REGIONAL PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
SAN FRANCISCO: Talo Li-Uperesa (Sacred Heart Cathedral): The 5-foot-10 junior led an extremely balanced squad by averaging 13.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game for the Northern California Division 1 champions. She was named firstteam All-West Catholic Athletic League.
Playing one of the toughest schedules in the state, the Irish began the season 5-11 and, playing in one of the toughest leagues in the state, were 11-14 heading into the NorCal playoffs.
But with Li-Uperesa controlling the middle, the 12th-seeded Irish won NorCal Division 1 games on the road over Heritage-Brentwood (68-50), Eastside PrepEast Palo Alto (68-60), St. Francis (69-47) and Miramonte-Orinda (6948).
“Much like we did, Talo got much better as the season progressed,” coach LyRyan Russell said.
NORTH BAY: Maiya Flores (Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa): After losing two college-bound players to graduation in June, Cardinal Newman could have stumbled in 2017-18.
Instead, led by Flores, the school’s all-time leading scorer (boys or girls), the Cardinals went 27-6, earning a spot in the Open Division playoffs.
Flores averaged 14.1 points, three rebounds and three assists. She epitomized the school and team’s motto of “Play Through the Burn,” thriving despite the fact her family’s home was destroyed in the Tubbs Fire last fall. She scored 1,574 points as a fouryear, first-team All-North Bay League player when the Cardinals went a combined 114-22.
“A great kid, a great competitor, Maiya never wanted to be treated any different despite all she had lost,” coach Monica Mertle said. “Since Day 1, she was always committed to what we were trying to accomplish.”
EAST BAY: Angel Jackson (SalesianRichmond): Rated the No. 57 junior in the country by ESPN, Jackson didn’t rest on her reputation while leading the Pride (27-6) to a fourth straight North Coast Section championship and No. 3 finish in the final Metro rankings.
The 6-5 Jackson averaged 14.6 points, 10.5 rebounds and 4.6 blocks per game. She had 17 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks in the North Coast Section title win and closed out her season with 20 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks in a loss to Mitty in the NorCal Open Division semifinals.
“She’s gotten better every season,” coach Steve Pezzola said. “And she was awfully good when she got here.” CONTRA COSTA/ TRI-VALLEY: Haley Van Dyke (Campolindo-Moraga): It seemed close to impossible to improve on her junior season, but the 6-foot wing did, going for 29.8 points, 17.3 rebounds, 4.8 steals and 3.5 blocks per game.
The Washington signee broke the NCS single-game scoring record twice.
First, she had a 56point outburst against Brookside ChristianStockton in January. Two months later, she scored 60 in a 73-50 NCS playoff win over Moreau Catholic-Hayward, making 27 of 42 shots. She also had 16 rebounds, three steals and eight blocks.
Down three starters because of injuries, Campolindo needed all those points. She had six points in the first quarter, 17 in the second, 11 in the third and 26 in the fourth.
“We had a tough time getting her the ball early,” coach Art Thoms said. “We made some adjustments. … The rest was Haley. She’s an amazing kid and an amazing player.”