LJCD’S PAOPAO COMES HOME AS OREGON’S FLOOR LEADER
When the University of Oregon women’s basketball players spilled onto the Pechanga Arena court Monday morning, it was easy to spot Te-Hina Paopao. She was the one with the twotoned hair, blonde ball on the right, brunette on the left.
“I wanted to be different,” said the former La Jolla Country Day star. “You don’t see a lot of people with two-toned hair. (I said), ‘Let’s do it.’ ”
Paopao and her Ducks teammates are in town for the NCAAW San Diego Invitational. Oregon and Arkansas meet at 1 p.m. today, followed at 3:30 by Ohio State and South Florida.
The tournament was Oregon head coach Kelly Graves’ idea.
“I made this trip for TeHina,” said Graves. “I made sure she got home to play in front of family and friends.”
Paopao hadn’t visited her large Oceanside family yet, but she had a surprise for her parents: a tattoo in script on her left forearm that reads, “Be You.”
“They’ll find out soon,” Paopao said with a mischievous smile.
The tattoo’s meaning is obvious.
“Just remember to be yourself,” she said. “Don’t let spectators or people get in your head. Be true to yourself.”
Paopao is one of a long line of outstanding athletes who played for Terri Bamford at La Jolla Country Day, then went on to enjoy successful college careers. That list is topped by Candace Wiggins and Kelsey Plum, the NCAA women’s all-time leading scorer.
Now a junior at Oregon, Paopao was a 2020 McDonald’s All-American at LJCD. Her awards included the 2020 California Gatorade State Player of the Year and Cal-Hi Sports Ms. Basketball Player of the Year.
She averaged 22.7 points, 8 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 3.3 steals her senior season for the Torreys.
“She’s obviously developed
into an elite guard, one of the best players in the country,” said Graves. “Coming out of La Jolla Country Day, she was also one of the best.”
The 5-foot-9 Paopao has been a starter since her freshman season at Oregon. She averaged 10.2 points as a freshman and her 2.4 assiststo-turnover ratio led all NCAA freshmen. That team advanced to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament.
She averaged 13.6 points as a sophomore on a team that was knocked out in the first round of the NCAAs.
This year for the 9-1 Ducks, her scoring is down a bit (12.5 points), but she’s a player who impacts games in many ways, averaging 4.7 rebounds and 4 assists.
“She’s unique,” said Graves. “She’s not really a creator, necessarily. When you look at her, watch her play, she’s not necessarily that alpha lead guard, give me the ball, I’m gonna make a play. She just plays within the flow of the game.”
Paopao describes her playing style in two words: “Team player.”
“Look for mine, look for others,” she said. “Find those who are on fire. At the end of the day, the win matters.”
As for Bamford, she calls Paopao “a true point guard.”
“She’s like a coach on the floor. She sees everything,” said Bamford. “She’s willing to share the ball. She knows at times when the team needs a bucket, she knows to go get one.
“Her IQ for the game is really, really high. She’s got deep range, she’s super quick off the dribble, can get to the rim. In order to win championships, you need somebody who knows how to run a team, and she knows how.”