The Campbell Reporter

Sports

Warriors, Panthers share plenty in girls basketball

By Dick Sparrer

Local high school girls basketball coaches Jane Morgan-Riley and Megan Sainsbury have a couple of things in common. They were both star players at the school where they now coach--Morgan-Riley at Westmont and Sainsbury at Prospect--and they have both of their teams near the top of the standings in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League.

But it goes farther than that. Morgan-Riley's Warriors and Sainsbury's Panthers have matching 8-4 records heading into the final week of league play.

Westmont improved to 8-4 in league play with wins over Leland (54-43) and Leigh (54-39) last week while Prospect split a pair, beating Gunderson (53-27) before losing to Santa Teresa (64-51).

The Warriors and Panthers enter the final week with only two games separating the top four teams in the division. Evergreen Valley tops the pack at 10-2, with Santa Teresa second at 9-3 and Westmont and Prospect sharing third. Piedmont Hills is a close fifth at 7-5.

Westmont will play two of the top teams. The Warriors were to host Evergreen on Feb. 13 and will head to Piedmont on Feb. 15, 7 p.m. Prospect, meanwhile, wraps up league play at home against Piedmont Hills (Feb. 13) and Leigh on Feb. 15, 7 p.m.

The Warriors improved to 17-6 for the year with the two wins last week.

Senior Alyssa Kanzaki tossed in 16 points to lead Westmont to the win over Leland. She also led the club with three steals and ripped down seven rebounds.

Stephanie Priest led the club with eight rebounds and supported with 11 points, and Kelly Gregg topped the squad with five assists and popped 10 points, including a 6 for 6 night at the free-throw line.

Riane Sanchez, Kayla Blakley and Dilara Onur each drilled three-point buckets, Elle Koshiyama and Christine Dupic had three points apiece and Jessica Barrett hit two.

In the win over Leigh, it was Gregg who had the hot hand, drilling three threes among her six field goals to finish with 15 points.

Onur had three threes to finish with nine points and led the team with 11 boards, and Priest was 5 of 6 at the line on her way to a nine-point night. Priest added eight rebounds. Kanzaki had nine points and seven boards, and Koshiyama added five points and three steals.

Prospect, 15-7 for the year, opened play last week with the big win over Gunderson. Junior Simone Scott poured in a team high 16 points and led the Panthers with 15 rebounds. Jennifer Jasper chipped in with eight points and nine boards and Mariah Rogers had seven points and snagged 10 caroms.

Taylor Kikuchi and Katie Kinder added seven points apiece and each hit a three, and Audrina Sablan had six points. Kinder led Prospect with five assists.