REGION — Prep basketball is back this month. While the turkey brines for Thanksgiving, The Coast News hit North County to see whose sneakers are laced and whose three-pointer still needs work ahead of the 2025-26 season.
Spotlight:
Rancho Buena Vista Longhorns (Coastal League)
Last season: 23-10 overall, 9-1 (Coastal League champions)
Head coach: Landon Cardenas
After a dominant 2024-25 season, the Longhorns enter an uncertain 2025-26 campaign. They captured the Coastal League title with a 9-1 mark and advanced to the Division I Section championship game, falling 52-41 to Victory Christian. The challenge for head coach Landon Cardenas will be rebuilding after graduating six players, including the team’s top three scorers.
“Three years ago, we were in the exact same situation,” Cardenas told the Coast News. “We inherited a team with very little experience and had to start from scratch. We brought them in as sophomores and taught them the same way we teach this group now — two freshmen, four sophomores, and two juniors forming our core. We make it clear: we’re not building just to play; we’re building to win. Year-round, they’re in the gym before school, shooting hundreds of shots, practicing, and hitting the weight room. These are all homegrown kids — we don’t bring in transfers — and we develop them to compete at the highest level.”
Junior guard Minel Bur is expected to take on a larger role this season.
“Minel was the only sophomore last year getting significant minutes, and she’s been incredibly steady,” Cardenas said. “With all the seniors graduated, she’s stepped into a leadership role, been vocal, pushed us to win, and is setting the standard for the younger players coming in.”
With multiple six-footers in the lineup, RBV makes up for inexperience with size.
“We’ve never had a traditional post player,” Cardenas said. “Our tallest kid on every team has been our point guard.”
Santa Fe Christian Eagles (Coastal Pacific League)
Last season: 13-16 overall, 6-2
Head coach: Vickie Carrington
Heading into her fourth year as head coach at Santa Fe, Vickie Carrington has engineered a sweeping turnaround. From a winless 2019 campaign under her predecessor to a second-place league finish last season.
“I’m really excited for this season,” Carrington told The Coast News. “The last three seasons have been all about restructuring and rebuilding the program. Most of our girls came in with little to no basketball experience, so we’ve spent a lot of time just developing. Now, going into year four, some of them have grown up in the system, and we look completely different than we did even a year or two ago. It’s a pleasure to come into this season with more experience and a little more talent across the board.”
Carrington singled out Jennifer Stanion (Sr., W, 5’11”), Ari Sit (Jr., G, 5’6″), Jaedyn Davis (So., PF, 5’11”), and Ava Robbins (So., G, 5’5″) as top returners.
“Jenny Stanion is our key senior player — very talented, can score on all three levels, and plays both ends of the floor,” Carrington said. “She’s excellent on the boards and really the engine that makes the team go. She’s pretty special, and with this being her senior year, it’s great that she has a returning group of experienced players around her.”
Cathedral Catholic Dons (Western League)
Last season: 20-10 overall, 6-2
Head coach: Jackie Turpin
In 2024-25, a midseason injury to star senior Maddie Moeller forced then-sophomore McKinley Hanlon, a 6-foot power forward, to take over the offensive load. She responded by averaging nearly 20 points per game, establishing herself as a cornerstone for the Dons moving forward.
“It starts with maturity and leadership,” Turpin said. “Her intentionality — taking care of her body, working in the weight room, preparing off the court — has set a tone of respect with her teammates. That maturity is translating on the court, knowing when to attack, when to create for others, and when to take her shot. Stepping up after Maddie’s injury was a big transition, but she’s handled it beautifully.”
This season, Hanlon will receive support from a deep and developing roster. Senior transfer Bianca Sloan, a 6-foot-2 center, adds size, while freshman guard Addison Yang is expected to make an immediate impact.
“With the addition of Bianca, we can play more man-to-man,” Turpin said. “The past couple of years, we were almost entirely in zone because of our size. Now, with some high-IQ players, we can switch it up. It also spreads the scoring burden — I’ll have five kids on the floor who have the green light.”
La Costa Canyon Mavericks (Coastal League)
Last season: 14-16 overall, 2-7
Head coach: Malcolm Warfield
Last season, in his first year as head coach, Malcolm Warfield faced the unenviable task of reconstructing a team that had graduated eight players and needed an entirely new starting lineup. This season, with a foundation now in place, he expects growth from the Mavericks.
“It was important that we build a solid foundation of who we are and what we want to do,” Warfield said. “Last season, we faced challenges in finding starters, but the girls did an excellent job laying that groundwork. Coming into this year, we’re returning most of our starters and adding a strong group of freshmen. The team has built on last season through summer and fall work, and we feel very optimistic. We focus on the process — playing our best basketball in the moment — and trust that if we do that, we’ll be competitive.”
As a sophomore, guard Keani Brown averaged a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds per game. She will be complemented in the backcourt by senior guard Izzy Alexander.
“There’s a lot of external noise, but the key is shutting it out and focusing on what we do,” Warfield said. “We’ll be ready for league play, stick to our process, and I believe that if we play our best basketball, we’ll be competitive every night.”
Around the Region:
Carlsbad (Coastal League)
- Last season: 20-13 / 7-3
- Head coach: Donna Huhn
- Key player: Georgia Hawk
Sage Creek (Coastal League)
- Last season: 6-21 / 0-10
- Head coach: Antonio Laguna
- Key player: Lila Swisher
Torrey Pines (Coastal League)
- Last season: 20-10 / 7-2
- Head coach: Alaysia Styles
- Key player: Katie Tal
Oceanside (Avocado League)
- Last season: 13-15 / 4-6
- Head coach: Brian Burnett
- Key player: Alana Hoskins
San Dieguito Academy (Avocado League)
- Last season: 14-9 / 5-3
- Head coach: Aubree Smithey
- Key player: Lilliam Malewicz
El Camino (Avocado League)
- Last season: 9-13 / 3-5
- Head coach: Tes Whitlock
- Key player: Maleiah Jones
Vista (Avocado League)
- Last season: 10-17 / 4-4
- Head coach: Daeyanna Hale
- Key player: Isabella Mosley
Mission Hills (Palomar League)
- Last season: 23-9 / 9-1 (Open Division Champion)
- Head coach: Christopher Kroesch
- Key player: Bay Cordova
San Marcos (Palomar League)
- Last season: 20-10 / 10-0
- Head coach: Jason Cowell
- Key player: Christiana Samuel
Escondido (Valley League)
- Last season: 12-15 / 5-5
- Head coach: Chris Williams
- Key player: Anaya McGlory
