By Pete Borello

Foothill College women’s basketball preview

Its focus may be on the hardwood, not hardware, but the Foothill College women’s basketball team has been downsized like a Silicon Valley computer company.

The Owls have lost four players - or 25 percent of their roster - in recent weeks. One player is out the season with an injury, two others quit the squad and another was asked to leave.

One might think a coach would panic or get discouraged under such circumstances, especially since the season is just a month old.

Not Jody Craig.

“No doubt we can be successful with eight players,” she said. “Most teams are only eight players deep anyway.”

And when Craig says “successful,” she doesn’t mean finishing a few games above .500.

“Our goals at the start of the season were to win the Coast Conference championship and get into a good playoff situation,” the seventh-year coach said. “The goals haven’t changed, though it’s tougher.”

Especially since only two of the remaining players are sophomores: starting guards Dokesha Meacham and Tranikya Price.

The rest of the team - made up of post players Melva Bosley, Nicole Calderon, Erin Grant and Stacy Takahashi and guards Betsy Butterick and Gina Magagnini - is still adjusting to the rigors of playing college basketball.

However, Craig said there are advantages to having such a youthful lineup.

“They don’t think there’s anyone out there they can’t compete with - they’re very confident in themselves,” she said. “They’re freshmen and they don’t know any better, and that’s good.”

So far, the Owls have played with just about everyone.

Six of their wins have come against teams ranked in Northern California and/or the state. As a result, Foothill has steadily climbed up the rankings. The latest coaches’ poll, released Dec. 5, rates the Owls ninth in the region and 18th in the state.

“They’re gamers,” Craig said of her group. “When the scoreboard comes on these girls are ready to go. They’re very competitive that way and get after it in games. Unfortunately, they don’t practice that way, but at least they do it in games.”

Blessed with quick guards and good-sized post players, Foothill creates match-up problems for many of its opponents, Craig said

The coach calls Meacham and Price “a great 1-2 punch.”

Meacham, a 5-foot-7 shooting guard out of St. Francis High, can slash to the basket and has a knack for grabbing loose balls. She also leads the team in rebounding.

Price, a 5-2 point guard from Louisiana, may be the Owls’ quickest player and is tops on the team in scoring (averaging 13 points per game) and assists. She put up a season-high 33 points against Sierra two weeks ago.

And there isn’t much of a drop off when Craig goes to her bench. Butterick, another St. Francis product, leads the team in three-point shooting and is a big reason why Foothill has already made more treys than it did in conference play last year.

Half Moon Bay grad Magagnini is what Craig called “the spark plug” off the bench.

“She plays with a lot of energy,” Craig said. “Within 30 seconds of coming off the bench she makes something happen - and usually it’s positive.”

While the Owls seem set in the backcourt, questions remain up front.

Foothill has some height in the post - Grant and Bosley are both 6-footers - but is short on experience and depth. Three of the four players the team lost were power forwards/centers - including Sulu Reupenny, a first-team all-conference selection in 2000-01 who abruptly quit three weeks ago.

“That was a big blow because she would have probably led us in the post,” Craig said. “Fortunately, we have post players to step in - three freshmen who can immediately contribute. Thank goodness, or the loss of Sulu would have been even bigger.”

The coach appears pleased with the progress of Grant, Bosley and 5-11 Calderon.

“They’re doing a real nice job, especially on defense,” Craig said. “Offensively, they need to finish better inside. But it’s one step at a time.”

Craig also expects help off the bench from the 5-8 Takahashi, who’s been moved from shooting guard to power forward out of necessity.

“Stacy’s very athletic and aggressive, and we’re probably wasting her talents,” Craig admitted. “She will eventually be a guard, but we need her to play (forward) for us for now.”

Takahashi, like the seven others on the team, is seeing plenty of court time, though.

But with only three reserves, does Craig lose sleep over opponents who may try to play an up-tempo style to wear out the Owls?

“I’m not worried about that - the team is in good shape and competitive,” she said. “Injuries are the only thing that can stop us from having a successful season.”

Foothill (7-3) is coming off a successful effort in the Delta Tournament, held last Thursday through Saturday in Stockton.

The Owls reached the title game after beating Marin and host Delta, teams ranked among the top 10 in the state. Foothill then lost 79-46 to undefeated Umqua (Oregon).

Meacham and Butterick both made the all-tournament team.

The Owls open play in the Sacramento City Classic on Friday against West Los Angeles.