MANTECA BULLETIN ALL-AREA GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM
• G Sharon Washington, Manteca junior: Two-time all-Valley Oak League first-team and all-area selection led Manteca to its second postseason appearance in three years, averaging 16.4 points, 4.1 assists, 4.2 steals and 6.5 rebounds.
• PG Timnesha Wilson, Weston Ranch junior: Earned second all-VOL first-team honor after posting 14.5 points, three assists, 3.8 rebounds and 3.6 steals.
• G Krystal Young, East Union senior: Easily the area’s most improved player from last year produced 14.5 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals while leading the Lancers with 35 3-pointers.
• F Shalane Jackson, East Union sophomore: Double-double machine grinded out 12.5 points and 11 rebounds per game while giving opposing teams fits with her ability to create her own shot from the high post.
• F/C Kelsey Tillema, Ripon Christian senior: The heart and soul of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V semifinals and NorCal qualifying Knights turned in 13.2 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 1.6 steals.
• C Lauren Feddersen, Ripon senior: Multi-sport standout (volleyball) anchored the Indians with 13.6 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.
The Bulletin’s All-Area Girls Basketball MVP led the Lancers to their fourth straight Valley Oak League championship and 10th consecutive Sac-Joaquin Section postseason appearance this past winter.
The 5-foot-8 wing was the answer to questions surrounding the team after it graduated the dynamic backcourt tandem of Rachel McDaniel and Ashley Rose, the Bulletin’s previous two All-Area MVP honorees. Christin Gowan was MVP for the 2006-07 season, making Posz the fourth different Lancer be named the area’s top player.
“I had big shoes to fill,” Posz said. “They definitely showed me a lot of leadership skills that I kind of took in and tried to (apply) this year. They made me want to make my game better.”
Posz’s all-around skills anchored East Union’s three-pronged attack that included sophomore forward Shalane Jackson in the post and senior Krystal Young in the perimeter.
Posz and Jackson were expected to fill the void left by the McDaniel-Rose combination, but Young’s surprise emergence tied it all together.
Young was EU’s top 3-point shooter and averaged 14.5 points, allowing role players such as center Rachel O’Neal and point guard Salina Tiscareno to focus on the little things while giving the team a third legitimate scoring threat.
“That helped a lot,” Posz said of Young’s play. “It took a lot of pressure off the both Shalane and I, and it was more of a team effort than just relying on one or two people.”
Posz finished the season averaging 15.3 points, eight rebounds, 4.5 assists and three steals. She also knocked down 33 3-pointers.
Being good at everything isn’t good enough for her, though. And when Oakdale standout guard Cassandra Clark was voted the VOL’s MVP, she didn’t take that as a slight. Posz saw it as a sign that she still has some work left to do.
Clark’s crowning as the conference MVP was a head-scratcher to some. She scored 18.9 points per game, but Oakdale finished fourth in the league at 9-7 (19-9 overall). East Union ended up 14-2, and 23-6 overall.
“She’s a good player,” Posz said. “(League MVP) is something I would have liked to have, but it gives me something to work for next year. There are some areas in my game that I need to work on. I can always shoot better and play better on defense.”
As far as team goals, Posz said that the Lancers’ season-ending 66-33 loss to perennial public-school power Del Oro in the second round of the SJS Division III playoffs gives them something to shoot for.
“When you play a team like that it’s a good thing, because that’s where we want our program to be,” Posz said. “Even though we lost, it was a good experience.”
