Westlake's Mathis Dritz is The Star's All-County Girls Basketball Player of the Year
Taryn Sperry could defend bigger players and make outside shots.
“The corner 3 was her spot,” Mathis Dritz said.
Pinpointing her daughter’s strengths, at this point in her basketball career, might be a little tougher.
Dritz led Ventura County in points and rebounds as a Westlake High sophomore, but she’s way more than just a 6-foot-2 post player.
“A lot of times you’ll see someone 6-2 on the girls side who is one-dimensional,” Westlake High coach Josh Budde said. “She can do it all. She can handle the basketball. She can shoot 3s. She can use her strength and size. She can defend the other team’s best player.
“She’s one of those talents. Wherever you need her, you have to find ways to get her involved in the game.”
The Star’s All-County Girls Basketball Player of the Year for the 2023-24 season averaged 23.6 points and 15.1 rebounds for the Marmonte League champions. She also chipped in 3.2 assists, 3.9 steals and 1.4 blocks per game.
On offense or defense, on the interior or perimeter, with the ball or without, Dritz is a player who keeps opposing coaches up at night.
“She’s obviously worked very hard on her game,” Newbury Park head coach Darren Burge said. “She’s fun to watch, but terrible to plan against. She’s a sophomore, but she plays with the composure of a senior.”
Dritz finds her edge in the competitive nature.
“I just try to go out there and compete,” Dritz said. “My competitive side is a huge part of my game, wanting to win.
“I think my offense comes from defense and rebounding. When I’m playing my best defense and rebounding and leaving it all out on the floor, my offense just comes into place and starts to flow from there.”
Dritz grew up learning the game from her mom, Taryn (Sperry) Dritz, who played three years at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
“When I started playing basketball, she was my trainer,” Dritz said. “We got in the backyard together. She would rebound for me and teach me post moves.”
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As Dritz has learned the game and developed her skills, she’s graduated to more advanced lessons from her mother.
“Now she helps me with the mental side of the game and staying calm and put together,” Dritz said.
Dritz arrived as a freshman and made an immediate impact last season, leading the Warriors in points (16.8) and rebounds (10.0) per game.
“Last year she came in and was a star as a freshman,” Budde said. “This year she just kind of took off. Two years of knowing her, working with her and watching her just develop day by day has been something special.”
She was able to build on her eye-opening freshman campaign this season.
“When I came in as a freshman last year, I just wanted to help my team win and succeed any way I could,” Dritz said. “Having that mindset, and coming in and being a leader as a younger player, helped me with my role as sophomore.”
Westlake went 18-7, including a 10-0 sweep of the Marmonte League.
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The first-round playoff matchup against Los Osos, the defending CIF-State Division III state champions, proved too tall an obstacle.
“Los Osos was a strong team and they were lights out from the 3-point line,” Dritz said. “It was a tough game. It would have been nice to make it past the first round, but I’m still proud of my team and how far we came.”
Dritz is not looking forward to saying goodbye to seniors Devin Feiereisen and Peyton Stern.
“It’s sad to have them both leave because they bring so much to the team,” Dritz said.
Dritz plans on spending the summer working on her game with a Sports Academy travel team. Trips to Chicago, Louisville and Virginia are scheduled. In preparation, she’s already begun a weight training program to prepare.
“I’m trying to get my body right in the summer,” Dritz said.
The Star's All-County Girls Basketball Second Team
Helena Koubek, Oak Park
Maya Deshautelle, Oak Park
Kayla Lumas, Oxnard
Sofia Salgado, Oxnard
Emma Ange, Westlake
Skye Thomas, Buena
Jasmine Moore, Ventura
Christa Contreras, Camarillo
Daniela Rocha, Camarillo
Skylar Komatsu, Newbury Park
Kimiko Carmer, Newbury Park
Sarah Cosio, St. Bonaventure
Bella Rico, St. Bonaventure
Kira Jones, Thousand Oaks
Presley Kushner, Oaks Christian
Maddy Tauro, Calabasas
Jocelyn Townsend, Calabasas
Madilyn Stonebraker, Santa Paula
Alyssa Olmos, Santa Clara
Mya Rei Smith, Moorpark
Joe Curley is a staff writer for The Star. He can be reached at joe.curley@vcstar.com. For more coverage, follow @vcspreps on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Mathis Dritz is The Star's Girls Basketball Player of the Year
