North tops Leuzinger to advance
TORRANCE >> Bailey Enomoto has basketball in her life again.
The senior on the North Torrance girls basketball team missed the majority of two seasons with ACL injuries, one to each knee.
She started her final high school season late as she recovered from the latest injury and she still wears a knee brace, but her performance Saturday night proved that all of the work was worth it.
Enomoto scored 19 points and battled Leuzinger's Dresha Moore all night, as the Saxons led wire to wire for a 76-62 win in the second round of the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 playoffs.
North will host Corona Santiago in the quarterfinals Wednesday.
“I have two ACL tears,” she said. “I tore my right going into sophomore year and I tore my left midway through junior year. I got cleared (to play this season) at the end of 2023 . ... Just trying to work to get all of the muscles back, get back in shape.
“I had basketball taken away (for) two years and I thought I would play all four years. It was a big struggle, not being able to play and be out there with my team. Now, having the chance to be out there, having this be my last time being out there, it makes it a lot more special than maybe some other seniors.”
The first time North faced Leuzinger this season on Nov. 25, Enomoto was still rehabbing the latest ACL injury. Going into this meeting, North felt it already had a new plan, with its center back on the court.
“We didn't have Bailey or Leyna (Miyake) the first time, which are two of our four seniors,” North coach Lauren Kamiyama said. “That's two of our top seven, so I think that makes a difference. They're both on the taller side, so we were able to throw at times a taller lineup to help on 1 (Moore) and 3 (Madison Watts).”
The Saxons paid a lot of attention to the LMU-bound Watts. Wherever she moved, she seemed to have two defenders with her. Watts still finished with 28 points, but Moore was limited to six.
While Leuzinger struggled offensively, North was led by Enomoto on the inside and the 3-point shooting of Keimi Santiago and Sage Misumi. Santiago hit five 3s on her way to a 19-point night and Misumi had three as she finished with 12 points.
“They had a good game plan,” Leuzinger coach Bo Corona said of North. “We had played them early in the year and I warned them that it was not going to be the same. You have to ready for a different look because you're in the playoffs now. It's a do-or-die situation.
“They got up on us early and they kept us down the whole game.”
Leuzinger made a run in the second quarter to get within five points at 29-24, but North closed the second half on a 12-2 run to take a 41-26 lead into halftime.
In the second half, North's lead grew to 20 points on a pair of baskets from Enomoto.
“She represents our program very well as far as fighting back, being resilient, toughness,” Kamiyama said of Enomoto. “We talk about being mentally tough, that's Bailey.
“Her coming back has been key for us this year.”
Also in Division 1 on Saturday:
REDONDO 66, PORTOLA 50 >> Ella and Abby Zimmerman recorded double-doubles in the second-round road win.
Ella Zimmerman had 26 points and 15 rebounds and Abby Zimmerman had 17 points and 10 rebounds. Kyla Hopton had 12 points.
Redondo will be at HarvardWestlake in the quarterfinals.
CIF SOUTHERN SECTION
BOYS BASKETBALL Quarterfinals
Games start at 7 p.m.
Division 1
Etiwanda (25-5) at Redondo (23-4)
St. Bernard (15-11) at Damien (25-4)
Division 2AA
Culver City (19-8) vs. Rolling Hills Prep (24-5) at L.A. Harbor College
Division 3AA
Serra (18-12) at Arcadia (21-9)
Division 3A
Woodbridge (20-9) at North Torrance (22-8)
Division 4A
Hillcrest Christian (21-8) at Mary Star (20-9)
Division 5AA
El Segundo (21-9) at Trinity Classical Academy (23-7)
BOYS SOCCER
Games start at 5 p.m.
Open Division
Semifinals, first leg
Arlington (23-0) at Mira Costa (23-1-4)
Division 2
Quarterfinals
Foothill (15-6-6) at Redondo (13-7-2)
Division 3
Animo Leadership (21-1-1) at Ganesha (15-2-4)
Division 4
Paramount (16-4-2) at Wiseburn Da Vinci (15-8-2)
Division 5
Leuzinger (13-6-2) at Shadow Hill (12-6-2)
Division 7
Hawthorne MSA (12-3-1) vs. Cobalt (13-7) at Silverado HS
L.A. CITY SECTION
GIRLS WATER POLO
Open Division
Semifinals
San Pedro at Birmingham, 3p.m.
TODAY'S HIGH SCHOOL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE