Latest section hoops title extra special for Clovis West girls; Memorial boys fall short
There was plenty of time for the Clovis West High girls basketball team to celebrate its latest Central Section championship Thursday night, perhaps the only side benefit of a COVID disrupted 2021 season.
The top-seeded Golden Eagles defeated No. 3 Clovis 53-36 to emerge as champs of the section’s Open Division.
It is the school’s ninth consecutive section title but the first one finished off on its home floor.
In prior years, the clinching wins have come at downtown Selland Arena, the unified site for all section championships. Teams would be quickly directed off the court — with another game waiting to be played — to take a photo near the arena’s entrance as confetti rained down.
But in this shortened season, after the coronavirus nearly ended it before it had a chance to begin, the top surviving seed in each division hosted the final.
“It’s been a crappy year for everybody,” Clovis West coach Craig Campbell said. “Try to find the positives along the way and try to make something that might be different into a positive. A shortened season, we didn’t know if we’re going to have a season.
“Of all the Clovis West championship teams over the years, no one has ever done it at home,” said Campbell, adding he told his players, “‘You’ll be the first team to win a section championship on your home floor.’ We wanted to really embrace that and how it would be special for them.”
The celebration included a basketball-specific tradition: The careful snipping of the strings that hold the nets on the rims.
“Typically there is a boys game getting ready to tip off right after your games so they hurry you off the floor,” Campbell said. “When you get to celebrate it with your family and friends on the floor ... you never get the opportunity to cut down the nets.
“It’s something these kids see growing up on TV, whether it’s NBA, WNBA or college basketball. It’s a special tribute and to have that opportunity tonight under the crazy, bizarre circumstances of this awful year, that’s something for the kids to cherish forever.”
Golden Eagles senior Nikki Tom finished with a game-high 15 points. Clovis West led 44-25 entering the fourth quarter.
Etoyah Montgomery added 13 points and Alyssa Kuniyoshi 12 for Clovis West.
Members of the championship team, with position, name and year in school are: PG Athena Tomlinson, Fr.; PG Taytum Bigelow, Jr.; PG Kendall Jackson, Sr.; SG Nikki Tom, Sr.; Ariyah Smith, Fr.; SG Alyssa Kuniyoshi, Sr.; SG Trinity Tolbert, Soph.; SF Pilar Morales, Jr.; PF Aidan Goodrich, Soph.; SG Jada Oatman; W Etoyah Montgomery, Soph; SF Kennedy Vincent, Jr.; SF Justyce Harris, Sr.; PG Michaela Young, Jr.
The Golden Eagles improved to 19-0 on the season. They went 8-0 in winning the Tri-River Athletic Conference, sweeping rival Clovis in two league games.
Clovis West awaits Sunday’s announcement of seedings and matchups for the CIF Southern California Regional.
Round one opens June 15, semifinals are June 17 and the regional final June 19, with all games at host-school sites.
Other girls section finals
Division I — No. 2 Righetti 55, No. 4 Bakersfield 38: The Drillers were denied their fourth straight section championship.
D-II — No. 5 Nipomo 44, No. 3 Paso Robles 39: Nipomo led Paso Robles 19-16 at the half.
D-III — No. 2 St. Joseph 53, No. 1 Roosevelt 45: The Rough Riders put pressure on St. Joe’s till the end, finally falling behind for good with 1:50 remaining when Avery Cain drilled a 3-pointer for the Knights.
D-IV — No. 1 Orcutt 69, No. 2 Bakersfield Christian 49: The Spartans built a big lead early in the game and never looked back.
D-V — No. 1 Strathmore 73, No. 3 Corcoran 63: Spartans senior Jazmine Soto, the section’s leading all-time scorer, finished with a game-high 42 points.
Memorial boys see late lead slip away
Top-seeded San Joaquin Memorial had a seven-point lead late in the third quarter of the marquee game of the boys championships Friday.
But then No. 2 St. Joseph-Santa Maria put together a run to close the period and hit the second of back-to-back baskets with 1:21 remaining in the fourth for a 67-63 lead en route to a 70-64 victory for the Open Division championship.
“Back and forth game,” Panthers coach Brad Roznovsky said. “We didn’t play well for whatever reason. Give credit to St. Joe’s. They were better today.”
Other boys title games
Division I — No. 2 Bullard 85, No. 1 Central 83: Omarion Thomas-Marshall made two free-throws with 9.2 seconds remaining for the Knights, who then saw the Grizzlies fire a 3-pointer at the buzzer that hit the side of the rim.
Thomas-Marshall led the way for Bullard with 26 points.
It is the Knights’ first D-I title since 2013.
D-II — No. 6 Roosevelt 61, No. 4 Atascadero 49: Qiant Myers and Isaiah Gilliam each scored 14 points, leading the Rough Riders past the Greyhounds.
Roosevelt broke the game open in the fourth quarter, outscoring Atascadero 20-13. It is the Rough Riders’ first section title since 2016.
D-III — No. 1 Bakersfield Christian 56, No. 3 Nipomo 55: The Eagles have won back-to-back section titles.
D-IV — No. 1 Kingsburg 48, No. 3 Washington Union 30: The Vikings led 26-15 at halftime and coasted to a win over the Panthers on Saturday. Kingsburg also won the section title last season.
D-V — No. 1 Fowler 59, No. 2 Sierra 55: Amneet Basra scored 21 points and Japnaam Kahlon 15 to help the Redcats secure their first title since 1916.
Championship box scores
BOYS
DIVISION I
Bullard 85, Central 83
Bullard 19 21 26 19 - 85
Central 25 15 20 23 - 83
Bullard: Omarion Thomas-Marshall 26, LaJuan Watts 17, Brandon Green 15, Shawn Packard 9, Kyle Shinn 5, Wendell Ware 4, Michael Adamyan 3, Tyric Herod 2
Central: LaDanian Streets 27, Cedric Coward 20, Terik Streets 17, Milton Walker 14, Henry Madden III 4, Dylan Swillis 2, Ah’Marion Gaines-Smith 1
DIVISION II
Roosevelt 61, Atascadero 49
Atascadero 14 12 10 13 - 49
Roosevelt 16 12 13 20 - 61
Atascadero: Logan Reyes 9, Drew Ardouin 4, Jayden Fischer 4, Stevie Waiters 9, Corbin Rossi 2, Mitchell Carpenter 21.
Roosevelt: Damare Watts 9, Qiant Myers 14, Jaylen Randle 7, Andrew Lopez 7, Isaiah Gilliam 14, Darnell Naeole 10
DIVISION V
Fowler 59, Sierra 55
Sierra 18 7 11 19 - 55
Fowler 19 10 20 10 - 59
Sierra: Noah McDivitt 7, Logan Kilbert 24, Camden Watt 10, Nate Kempen 2, Jacob Green 2, Luke Brown 6, Mattias Sjolin 6.
Fowler: Alex Aguilar 3, Amneet Basra 21, Mitchell Uriarte 11, Lucas Gutierrez 5, Japnaam Kahlon 15, Garrett Geringer 4.
_______________________________
GIRLS
OPEN
Clovis West 53, Clovis 36
Clovis 6 13 6 11 — 36
Clovis West 13 19 12 9 — 53
Clovis: Kiley Butchert 11, Genevieve Tamondong 6, Megan Esler 13, Erin Tatum 6.
Clovis West: Athena Tomlinson 4, Kendall Jackson 3, Nikki Tom 15, Alyssa Kuniyoshi 12, Etoyah Montgomery 13, Kennedy Vincent 1, Justyce Harris 1, Michaela Young 4.
DIVISION V
Strathmore 73, Corcoran 60
Corcoran 15 13 20 13 — 60
Strathmore 20 17 23 13 — 73
Corcoran: Aaliyan Thompson 32, Gabby Avila 15, Mia Hernandez 6, Trinity Ferro 5, Emilee Santos 2.
Strathmore: Jazmine Soto 42, Joseli Gutierrez 8, Sherrie Chapa 8, Alexis Ibarra 7, Erica Muñoz 3, Yvette Gutiérrez 3.
This story was originally published June 10, 2021 at 10:41 PM.
