Panthers host Saints
Girls Basketball Playoffs
The seventh-seeded Porterville High School girls basketball team will attempt to make history tonight when they host 10th-seeded Santa Clara of Oxnard in the first round of the CIF State Division V Championship tournament at 7 p.m.
Although past Panthers girls’ teams — most recently in 2003, 2004 and 2009 — have played in state playoff games, none have ever won one before, providing Porterville with a a pivotal opportunity to make a name for themselves, their program and their school.
“I feel not nervous, but excited,” senior PHS captain Julia Hunter said. “This could be a big thing for our school. We’re really trying to change the girls basketball program so I just want to get our name out there and let the community know like, hey, we’re here and we’re here to play, this is what we’ve got.”
Playing in the Southern section of the championship bracket, Porterville (26-5, 8-2 East Yosemite League) arrived to the tournament with an atlarge bid that they learned about on Sunday evening. The Panthers’ run at a CIF Central Section Div. IV championship title came to an end last Wednesday when thirdseeded Porterville lost 55-38 to second-seeded San Joaquin Memorial (26-5) of Fresno in a semifinal game..
“I saw it as a second opportunity,” Hunter said. “You know losing to San Joaquin Memorial, it kind of bummed me out because that would have been my last game playing as a senior. So knowing that we get another life, another chance. It’s made me really happy. And to also be with the girls again, like I can’t imagine being without them.”
Like Porterville, Santa Clara (19-7) is coming off a semifinal loss in which they fell 85-40 to Southern Section D5AAA champions Hueneme (12-17). The Saints top shooters are sophomore Maddison Rakestraw who averages 14.7 points per game and senior Natalie Maldonado with 10.7 points a game. Madonado also records a team-high four assists a game. On the boards, senior Natalie Chaparro leads Santa Clara with 10.6 rebounds per game. Chaparro also puts up 9.8 points a game.
“They aren’t real big but they’re supposed to be very quick, well conditioned, they press all over the court, PHS head coach Dave Kavern said. “They have one real good shooter that we’re going to try and figure out a couple of things to do with her and hopefully handle their pressure.”
The Panthers’ only have one player averaging double digits in sophomore Jazlynne Medrano with 12.6 points per game. However Hunter and sophomore Jewelia Maniss average over nine points a game to balance out the team offensively. Porterville also shoots well from beyond the arc with Medrano, senior Hailey Johnson and Cienna Enriquez as their top 3-point shooters. In the paint, Johnson at 5-foot-10 will provide a slight height advantage against a Saints team listed at 5-foot-9 and below.
“We had four days off so that sort of helped physically and mentally to give the girls a little break,” Kavern said. “We’ve just been going over things to fine tune our offense and defense, not put a whole lot in. Maybe one set here, an out of bounds play there. Mainly trying to understand where we’re supposed to be on offense and where we’re supposed to be on defense. After 32 games they should know what’s going on, at least I hope they do.”