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LADERA RANCH — Point guard Amalia Holguin wasn’t sure how the Sage Hill girls basketball team would look after the graduation of her Mambas “core.”
The All-County junior got a preview on Thursday at the Girls California Live showcase, and liked the view at Ladera Sports Center.
Holguin teamed with La Jolla Country Day transfer guard Mei-Ling Perry, returning sophomore wing Kamdyn Klamberg and four solid freshmen to defeat Camas of Washington 67-40 in their first game in the ABT bracket.
“I was definitely curious on what it was going to be like but we’re looking pretty good,” Holguin said. “I’m pretty proud of what we did today.”
Sage Hill later beat Bishop Montgomery 59-33 to advance to Friday’s 4:30 p.m. semifinal against Buena Park in the top bracket.
The Lightning, a CIF-SS Open Division qualifier last season, are retooling after graduating starters Emily Eadie (Princeton), Kat Righeimer (Northwestern), Zoie Lamkin (Orange Coast College) and Annabelle Spotts (Chicago). Holguin played with the four players on Kobe Bryant’s Mambas youth team.
“I do miss my core,” Holguin said. “But they’re moving on (to college) … I got to move on, too.”
Tough jumper Amalia Holguin, new-look Sage Hill up 47-36 on Camas pic.twitter.com/Qo3kF96fca
— Dan Albano (@ocvarsityguy) June 13, 2024
Perry, a 5-foot-11 junior guard, helped Holguin with the ball-handling duties. And like Holguin, Perry attacked the basket with drives.
Sage Hill also featured freshmen guards Leah O’Toner and Aoki Perry, freshmen wing Addison Uphuff and freshman post Eve Fowler. Northwood transfer Isabella Rose, a senior forward, also played well.
The Lightning erased a 36-35 deficit with about 13 minutes left with a long and well-balanced run that included early 3-pointers from Uphoff and O’Toner.
Sage Hill played up-tempo and pressed full-court at times.
“I’m excited to build that chemistry with them,” Holguin said of her new teammates. “We’re still learning.”
In another game:
Buena Park 58, Clovis 57: Junior forward Alana White scored in the post at the buzzer to lift the Coyotes.
Alana White for the win! Buena Park moves to 2-0 w/ 58-57 win v Clovis pic.twitter.com/GDJUnRVZhq
— Dan Albano (@ocvarsityguy) June 13, 2024
Note: Maria Mejia, a first-team All-County selection last season at Orangewood Academy, played for Fairmont Prep, Huskies coach Josh Lozano confirmed. Orangewood Academy confirmed on Wednesday that it will not field CIF-SS teams this coming school year due to enrollment concerns.
Fairmont Prep defeated Cardinal Newman 64-23 and Acalanes 80-45 in the Kangaroo bracket.
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