HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL Santiago moves on to first CIF State title game

CORONA >> Success has come in waves for Santiago’s girls basketball team. Coach Mike Mitchell feels like he’s just now learning to enjoy the ride.

Mckinley Willardson topped all players with 24 points as Santiago led from start to finish Tuesday night in a 52-39 victory over Del Norte in the CIF State Division I Regional championship game.

“It means so much, and it’s cool to see it now from both perspectives,” Willardson said.

Willardson was 10 of 16 from the field as Santiago (25-9) won in its second consecutive appearance in a Southern California Regional championship game. The Sharks lost in last year’s Division II regional final to Sage Hill 43-41.

“It has to go step-bystep by learning how to play, learning how to play the right way, then winning, then winning tough games,” Mitchell said.

The Sharks move on to play Oakland Tech in the CIF State Division I championship game at 6 p.m. Friday at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.

“It the first time a Santiago basketball team, boys or girls, will go to state, so it means a lot,” Willardson said.

In Mitchell’s first season, in 2016, Santiago was 0-10 in league. This year, the Sharks were 10-0 for the first time in Big VIII League competition.

“We’ve been able to turn the tide but it’s been about waves, and we’re just enjoying that wave right now,” Mitchell said.

Willardson started 0 for 3 from the field but kept finding the ball. The 6-foot-1 center/forward had six points and six rebounds as the Sharks held a 10-6 after the first quarter.

“I knew I would get it eventually. I just had to keep shooting and they’d start falling,” Willardson said.

Bailey Barnhart tried to take control of the game but was held without a field goal in the second quarter (0 for 5) while scoring only four points in the period from the free-throw line.

Willardson took a breather on the bench but came right back and added six more points, and senior guard Rylee Ghent had a steal and went the distance for the layup as Santiago took a 22-10 lead into halftime.

Queen Ruffin got comfortable in the third quarter, hitting a 3-pointer and pumping in seven of her 11 points as Santiago edged its lead forward to 36-20 by the end of the third. Ruffin finished with seven rebounds and four steals.

Jayda Cobbs had six points, five steals, four assists and three steals to help the Sharks finish off the win, their fifth in a row.

Barnhart, who came in averaging 20 point and 13.5 rebounds, finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds.

DAJ'EAUNA WILLIAMS

School: Sports: Year: Noteworthy: