffs last season. The Bears have gone 20-11 the past two seasons and Tucker feels they are ready to move to the next level.
Catholic Cubs
1993-94 record: 5-15. Coach: Sister Donna Brodickas.
Top players: Jennifer Betley, 5-6, Sr., F; Jennifer Monaldi, 5-5, Sr., G; Angela Byrd, 5-6, Fr., F; Nicole Brooks, 5-5, Fr., G.
Outlook: The Cubs have only one starter back (Betley), but Brodickas is encouraged by some new players and is hoping for a .500 season.
City Knights
1993-94 record: 11-9. Coach: Angelo Jeppi.
Top players: Linea Rogers, 5-9, Jr., G; Vanessa Griffin, 5-6, Jr., G; Lakeysha Holmes, 5-6, Soph., G.
Outlook: Jeppi may start two freshmen and depth is a problem, but he still expects the Knights to come close to last season's record.
Douglass Ducks
1993-94 record: 3-12. Coach: Mary Hughee.
Outlook: The Ducks are starting over. Eight players graduated, including all five starters.
Dunbar Poets
1993-94 record: 5-11. Coach: Kelvin Furlow.
Top players: Dawn Pope, 5-5, Sr., G; Tanisha Davenport, 5-6, Sr., G; Kyzerta Furlow, 5-7, Jr., F; Alyscia Smith, 6-0, Sr., C.
Outlook: Furlow, taking over as head coach after three years as an assistant, said the Poets will do more running this season and should improve upon last year's record. Concentrating on fundamentals and conditioning, Furlow said the Poets may surprise some teams.
Edmondson Redskins
1993-94 record: 5-10. Coach: Elise Collier.
Top players: Nikita Pope, 5-7, Sr., C/F; Michelle Inman, 5-6, Soph., F; Rosilyn Bess, 5-6, Sr., F; Kenya Langley, 5-4, Soph., G.
Outlook: All five starters return for the Redskins, who will be more aggressive than last season, Collier said. Edmondson, 8-24 the past two seasons, may creep closer to .500.
Forest Park Foresters
1993-94 record: 8-8. Coach: Joanna Langston.
Top players: Lashaunda Clark, 6-1, Sr., C/F; Christina Savage, 5-6, Sr., G; Michelle Clark, 6-0, Jr., F.
Outlook: With the Clark sisters, the inside game should be a strength for the Foresters. The question is whether height can compensate for the graduation of leading scorer Sherri Anderson (18 ppg).
Friends Quakers
1993-94 record: 3-10. Coach: Judy Turnbaugh.
Top players: Summer Downing, 5-7, Sr., F/G; Kirsten Campbell, 5-5, Fr., G; Julie Bayne, 6-1, Sr., F; Tammy McLoud, 5-6, Fr., G; Gwen Armbruster, 5-7, Jr., F/G.
Outlook: The Quakers moved from the AIS B Division to the A Division last season and fell from 10-3 to 3-10. With two returning starters blended with a core of promising newcomers, Friends should be more competitive this season.
IND Indians
1993-94 record: 5-13. Coach: Deb Taylor.
Top players: Robin Johnson, 5-9, Jr., G/F; Candace Morrison, 5-5, Sr., G; Shannon Skopp, 5-5, Sr., G; Kim Pryce, 5-9, Jr., F; Kelly Pryce, 5-6, Jr., G; Debbie Krastel, 5-6, Sr., F.
Outlook: The Indians, underachievers the past two seasons, have four starters back under first-year coach Taylor. IND lacks height, but it has several players who can score, especially Johnson.
Lake Clifton Lakers
1993-94 record: 17-3. Coach: James Monroe.
Top players: Lashina Gross, 5-5, Sr., G; Natisha Ferguson, 6-6, Sr., C; Jinika Conley, 5-7, Sr., G; DaShawn Coleman, 5-6, Sr., G.
Outlook: The Lakers -- whose only losses last season were to Western -- have three starters back and a key transfer in Coleman, a second-team All-Metro selection who averaged 22 ppg at Walbrook last season. Ferguson was a dominant inside player until a benign brain tumor cut her season short. Unable to play basketball over the summer, Ferguson is at about 60-70 percent, Monroe said.
Mercy Sharpshooters
1993-94 record: 12-13. Coach: Mary Ella Marion.
Top players: Shannon Cohen, 5-4, Soph., G; Rachael Grob, 5-6, Sr., G; Meg Kline, 5-10, Sr., C.
Outlook: Marion said it could take some time for her returnees to jell with six players up from the JV. Cohen (11 ppg) is the leading returning starter. Marion said the team is deeper at forward this season than in previous years.
Mervo Mustangs
1993-94 record: 5-9. Coach: Nancy Havranek.
Top players: Cheryl Evans, 5-5, Jr., F/G; Alexis Washington, 5-6, Jr., F.
Outlook: The Mustangs have all five starters back, but they still have little depth. If Mervo gets in foul trouble, it may have difficulty bettering last season's record.
Northern Vikings
1993-94 record: 3-15. Coach: Shelley Rambo.
Top players: Kim Robinson, 5-9, Sr., C/F; April Allen, 5-7, Sr., F; Tia Moss, 5-10, Fr., C.
Outlook: First-year coach Rambo, who hasn't coached girls basketball since 1984 at Southern-B, said it will take three to four years to rebuild Northern's program. Three starters are back for the Vikings, who have won just four games the past two seasons.
1993-94 record: 15-4. Coach: Lillian Brown.
Top players: Michelle Hurt, 5-7, Jr., F.; Nicole Eades, 5-10, Fr., F.
Outlook: With a core of returnees and some promising new players -- notably Eades -- the Wildcats should again be a playoff contender. Expect Northwestern (27-9 the past two seasons) to challenge Poly in the City-Wide 3A-4A Division.
Patterson Clippers
1993-94 record: 13-11. Coach: Derek Maki.
Top players: Anita Hyman, 5-6, Soph., G; Sue Hunt, 5-7, Sr., F; Valerie Koso, 5-7, Sr., F/G; Latota Strange, 5-8, Sr., C.
Outlook: The Clippers return three starters, but figure to be a notch below last season's team with the graduation of 6-2 C Jackie Wilkes. Point guard Hyman (12 ppg, 5 apg) is a player to watch.
Poly Engineers
1993-94 record: 20-5. Coach: Mark Sawyer.
Top players: Kelly Logan, 5-6, Jr., F; Jawai Maith, 5-7, Jr., F; Kendall Peace, 5-5, Jr., G.
Outlook: The Engineers have three starters back from last season's squad, which posted the first 20-win season in the school's history. Look for Poly to play an up-tempo game with tenacious man-to-man pressure.
Roland Park Reds
1993-94 record: 9-6. Coach: Mary Hain.
Top players: Melissa Coyne, 5-6, Soph., G; Meredith Shuey, 5-6, Jr., F; Abby Bowers, 5-6, Soph, G/F.
Outlook: The Reds went from 3-8 in 1992 to the AIS A Division finals last season. With the graduation of its top two scorers, Roland Park may not get back to the final, but Hain believes the Reds will be competitive.
St. Frances Panthers
1993-94 record: 24-3. Coach: Jerome Shelton.
Top players: Melba Chambers, 5-11, Sr., F; Jakia Ervin, 5-6, Jr., G; Tammy Snell, 5-5, Sr., G; Kortni Webb, 6-1, Sr., C; Kristi Webb, 5-10, Sr., F.
Outlook: The Panthers return all five starters from last season's team, which won the Catholic League Tournament championship last season. St. Frances also has an added luxury this year -- depth. Chambers (21.3 ppg, 9.5 rpg), who has given an oral commitment to Georgetown, is one of the metro area's top players. The Webb twins are solid inside players and Ervin is a talented point guard.
Seton Keough Gators (C)
1993-94 record: 18-8. Coach: Jim Stromberg.
Top players: Melanie Morris, 5-7, Jr., G; Meaghann Donovan, 5-10, Jr., F/C; Katie Sparks, 5-10, Sr., F; Charity Carbine, 5-6, Soph., G.
Outlook: Stromberg, who spent 14 years as an assistant to Dave Greenberg at Mount Hebron, replaces Mike Mohler, who led the Gators to 18 wins after a 6-11 season in 1992. Four starters return for the athletic Gators, including Morris (15 ppg). Joining nine returnees are four freshmen, several of whom could be impact players, Stromberg said.
Seton Keough Gators (AIS)
1993-94 record: 3-7. Coach: Debbie Pearson.
Top players: Kim Greene, 5-5, Fr., G; Jen Hiskey, 5-9, Fr., F.
Outlook: The Gators lost all five starters and have all freshmen and sophomores. The team is inexperienced but athletic and should improve on last season's mark.
Southern Bulldogs
1993-94 record: 0-19. Coach: Kevin Boone.
Top players: Terice Jackson, 5-1, Jr., G; Kellie Jones, 5-4, Soph., G; Keisha Kere, 5-6, Jr., F.
Outlook: Two newcomers -- freshman F Crystal Allen and sophomore F Erica Pointer -- should help the Bulldogs win some games this season. As it was last season, a lack of height is a problem.
Southwestern Sabers
1993-94 record: 2-11. Coach: Arlene Scott.
Top players: Shayla Parker, 5-0, Soph., G; Chrysta Brockington, 5-3, Soph., F; Letrice Ford, 5-5, Jr., F.
Outlook: Scott is still teaching her team the fundamentals, but she is optimistic with a good crop of players up from the JV. Parker is the lone returnee.
Walbrook Warriors
1993-94 record: 14-7. Coach: Pete Connally.
Top players: Jamee Greenwood, 5-10, Sr., F; Danielle Turner, 6-0, Jr., C.
Outlook: The once-mighty Warriors fell out of the top 20 last season, and their best player -- DaShawn Coleman -- has transferred to Lake Clifton. But Walbrook still has Greenwood, one of the area's most physical players and Turner, a tough rebounder. Aside from Western and Lake Clifton, Connally said the Warriors can beat any city public school.
Western Doves
1993-94 record: 23-2. Coach: Breezy Bishop.
Top players: Chanel Wright, 6-0, Sr., G/F; Kimberly Smith, 5-9, Sr., G; Tesha Tinsley, 5-8, Sr., G; Danielle Davis, 6-2, Sr., C; Felicia Burroughs, 5-10, Sr., F; Lisa Jackson, 6-2, Sr., C.
Outlook: Western's version of the Fab Five are now seniors who have all signed early with Division I schools. Leading the way are co-Player of the Year Wright (North Carolina) and All-Metro pick Smith (Georgetown). Wright, an All-American, averaged 22.8 ppg and is considered the area's top offensive player. The Doves are solid in every facet of the game and have a deep bench, led by sophomore Marion Moore. Western is a strong candidate to repeat as Class 4A state champion.