Marisa Silvestri still thinks the Santa Monica High girls basketball team is capable of being among the best in the Ocean League this year. She still believes the Vikings can earn a spot in the section playoffs.
But the fourth-year head coach knows the path to those goals looks different now than it did at the beginning of the season.
Entering conference play Wednesday at Hawthorne, Samohi is still adjusting to the void left by senior forward Angelina Moreno, who is expected to miss the rest of the season with a knee injury.
“We were running her as our solo big inside because she really does a great job of hitting the high and low post, so it changes our game plan as far as working more with our guards,” Silvestri said. “We still have great skills. It's just adapting the way we play.”
The changes were forced on the Vikings as they attempt to improve on last season's 9-18 overall record, which included a 3-7 mark in league play. Samohi hasn't reached the CIF Southern Section playoffs since the 2011-12 campaign under Marty Verdugo, who guided the program to a section championship in 2010.
Silvestri, who was an assistant to Verdugo, is now looking to senior co-captains Carissa Cueva and Kate Rusk-Kosa to lead the Vikings (4-8) on the court.
“[Moreno's injury] really taught them a lot about themselves,” Silvestri said of Cueva and Rusk-Kosa. “They each bring a different aspect, and together they're the strongest captain because they each have a different personality. They've been able to encourage other players. They can have a larger influence on the players on the court than they knew they could.”
The complexion of Samohi's season was abruptly altered Dec. 21, when Moreno suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury during a 47-40 loss to Oak Park in tournament play in Santa Barbara.
With several other members of the roster experiencing flu-like symptoms, the Vikings had just five players available for their Dec. 22 game against San Luis Obispo. They pulled off a gritty 40-37 victory.
“It really showed their heart and determination to get out there and play that hard,” Silvestri said. “The bench did a great job cheering them on.”
Samohi put together one of its best defensive performances of the year in its last tournament game the following day, cruising to a 49-31 win over San Marcos.
“Having to go down a couple players really gave opportunities to a couple players whose roles I had seen as more limited,” Silvestri said. “I was inspired by the athletic talent they showed. Our game plan moving forward ... will be more dependent on my guards getting into the paint and scoring and running a quick-paced style of basketball.”
The Vikings weren't able to extend their winning streak without Moreno, falling 50-40 to Thousand Oaks-La Reina and losing 52-40 to Palos Verdes on back-to-back nights last week.
But Silvestri said Moreno will be an asset for the team on the bench because of her knowledge and experience.
Heading into league competition, Silvestri is curious to see how the loss of a strong graduated senior class affects Culver City. And she's expecting full-court pressure from Lawndale, which Samohi hosts Friday night.
jeff@www.smdp.com