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Los Angeles Times
05-04-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Daily Pilot Girls' Basketball Dream Team: Amalia Holguin shepherded Sage Hill back to state finals
Amalia Holguin arrived at Sage Hill two years after her peers and was soon after being considered the most talented of them all. She was the last of the players coached by Kobe Bryant in the Mamba Sports Academy to reach high school. Emily Eadie, Kat Righeimer, Annabelle Spotts and Zoie Lamkin were her club teammates, and in two years together at Sage Hill, Holguin completed a group that took the Lightning to new heights. Sage Hill has never looked back, the program having now qualified for the CIF Southern Section Open Division playoffs in three consecutive years. For the first time, Holguin had to march on without the girls she called 'sisters,' charged with leading the next version of the Lightning. It took time to materialize, but Sage Hill got to the promised land again. 'Sacramento' was thrown around like a sacred geography by Holguin, who had watched the Lightning win the CIF State Division II title at the Golden 1 Center in 2022. Sage Hill (23-12) stomped on the competition for much of the CIF State Southern California Regional Division I playoffs, winning its first three games in the bracket by an average of 25 points. When it needed its fearless leader most, Holguin canned a dagger three in the regional final against Los Angeles Windward. The Lightning claimed a second regional championship and returned to Sacramento, where it very nearly won a second state title in four seasons. The Lightning held a lead in the final minute, but Concord Carondelet pulled out a 51-48 win in the Division I title game. 'Going to Sacramento is a blessing,' Holguin said. 'Not everyone gets to go up there. Eve [Fowler], Addi[son Uphoff] and all the freshmen are really easy to lead because they take advice, and they actually input it into the game. Not a lot of people will probably listen to somebody just two years older than them, especially in high school. … I think they're very coachable and understanding.' Holguin, the Pacific Coast League MVP and an All-CIF Open Division selection, averaged 14.6 points, four rebounds, four assists and 2.3 steals per game. The junior point guard made 32% of her three-point attempts. She made four shots from beyond the arc in the state final, which she finished with 21 points, five rebounds, four steals and three assists. 'When the big sisters left, I think she identified with the position of being a leader,' Sage Hill coach Kerwin Walters said of Holguin. 'I think the light started clicking for her in the most positive way. Yes, we have whatever hiccups we'll have, but her growth has been outstanding. She has developed into a person that people just gravitate to, want to follow, want to be around. 'She has a light personality that is funny, giggly, and then she has this real serious personality when it comes to trying to win, which is a tremendous attribute from a leader. You know you have to be a little more cordial, a little more welcoming to everyone and try to bring them along, but then when the lights come on and you're on the floor, you've got that laser focus.' Holguin, the Daily Pilot Girls' Basketball Player of the Year, said she wants to play at the collegiate level. If she can extend her career, she hopes to play overseas or in the WNBA. 'Since I started playing, I've always loved basketball,' Holguin said. 'I want to play for as long as I can. I guess Kobe has influenced the mentality of me working harder than others and having a goal to do it. I love this sport, so why not play it for as long as I can?' Exposure for the women's game is on the rise, and Holguin said she can contact a couple of WNBA stars for advice in Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx and A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces. 'If I could pick their brains, they're like top people in the W,' Holguin said. 'I don't think you get much better advice.' The mental nugget that she takes with her out onto the court in pressure situations? 'Trust the work you've put in,' Holguin said. 'When you go into big games, I've trained for this for countless hours, so I don't have to be scared of anything because I'm meant to be there.' Sage Hill continues to shoot for the sky as a program. 'Our goal has been to get a ring, to be in the state championship game and to win the state championship game,' Walters said. '... There's no superstition about us trying to go get a ring and trying to be the best team that we can be, but really, the best team in the state of California. It's a big thing that this group is driving towards.' Rus Soobzokov Laguna Beach Laguna Beach moved out of the Sunset Conference this season, and the Breakers capitalized by going undefeated in winning the Pacific Hills League championship, the program's first league title since 2016 and third overall. After the Breakers closed the previous season on a nine-game losing streak, Soobzokov guided Laguna Beach (20-10) to a 13-game improvement in the win column and the second round of the Division 4AA playoffs. Senior guard Kate Cheng was named the Pacific Hills League MVP, and freshman center Fiona McCormick nearly averaged a double-double with 16 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. Emily Hoang F / C | Huntington Beach | So. Hoang impacted the game at all three levels on the offensive end of the floor. The Sunset League first-team selection paced the Oilers in scoring at 13 points per game, adding six rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.5 assists per contest. Huntington Beach (17-14) drew an at-large berth into the Division 3AA playoffs. Hoang scored 24 points to go with nine rebounds in the Oilers' postseason ouster against second-seeded El Segundo. Kayly Honig C | Corona del Mar | Sr. Corona del Mar coach Brason Alexander described Honig as a 'do-everything point-center' who anchored a defense that limited opponents to 40.4 points per game. Honig averaged 10 points, 7.1 rebounds and a team-best 2.7 assists. Corona del Mar (18-11) shared the Sunset League championship with Fountain Valley and Los Alamitos. Honig was joined by teammates Sienna Knodegah, a senior guard, and Sawyer Blumenkranz, a sophomore guard, on the Sunset League first team. Kamdyn Klamberg G / F | Sage Hill | So. Klamberg's role grew exponentially from a rotational player as a freshman to a go-to scorer in her second year with the Lightning. The sophomore was equally dangerous as an outside shooter or underneath the basket. She averaged 13.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, and her physicality was felt throughout the playoffs. Klamberg had a team-high 21 points and nine rebounds in the regional semifinals against Los Angeles Brentwood. Victoria Om G | Fountain Valley | Sr. As often as Om filled the stat sheet, it's not hard to see why she earned a share of the Sunset League MVP award. The senior point guard split the honor with Tamlyn Yoshida of Los Alamitos, which was among the three teams tied atop the league standings. The backcourt duo of Om and junior Sophie Hsieh led Fountain Valley (19-10) to a share of its first league championship since 2022, when the Barons won the Surf League title outright. Om averaged 15 points, 6.5 assists, five steals and four rebounds per game. Vivian Villagrana G | Pacifica Christian | Jr. Villagrana tickled the twine with regularity for the Tritons, who needed all the scoring they could get against a tough schedule. Pacifica Christian (13-15) played five games against Division 1 playoff teams, as well as two games against Open Division qualifier Fairmont Prep in the San Joaquin League. Villagrana scored 19.2 points per game to go with averages of 4.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals. The All-CIF Division 3AA honoree was one of three first-team all-league selections for the Tritons, joined by senior guard Caylie Villagrana and junior forward Angie Martinez. Position, Name, School, Year G / F Angelina Bado, Ocean View, Sr. G Rylee Bradley, Marina, Jr. G Kate Cheng, Laguna Beach, Sr. C Eve Fowler, Sage Hill, Fr. G Sienna Knodegah, Sr. F Leilani Quero, Costa Mesa, Jr. C Fiona McCormick, Laguna Beach, Fr. G Maria Tejeda, Marina, Sr. G / F Addison Uphoff, Sage Hill, Fr.
Los Angeles Times
12-03-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Sage Hill executes late for win over Windward in Division I regional final
Sage Hill's season is going the distance. Amalia Holguin made sure of that with a five-point spurt taking the Lightning from a one-possession game to an eight-point lead inside of two minutes. Moments later, Holguin and her teammates hoisted a championship plaque in the air. Second-seeded Sage Hill closed out Los Angeles Windward 52-41 in the CIF State Southern California Regional Division I final, claiming the program's second regional title in four years. It means Holguin will return to the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, where she rooted on her Mamba Sports Academy teammates when the Lightning beat Fresno San Joaquin Memorial in the 2022 CIF State Division II final. 'I've been a fan in Sacramento when they won their 2022 championship, so I've been dreaming and visualizing this since eighth grade,' Holguin said. 'I'm just super proud of myself and our team.' Holguin had a game-high 24 points, including an isolation three-pointer from the top of the key with just under one minute remaining. She also contributed eight rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot. It was a 'dagger of a three,' said Sage Hill coach Kerwin Walters. Holguin never gave up the basketball before taking the shot. 'Amalia does not fear the moment,' Walters said. 'She's never feared the moment. She's always embraced big games, big shots. That's just who she is. I'm just thankful we have her and no one else has her at this point.' Sage Hill (23-11) will face Concord Carondelet (29-6), the No. 3 seed in the Northern California regional, in the Division I state championship game on Friday at 6 p.m. in Sacramento. 'This has been my dream since I came to Sage, to get to the highest point,' Holguin added. 'This is the farthest you can go.' For the first time in the state playoffs, Sage Hill had to come through in the clutch. The Lightning held an early 22-10 lead in the second quarter, but the Wildcats went on an 11-2 run to close the gap to 24-21 at halftime. Addison Uphoff had a three-pointer to give Sage Hill a 37-28 lead. Again, Windward (21-11) struck back with an 11-2 run to knot the score at 39-39 when Amel Cook finished at the rim. Holguin's coast-to-coast basket three minutes later was answered by a pull-up jumper from Olivia Lagao. Then the Lightning surged to the finish. Uphoff had a three-point play to retake the lead, 44-41, with 2:08 remaining, and Holguin's mini run put the game firmly in hand. Freshman center Eve Fowler had nine points, 18 rebounds and four assists. Sophomore shooting guard Kamdyn Klamberg scored six points to go with 12 rebounds, three assists and two steals. Uphoff, a freshman forward, wound up with a dozen points. Walters is excited about the youth movement within the program. All three freshmen on the roster are rotational players, including reserve point guard Leah O'Toner. 'If someone's ever said the statement, 'Your future is bright,' their futures are really bright,' he said. On Uphoff's recovery process from a foot fracture, Walters added, 'She did everything to come back early — boot it up, go to the swimming pool, continued to train. She did everything. She is a freaking warrior. I couldn't be more proud or happy to have that kid in this program because, quite frankly, we need more players like her and Eve — just resilient and just gritty. I just love how they play and how they go at it.' Lagao, a senior guard, paced the Wildcats with 16 points. Samari Bankhead scored eight points and Cook finished with seven points, four rebounds and three assists. Junior forward Alyssa Cuff called holding the regional championship plaque an 'amazing feeling.' 'It showed all of our blood, sweat and tears into the entire season,' Cuff said. 'Since freshman year, we've been working hard for a ring, and it really showed. It was such an amazing moment to share with my teammates.' The Lightning doused Walters with the remains of the team water cooler just before going into the locker room. 'It felt great,' Fowler said. 'I was not expecting that. It came out of nowhere, and it was awesome.' On this occasion, Walters took one for the team. 'I don't know what the fascination with putting ice-cold water on someone [is], but I guess it's a thing to do,' Walters said. 'I'm just glad they didn't get hurt sliding down on the ground. Whatever makes them feel good about what just happened, I'm going to deal with it, man. 'You can throw Gatorade, you can throw water, you can throw rocks. I don't care. We got the win, and they're going to a place that very few people can go. I'm really, really proud of them.' CIF State Southern California Regional Division I final Sage Hill 52, Windward 41 SCORE BY QUARTERS Windward 7 - 14 - 14 - 6 — 41 Sage Hill 18 - 6 - 15 - 13 — 52 W — Lagao 16, Bankhead 8, Cook 7, Rainey 5, Wehrle 4, Johnson 1. 3-pt. goals — Lagao 4. Fouled out — None. Technicals — None. SH — Holguin 24, Uphoff 12, Fowler 9, Klamberg 6, Cuff 1. 3-pt. goals — Holguin 4, Uphoff 1. Fouled out — None. Technicals — None.
Los Angeles Times
08-03-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Sage Hill girls' basketball making most of second chance in state playoffs
Sage Hill girls' basketball has a new crop of contributors that have kept it near the top of the sport, but it was a third-year starter that helped set the tone on Thursday night. Junior guard Amalia Holguin scored the first eight points of the contest, as Sage Hill extended its season with a 58-34 win over Moreno Valley in a CIF State Southern California Regional Division I playoff game at home. 'I'm just here to do whatever my team needs,' Holguin said. 'This game, it was start the game off hot and start banging, put it in the basket. If I'm here to score, I'm here to score — [if it's] to pass, to pass. I'm just here to be a leader and make my team win.' Second-seeded Sage Hill (21-11) will host Los Angeles Brentwood (27-8) in a regional semifinal game on Saturday at 7 p.m. The Lightning will be attempting to get to a second regional final in four seasons. Sage Hill went on to win the Division II state title in 2022. Top-seeded Fairmont Prep (23-10) plays host to fourth-seeded Los Angeles Windward (20-10) in the other semifinal. Sixth-seeded Brentwood beat visiting San Diego Westview 68-34 on Thursday, leaving four Southern Section teams in the regional semifinals. Brentwood lost to Temecula Rancho Christian 58-48 in the Division 1 final. Sage Hill was swept in pool play in the Open Division, albeit without multiple key pieces in the lineup. Freshman wing Addison Uphoff returned in the state playoff opener after missing six games with a foot fracture, Lightning coach Kerwin Walters said. Freshman center Eve Fowler missed two games with an ankle injury. 'I think we are getting healthy, which is the biggest thing that was happening to us,' Walters said. 'We had several girls out with multiple injuries and the flu, and it was just difficult.' Fowler brought a physicality to the floor, providing 10 points, nine rebounds, two blocked shots and two assists. Uphoff made a pair of three-pointers, one that stretched the Lightning lead to double digits at the end of the first quarter. 'Eve has really improved as a player,' said sophomore guard Kamdyn Klamberg, who had 15 of her game-high 17 points in the second half. 'She's grown so much in practice and in the games. She did a great job bodying, staying up. We have great help-side [defense], too, so our team's got her back while she's battling out there.' While Holguin started hot from beyond the arc, she did not settle for long-distance shots. She dribbled into the paint and did not shy away from contact, drawing two shooting fouls. Holguin finished with 16 points, seven rebounds, four steals and three assists. 'Amalia is one of the most underrated point guards in the state, and probably in the country,' Walters said. 'I think people know her, but they don't know the true Amalia. When she starts to distribute like she's doing, she's a really difficult cover. With the talent that we have around her, she knows that she is eventually going to get the ball back, and she's going to be able to do the things that she is naturally gifted to do, which is score.' The Lightning managed 16 assists on 23 field goals. Freshman guard Leah O'Toner dished out four assists. 'She's done a great job,' Walters said of O'Toner, who has drawn into the rotation even with the experienced backcourt duo of Holguin and Klamberg. 'She's learning every single day. She's a player that just absorbs information, and she just wants more, and more, and more.' Junior forward Alyssa Cuff and Klamberg each had two steals for the Lightning, who clamped down defensively. Senior forward Isabella Rose also had five rebounds and a steal off the bench. Sage Hill outlasted Moreno Valley for a 73-64 victory in the Battle of the Beach at Redondo Union on Nov. 29. Sophomore forward Alaysha Mills was a force around the rim for Moreno Valley (26-8) on Thursday, leading her team with 13 points, 13 rebounds and four steals. The Vikings, however, were limited to just 13 points in the first half. Senior guard Leiayjah Mills scored eight points, junior guard Bella Medina added seven points and senior center Tamia Hardwick pulled down eight rebounds. CIF State Southern California Regional Division I playoffs Sage Hill 58, Moreno Valley 34 SCORE BY QUARTERS Moreno Valley 7 - 6 - 11 - 10 — 34 Sage Hill 18 - 12 - 12 - 16 — 58 MV — A. Mills 13, L. Mills 8, Medina 7, Hardwick 4, Williams 2. 3-pt. goals — None. Fouled out — None. Technicals — Team (jersey violation). SH — Klamberg 17, Holguin 16, Fowler 10, Uphoff 6, Cuff 4, Reynolds 2, Rose 2, O'Toner 1. 3-pt. goals — Klamberg 3, Holguin 2, Uphoff 2. Fouled out — None. Technicals — None.
